Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CATALISI (Catalysation of institutional transformations of Higher Education Institutions through the adoption of acceleration services)
Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2023-12-31
In recent times, Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the European Union (EU) have faced a period of challenges in ensuring a high level of performance in Research and Innovation (R&I), coupled with the emergence of increasing disparities between European countries (less performing Member States so called Widening Countries) and regions (the rising concentration of economic and innovative activities in major capitals and metropolitan areas, juxtaposed with the decline of industrial or peripheral regions).
HEIs need to address the existing performance gaps and create a R&I system in which European HEIs can jointly engage in the creation of high quality knowledge toward the university of the future. For HEIs, there is an urgent need of institutional changes to strengthen their R&I capacity in areas such as open science and digitisation of research, reform of research assessment, recognition of research career qualifications, gender equality and inclusiveness, strengthening of research infrastructures in the context of the local ecosystem.
The main objective of CATALISI is to support and encourage HEIs to effectively implement a strategy and a individual path for institutional transformation through the use of seven Acceleration Services. These services are meant as helping HEIs to successfully implement a strategy and roadmap accelerating the institutional changes in the field of R&I. CATALISI is carried out by a consortium of 11 partners from 8 EU Member States, covering different geographical areas of Europe, including 3 partners from widening countries. Among the eleven partners, 7 are HEIs, defined implementers toward their institutional transformation, and 3 partners are facilitators.
CATALISI is expected to bring about significant impacts across scientific, economic, and social dimensions. Firstly, the scientific impact: HEIs will increase their competitive capacity related to open science practices and the strengthening of human capital, and thus foster a more open and inclusive research and innovation system. The economic impact is indirectly given in the long run thanks to the access to financial resources, establishing a funding network and investment strategy to accelerate resource accessibility. On the societal front, the impacts will derive by creating an ecosystem which promotes gender and inclusiveness in research and innovation, and also by reinforce the dialogue between multiple stakeholders.
HEIs need to address the existing performance gaps and create a R&I system in which European HEIs can jointly engage in the creation of high quality knowledge toward the university of the future. For HEIs, there is an urgent need of institutional changes to strengthen their R&I capacity in areas such as open science and digitisation of research, reform of research assessment, recognition of research career qualifications, gender equality and inclusiveness, strengthening of research infrastructures in the context of the local ecosystem.
The main objective of CATALISI is to support and encourage HEIs to effectively implement a strategy and a individual path for institutional transformation through the use of seven Acceleration Services. These services are meant as helping HEIs to successfully implement a strategy and roadmap accelerating the institutional changes in the field of R&I. CATALISI is carried out by a consortium of 11 partners from 8 EU Member States, covering different geographical areas of Europe, including 3 partners from widening countries. Among the eleven partners, 7 are HEIs, defined implementers toward their institutional transformation, and 3 partners are facilitators.
CATALISI is expected to bring about significant impacts across scientific, economic, and social dimensions. Firstly, the scientific impact: HEIs will increase their competitive capacity related to open science practices and the strengthening of human capital, and thus foster a more open and inclusive research and innovation system. The economic impact is indirectly given in the long run thanks to the access to financial resources, establishing a funding network and investment strategy to accelerate resource accessibility. On the societal front, the impacts will derive by creating an ecosystem which promotes gender and inclusiveness in research and innovation, and also by reinforce the dialogue between multiple stakeholders.
During the first year of CATALISI project implementation, several activities have been performed that led to the achievement of these main results:
• 7 Acting Living Labs were established. Living Labs are innovative research environments that emphasize co-creation, stakeholder involvement. This service allowed to explore the local context, barriers and framework conditions that can influence HEIs' institutional transformation.
•7 Individual Strategies and Agenda Setting to support short, medium, and long-term sustainable institutional transformation. CATALISI Universities identified goals and potential actions in alignment with their contexts.
• A model for Knowledge Sharing and Mutual learning among the Implementers and all partners in general has been developed. The framework ensures a constant peer-to-peer exchange to accelerate HEIs’ transformations and is instrumental for the organization of Twinning schemes and MML onsite workshops.
