The project builds on a solid network and promotes continuous interaction between SwafS NCPs around Europe and beyond. Because of the existence of this network, several activities have been implemented among the NCPs, like training activities, networking, organisation of events, and elaboration of supporting materials. All these actions were designed and implemented with the goal of reinforcing the role of each NCP in order to allow them to provide better service and an added value in their countries, help simplify the access to calls, promote entry of newcomers, widen participation and increase the quality of proposals.
Building on the legacy of previous networks, SiS.net3 carries out focused impact activities, especially as H2020 is coming to an end and it is vital to take stock of the impact. To this end, varous impact driven activities were carried out, like analysing country participation with a view to improving participation from stakeholders and countries with low performance. Impact towards NCPs and towards clients was also looked at, as well as impact generated from dedicated collaboration with other NCP networks across H2020 and stakeholders from academia to industry. Finally, the impact of the unprecedented success of the SiS.net Brokerage events was highlighted.
The impact of all activities is directly in line with the expected impact listed in the WP. At the end of the project, the activities and collected effort have all worked towards achieving the following goals:
● Further develop a more consistent, improved and professionalised level of NCPs support services across Europe.
● Enhance the competence of NCPs, including helping less experienced NCPs rapidly acquire the know-how accumulated in other countries.
● Facilitate the participation and simplify access to Science with and for Society Horizon 2020 calls, and lower the entry barriers for newcomers, especially focusing on potential participants in countries with low success level in the programme or other entry barriers that can be identified.
● Increase the quality of submitted proposals.
To reach these goals, activities were focused on the two target groups of the project as follows:
● The improvement of the capacities and knowledge of all the SwafS NCPs to contribute to a better execution of their activities in their countries to encourage the participation in Science with and for Society calls.
● The improvement of the capacities and knowledge of SwafS stakeholders, academia, CSOs, SMEs and industry, related to the processes of participation in calls, when there is an added value at developing activities at European level.
