Periodic Reporting for period 2 - ERIC Forum (ERIC Forum Implementation project)
Berichtszeitraum: 2020-07-01 bis 2021-12-31
The ERIC Forum Implementation Project is a Horizon 2020 project that brings together 22 established European Research Infrastructure Consortia (ERICs) and 1 ERIC in preparation to strengthen their coordination and enhance their collaborations. The main objective of the project is to create and support a framework for ERICs to share knowledge, support research infrastructures (RIs) and ERICs in preparation interested to explore the ERIC legal framework with various aspects related to being an ERIC, and to help the existing ERICs to have a common voice and vision on joint problems.
The strategic approach of the ERIC Forum contributes to address critical challenges, develop best practices, and frame the necessary knowledge to support ERICs in preparation with various aspects. Moreover, this is contributing to building the identity and visibility of ERICs as a key stakeholder in the EU arena and globally.
The major objectives of the project are to:
-Strengthen coordination and networking among ERICs, by reinforcing the informal ERIC network and supporting the development of the ERIC Forum.
-Provide guidance to ERICs on shared challenges, such as the development of internal procurement rules, harmonised reporting, VAT exemption practices, insurances and pensions policies and training of governance bodies representatives.
-Support ERICs in preparation, based on best practices.
-Support common communication and outreach activities and strengthen external representation of ERICs as a stakeholder in consultations and other policy actions that could affect them.
The strategic approach of the ERIC Forum contributes to address critical challenges, develop best practices, and frame the necessary knowledge to support ERICs in preparation with various aspects. Moreover, this is contributing to building the identity and visibility of ERICs as a key stakeholder in the EU arena and globally.
The major objectives of the project are to:
-Strengthen coordination and networking among ERICs, by reinforcing the informal ERIC network and supporting the development of the ERIC Forum.
-Provide guidance to ERICs on shared challenges, such as the development of internal procurement rules, harmonised reporting, VAT exemption practices, insurances and pensions policies and training of governance bodies representatives.
-Support ERICs in preparation, based on best practices.
-Support common communication and outreach activities and strengthen external representation of ERICs as a stakeholder in consultations and other policy actions that could affect them.
The second reporting period covers the period between 01.07.2020-31.12.2021. In this reporting period, the work has been accelerated and this has resulted in the submission of 21 deliverables, as well as all 5 milestones were completed. The project has delivered major reports on topics such as VAT, personnel, KPIs, and policy and innovation reports on the impact of big science on ERICs, integration of ERICs in pan-European infrastructures, etc. The project delivered a number of online seminars in order to disseminate its findings.
The second reporting period was faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, which drastically changed the way of work and prevented any of the planned meeting to take part in person. Despite the pandemic, the work across Work Packages has continued. Nevertheless, some delays did occur and in order to tackle these, as well as to accommodate some of the technical changes to the project, the project was amended in March 2021. All commitments from the first amendment were delivered.
A second amendment to the project was submitted in Jan 2022. The aim of this amendment was to accommodate a few technical changes that occurred towards the end of the second reporting period, enable better synergies in the third reporting period amongst the work of Work Packages for the benefit of the project, as well as to identify new topics that the Consortium felt that this project should still address due to their relevance for the community (e.g. gender equality, international cooperation).
Besides the ongoing work in the WPs, the second very important component of the project is the direct support to the ERIC Forum Executive Board and the ERIC Forum Chair. The ERIC Forum with its elected representatives acts to the outside and interacts with key external stakeholders with support from the project. This has increased the visibility of the ERIC Forum in the European arena and wider.
The second reporting period was faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, which drastically changed the way of work and prevented any of the planned meeting to take part in person. Despite the pandemic, the work across Work Packages has continued. Nevertheless, some delays did occur and in order to tackle these, as well as to accommodate some of the technical changes to the project, the project was amended in March 2021. All commitments from the first amendment were delivered.
A second amendment to the project was submitted in Jan 2022. The aim of this amendment was to accommodate a few technical changes that occurred towards the end of the second reporting period, enable better synergies in the third reporting period amongst the work of Work Packages for the benefit of the project, as well as to identify new topics that the Consortium felt that this project should still address due to their relevance for the community (e.g. gender equality, international cooperation).
Besides the ongoing work in the WPs, the second very important component of the project is the direct support to the ERIC Forum Executive Board and the ERIC Forum Chair. The ERIC Forum with its elected representatives acts to the outside and interacts with key external stakeholders with support from the project. This has increased the visibility of the ERIC Forum in the European arena and wider.
The Annual Meeting 2021 was organized, with an audience of over 170 participants, from the ERIC Forum community, the EC, ESFRI, EIROForum and other stakeholders. In addition, by supporting the ERIC Forum Executive Board and its Chair, WP1 contributed to the impact that ERIC Forum has with participation in other key meetings with the EC. With its ongoing project management work, WP1 ensures the overall project is well on-track and thus impacts the timely and quality delivery of know-how to the overall ERIC Forum Community.