• An online platform has been developed on CATALISI website, called CATALYST Hub, specifically dedicated to HEIs. This Hub consists of one section called Learning Hub(https://catalisi.eu/learning-hub/(opens in new window)) which provides tailored training programmes (including webinars and workshops) to improve skillsets in three domains(Research careers and talent support, Research Modus Operandi, Sustainable research and education). The Hub has also a second part, called Funding hub (https://catalisi.eu/funding-opportunities/(opens in new window)) which allows to search for funding opportunities for HEIs to have direct access to the most relevant funding opportunities in their field of research.
• A Community of Practice was established, engaging a pool of European practitioners and experts in R&I to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing on good practices and strategies to achieve institutional transformations.
• 7 Acting Living Labs were established. Living Labs are innovative research environments that emphasize co-creation, stakeholder involvement. This service allowed to explore the local context, barriers and framework conditions that can influence HEIs' institutional transformation.
•7 Individual Strategies and Agenda Setting to support short, medium, and long-term sustainable institutional transformation. CATALISI Universities identified goals and potential actions in alignment with their contexts.
• A model for Knowledge Sharing and Mutual learning among the Implementers and all partners in general has been developed. The framework ensures a constant peer-to-peer exchange to accelerate HEIs’ transformations and is instrumental for the organization of Twinning schemes and MML onsite workshops.
• An online platform has been developed on CATALISI website, called CATALYST Hub, specifically dedicated to HEIs. This Hub consists of one section called Learning Hub(https://catalisi.eu/learning-hub/(opens in new window)) which provides tailored training programmes (including webinars and workshops) to improve skillsets in three domains(Research careers and talent support, Research Modus Operandi, Sustainable research and education). The Hub has also a second part, called Funding hub (https://catalisi.eu/funding-opportunities/(opens in new window)) which allows to search for funding opportunities for HEIs to have direct access to the most relevant funding opportunities in their field of research.
• A Community of Practice was established, engaging a pool of European practitioners and experts in R&I to foster collaboration and knowledge sharing on good practices and strategies to achieve institutional transformations.
CATALISI project has several expectations for long-term impacts. Firstly, CATALISI aims to enable partner institutions to learn how to replicate acceleration services beyond the project's duration, promoting continuous institutional progress. In the first twelve months, the partner universities have been provided with tools and methodologies for agenda setting, for promoting peer-to-peer learning, for leaving-labs which can be replicated in future.
The project recognizes that institutional transformation involves social changes in beliefs and mindsets of members of HEIs, in addition to top-down changes. Involving key influential actors, and sparking discussions among high-level administrators and researchers is key to achieve the projects’ goal.
Some of the key results achieved during the project lifespan could have an impact beyond the project duration and be used by a broader audience of HEIs. CATALISI partners started to reflect on potential exploitation paths for key expected results (KER). In particular, a replicable framework of acceleration services and the model for mutual knowledge sharing among the implementers could be exploited to the benefit of universities beyond the consortium. The Community of Practice could become an European community of professionals to improve the overall efficacy of reforms in HEIs in the fields of R&I. Finally, the CATALYST Hub could be a service of utility after the project for actors beyond the academic community.
The project recognizes that institutional transformation involves social changes in beliefs and mindsets of members of HEIs, in addition to top-down changes. Involving key influential actors, and sparking discussions among high-level administrators and researchers is key to achieve the projects’ goal.
Some of the key results achieved during the project lifespan could have an impact beyond the project duration and be used by a broader audience of HEIs. CATALISI partners started to reflect on potential exploitation paths for key expected results (KER). In particular, a replicable framework of acceleration services and the model for mutual knowledge sharing among the implementers could be exploited to the benefit of universities beyond the consortium. The Community of Practice could become an European community of professionals to improve the overall efficacy of reforms in HEIs in the fields of R&I. Finally, the CATALYST Hub could be a service of utility after the project for actors beyond the academic community.