Periodic Reporting for period 1 - EVOLVE (EVOLVE: Euro-BioImaging - Vision - Open Science - Landscape - Visibility - Excellence)
Berichtszeitraum: 2024-03-01 bis 2025-08-31
The EVOLVE project aims to significantly strengthen the capabilities of Euro-BioImaging ERIC as the pan-European research infrastructure that provides quality-assured access to a portfolio of over 120 cutting-edge imaging technologies, training, and data services, across 18 Member States. Through EVOLVE, Euro-BioImaging is able to enhance the competitiveness of the European Research Area (ERA) by promoting collaboration with key stakeholders, optimizing the organization's operations, and advancing its activities in strategic focus areas.
The project aims to achieve the following objectives, each of which is related to a key focus area of Euro-BioImaging’s operations:
streamline legal and contractual practices for strategic partnering and strengthen relations with key stakeholders; raise awareness and increase the organization’s recognition; facilitate access and improve user experience; foster collaboration across the network of Euro-BioImaging Nodes; diversify the user base and facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations; provide access to training; provide FAIR data services; reduce environmental impact; strengthen industry relations; develop ethics governance framework; and evaluate the socio-economic impact of Euro-BioImaging ERIC.
By comprehensively strengthening its capacity to deliver tangible outcomes in its key focus areas, Euro-BioImaging, thanks to the EVOLVE project, will bring numerous scientific, societal, and economic benefits across the ERA.
The project aims to achieve the following objectives, each of which is related to a key focus area of Euro-BioImaging’s operations:
streamline legal and contractual practices for strategic partnering and strengthen relations with key stakeholders; raise awareness and increase the organization’s recognition; facilitate access and improve user experience; foster collaboration across the network of Euro-BioImaging Nodes; diversify the user base and facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations; provide access to training; provide FAIR data services; reduce environmental impact; strengthen industry relations; develop ethics governance framework; and evaluate the socio-economic impact of Euro-BioImaging ERIC.
By comprehensively strengthening its capacity to deliver tangible outcomes in its key focus areas, Euro-BioImaging, thanks to the EVOLVE project, will bring numerous scientific, societal, and economic benefits across the ERA.
Significant progress has been made towards achievement of project objectives in the first Reporting Period (RP1).
Strategic relations with various stakeholders across Europe and globally have been significantly strengthened and multiple partnerships have been formalized by signing Memorandums of Understanding. Moreover, multiple new legal templates were developed, and core organization policies were reviewed and updated.
Euro-BioImaging’s visibility has been enhanced by engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including policymakers, the scientific community, and the general public. New communication tools and channels have been employed to further boost the outreach capacity of the organization.
In order to facilitate access to Euro-BioImaging services and improve user experience, major progress has been achieved in the development of the next generation Access Portal, the central entry point for the ERIC operations.
The Euro-BioImaging Nodes network has been significantly strengthened through numerous in person and online events and various collaboration opportunities, with the highly impactful cross-Node staff exchange program being the most successful initiative.
Through an in-depth landscape mapping, new and underserved user communities and engagement areas were identified, e.g. Widening countries, early-career researchers, and commercial users, and subsequently targeted through a range of activities and focused events to expand Euro-BioImaging’s reach and inclusivity.
Training programs for Node staff as well as for the Euro-BioImaging Hub staff were developed and their activities implemented with great success, contributing to capacity building and strengthening connections within the organization.
Euro-BioImaging Data Services have been strengthened by advancing FAIR image data stewardship activities, alignment and support of community and policy initiatives like EOSC, and technical developments of selected data tools.
An in-depth analysis of existing sustainability and GreenIT practices at the Euro-BioImaging Nodes has been performed, laying the foundation for guidelines and training on sustainable RI operations to be provided in RP2.
A comprehensive strategy was developed to strengthen relations with commercial partners and over 150 companies, ranging from start-ups to large, well-established companies, were engaged through targeted events.
The foundation for the ethics governance framework for Euro-BioImaging has been laid by defining its scope, methodology, and key domains, based on the review of existing standards, stakeholder consultation, and expert engagement.
Lastly, a comprehensive set of socio-economic indicators has been created to enable the Euro-BioImaging ERIC impact assessment to be implemented in RP2.
Strategic relations with various stakeholders across Europe and globally have been significantly strengthened and multiple partnerships have been formalized by signing Memorandums of Understanding. Moreover, multiple new legal templates were developed, and core organization policies were reviewed and updated.
Euro-BioImaging’s visibility has been enhanced by engaging with a wide range of stakeholders, including policymakers, the scientific community, and the general public. New communication tools and channels have been employed to further boost the outreach capacity of the organization.
In order to facilitate access to Euro-BioImaging services and improve user experience, major progress has been achieved in the development of the next generation Access Portal, the central entry point for the ERIC operations.
The Euro-BioImaging Nodes network has been significantly strengthened through numerous in person and online events and various collaboration opportunities, with the highly impactful cross-Node staff exchange program being the most successful initiative.
Through an in-depth landscape mapping, new and underserved user communities and engagement areas were identified, e.g. Widening countries, early-career researchers, and commercial users, and subsequently targeted through a range of activities and focused events to expand Euro-BioImaging’s reach and inclusivity.
Training programs for Node staff as well as for the Euro-BioImaging Hub staff were developed and their activities implemented with great success, contributing to capacity building and strengthening connections within the organization.
Euro-BioImaging Data Services have been strengthened by advancing FAIR image data stewardship activities, alignment and support of community and policy initiatives like EOSC, and technical developments of selected data tools.
An in-depth analysis of existing sustainability and GreenIT practices at the Euro-BioImaging Nodes has been performed, laying the foundation for guidelines and training on sustainable RI operations to be provided in RP2.
A comprehensive strategy was developed to strengthen relations with commercial partners and over 150 companies, ranging from start-ups to large, well-established companies, were engaged through targeted events.
The foundation for the ethics governance framework for Euro-BioImaging has been laid by defining its scope, methodology, and key domains, based on the review of existing standards, stakeholder consultation, and expert engagement.
Lastly, a comprehensive set of socio-economic indicators has been created to enable the Euro-BioImaging ERIC impact assessment to be implemented in RP2.
In RP1 the project has contributed to strategic positioning of Euro-BioImaging ERIC and its sustainability by strengthening its capacities for partnership with key stakeholders. Foundations were laid for the socio-economic impact assessment of the organization to be recurrently conducted in 5-year cycles. Project communication strategy and visual identity have been developed to enable targeted engagement of various stakeholders and consistent branding. A dedicated Euro-BioImaging Access Portal has been launched, separated from the Euro-BioImaging website and improved by multiple new functionalities to streamline access to cutting-edge imaging technologies and expertise. Two All-Hands Nodes Meetings were organized to strengthen the Node community, EVOLVE Job Shadowing, Mentoring, and Scientific Ambassadors Programs were launched and already benefited numerous researchers, and the Euro-BioImaging Node and Hub staff training programs were designed and implemented. The Node community has further benefited from support for training courses, travel grants to underrepresented user community events, and support for outreach events aimed at the general public. Euro-BioImaging FAIR data services have been significantly expanded by boosting data handling capabilities, and by new activities benefiting the community. Lastly, foundations for sustainability guidelines aiming to reduce the environmental impact of RI operations have been laid.