WP2 has developed a sustainable governance structure for the ERIC Forum, which underlies all processes and activities. The governance structure enables the Forum to fulfil its internal and external mission and is implemented as a permanent one. This means that it will continue to be in place and support the ERIC Forum also after the project will have come to its end. If needed, the governance structure can be further adapted.
WP3 further reinforced the knowledge of ERICs and future ERIC’s staff by making multiple resources and opportunities for exchange available. It also equipped future ERICs with essential knowledge that will ultimately smoothen their entry into operations. WP3 strengthened the community ties among and between ERICs and future ERICs by offering regular educational seminars on topics of interest, which has continued to accelerate the multiplication of knowledge and expertise available within the Forum. WP3 contributed to positioning the Forum as interlocutor to key stakeholders by acting as liaison with EGERIC expert group, assessing the implementation of the ERIC Regulation.
With the subject and objectives of WP4, there is a substantial impact in several directions. By the first delivery D4.1: Report on proposed approach and dashboard for common ERIC KPIs, the impact was very broad as it forms the baseline for ERIC Evaluation and Impact Assessment. But it also had the impact of initiating a discussion on how different the ERICs in the ERIC Forum are and how the highest possible common denominator may look like. This also impacts the considerations for ESFRI to which there has been ongoing dialogue and coordination.
Apart from the external impact, it became very apparent that the flow of tasks and considerations in WP4 could positively impact the project internally, especially WP6 where the considerations for policies could benefit from an alignment.
The impact of the communication activities is directly reflected in the progress made towards achieving the project’s communication goals, focused on increasing the visibility of the Forum as an important stakeholder in the European Research panorama, and of individual ERICs by showcasing their scientific achievements and contributions to tackling grand challenges.
Moreover, effective dissemination of the project’s outcome allowed RIs interested in learning more about the ERIC landscape and regulation, the common challenges and best practices from the most experienced ERICs.
The primary impact of WP6 is the collaboration and engagement across ERICs for the preparation of the Policy Reports as explained in the chapter above. The secondary impact is the collaboration across WPs and with external stakeholders which has for example resulted in collaboration with the EIROFORUM and ESFRI for the preparation of the Third WP6 Policy Report. The third level of impact is the dissemination towards the community at large in Europe as well as internationally, collected via social media metrics and website analytics for example the publication in September 2020 of the WP6 first ERIC Forum Policy Report 1 on “Funding models for access to ERIC multinational/transnational services” and the first T&I Report on “Creating synergies between ERICs and the (Regional) Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation-RIS3” generated more than 50% increase in the website traffic in comparison with the following month (Oct2020).
WP2 has developed a sustainable governance structure for the ERIC Forum, which underlies all processes and activities. The governance structure enables the Forum to fulfil its internal and external mission and is implemented as a permanent one. This means that it will continue to be in place and support the ERIC Forum also after the project will have come to its end. If needed, the governance structure can be further adapted.
WP3 further reinforced the knowledge of ERICs and future ERIC’s staff by making multiple resources and opportunities for exchange available. It also equipped future ERICs with essential knowledge that will ultimately smoothen their entry into operations. WP3 strengthened the community ties among and between ERICs and future ERICs by offering regular educational seminars on topics of interest, which has continued to accelerate the multiplication of knowledge and expertise available within the Forum. WP3 contributed to positioning the Forum as interlocutor to key stakeholders by acting as liaison with EGERIC expert group, assessing the implementation of the ERIC Regulation.
With the subject and objectives of WP4, there is a substantial impact in several directions. By the first delivery D4.1: Report on proposed approach and dashboard for common ERIC KPIs, the impact was very broad as it forms the baseline for ERIC Evaluation and Impact Assessment. But it also had the impact of initiating a discussion on how different the ERICs in the ERIC Forum are and how the highest possible common denominator may look like. This also impacts the considerations for ESFRI to which there has been ongoing dialogue and coordination.
Apart from the external impact, it became very apparent that the flow of tasks and considerations in WP4 could positively impact the project internally, especially WP6 where the considerations for policies could benefit from an alignment.
The impact of the communication activities is directly reflected in the progress made towards achieving the project’s communication goals, focused on increasing the visibility of the Forum as an important stakeholder in the European Research panorama, and of individual ERICs by showcasing their scientific achievements and contributions to tackling grand challenges.
Moreover, effective dissemination of the project’s outcome allowed RIs interested in learning more about the ERIC landscape and regulation, the common challenges and best practices from the most experienced ERICs.
The primary impact of WP6 is the collaboration and engagement across ERICs for the preparation of the Policy Reports as explained in the chapter above. The secondary impact is the collaboration across WPs and with external stakeholders which has for example resulted in collaboration with the EIROFORUM and ESFRI for the preparation of the Third WP6 Policy Report. The third level of impact is the dissemination towards the community at large in Europe as well as internationally, collected via social media metrics and website analytics for example the publication in September 2020 of the WP6 first ERIC Forum Policy Report 1 on “Funding models for access to ERIC multinational/transnational services” and the first T&I Report on “Creating synergies between ERICs and the (Regional) Research and Innovation Strategies for Smart Specialisation-RIS3” generated more than 50% increase in the website traffic in comparison with the following month (Oct2020).