Periodic Reporting for period 1 - MILIEU (Women, Disability, and Inclusion – Scientific Excellence in Bulgaria)
Berichtszeitraum: 2021-01-01 bis 2022-03-31
MILIEU addresses a specific need of the coordinating institution - the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (IPS) to obtain support in a networking collaboration with two highly renowned universities – the Complutense University of Madrid, Spain (UCM) and the University of Genoa, Italy (UNIGE), that will increase the capacity of IPS and BAS for scientific excellence, visibility and research innovation with the final aim to enable high-quality research at the intersection of gender and women’s studies, feminist disability studies and disability and inclusion studies. In doing so MILIEU contributes to the opening of new avenues for research, driving excellence and introducing concrete actions to spread ERA priorities.
To fulfill its multifaceted goal, MILIEU has devised a set of interlinked specific objectives that together form the project implementation:
1. To enhance the scientific and technological capacity of the consortium and, in particular, of IPS and BAS.
2. To raise the research profile of IPS and BAS, and increase their international networking activities and attractiveness within Bulgaria and the EU.
3. To train early-stage researchers (ESR) at IPS and BAS by involving them in research activities at the international level in the fields fostered by the project.
4. To attain high-level management and administration skills within IPS and BAS, especially as related to project design and management activities, thus increasing the likelihood of gaining funding for international research and innovation projects.
To fulfill its multifaceted goal, MILIEU has devised a set of interlinked specific objectives that together form the project implementation:
1. To enhance the scientific and technological capacity of the consortium and, in particular, of IPS and BAS.
2. To raise the research profile of IPS and BAS, and increase their international networking activities and attractiveness within Bulgaria and the EU.
3. To train early-stage researchers (ESR) at IPS and BAS by involving them in research activities at the international level in the fields fostered by the project.
4. To attain high-level management and administration skills within IPS and BAS, especially as related to project design and management activities, thus increasing the likelihood of gaining funding for international research and innovation projects.
A number of outcomes and results with a high potential for exploitation and sustainable usage have already been developed within the framework of MILIEU during the first period of the project implementation.
In the first 15 months, nine academic events were organized/attended by consortium members, among which 4 MILIEU panels in prestigious international conferences and an international MILIEU conference. The events were an excellent opportunity to introduce new topics, boost scientific excellence and ESRs’ involvement and provide opportunities for networking and new contacts. MILIEU’s focus on women and disabilities resulted in 26 papers/presentations given or accepted by MILIEU members in the first period, of which 8 authored by ESRs.
With the aim to introduce new research lines and securing a steady flow of research focused on feminist and disability studies, a study was conducted on the topic of “Smart urban futures and the digital divide realities: the tale of three European cities” that aims to assess the status of digital accessibility and social inclusion of vulnerable groups of citizens in Madrid, Sofia, and Helsinki.
Four academic publications were published/accepted for publishing in international journals during the first 15 months of the project.
In 2021 a Ph.D. summer school, attended by 22 participants, was held in hybrid form in Varna, Bulgaria. Experts and researchers from IPS, UNIGE and UCM conducted several training courses and workshops with a specific focus on academic writing, planning, research project design and management, innovative thinking, and doctoral dissertation writing and defense. A second summer school is being prepared for July 2022 that will take place in El Escorial, one of the most prestigious and traditional end-of-term activities in Spain. The three-day course will focus on some of the core topics of the MILIEU project.
During the first period, six training sessions and two short academic courses were conducted, and another two are forthcoming shortly. One of the courses, dedicated to project drafting, was also open to researchers and Ph.D. students from other research institutions and attracted 86 participants. The materials and presentations from the most successful training courses were disseminated to participants and were later uploaded on the site.
During the first period, 10 workshops were conducted. Four of them included decision-makers from IPS and BAS management and aimed to present key findings and policy proposals to aid internalization and boost research management and project drafting capacities. The other six workshops were meant to introduce new topics and research approaches, as well as to provide networking opportunities.
As part of the goal to stimulate internalization and to increase the competence for project drafting, two joint proposals for new research projects were elaborated (one submitted, the other one due shortly after) during the first reporting period.
All this work has been accompanied by an active dissemination and communication strategy. MILIEU was presented via a number of events and activities both at the EU and national levels amounting to a total of around 5000 participants. Three informational seminars were held in the last 15 months and 3 interviews were aired on radio, complemented by a number of appearances in printed and web media.
In the first 15 months, nine academic events were organized/attended by consortium members, among which 4 MILIEU panels in prestigious international conferences and an international MILIEU conference. The events were an excellent opportunity to introduce new topics, boost scientific excellence and ESRs’ involvement and provide opportunities for networking and new contacts. MILIEU’s focus on women and disabilities resulted in 26 papers/presentations given or accepted by MILIEU members in the first period, of which 8 authored by ESRs.
With the aim to introduce new research lines and securing a steady flow of research focused on feminist and disability studies, a study was conducted on the topic of “Smart urban futures and the digital divide realities: the tale of three European cities” that aims to assess the status of digital accessibility and social inclusion of vulnerable groups of citizens in Madrid, Sofia, and Helsinki.
Four academic publications were published/accepted for publishing in international journals during the first 15 months of the project.
In 2021 a Ph.D. summer school, attended by 22 participants, was held in hybrid form in Varna, Bulgaria. Experts and researchers from IPS, UNIGE and UCM conducted several training courses and workshops with a specific focus on academic writing, planning, research project design and management, innovative thinking, and doctoral dissertation writing and defense. A second summer school is being prepared for July 2022 that will take place in El Escorial, one of the most prestigious and traditional end-of-term activities in Spain. The three-day course will focus on some of the core topics of the MILIEU project.
During the first period, six training sessions and two short academic courses were conducted, and another two are forthcoming shortly. One of the courses, dedicated to project drafting, was also open to researchers and Ph.D. students from other research institutions and attracted 86 participants. The materials and presentations from the most successful training courses were disseminated to participants and were later uploaded on the site.
During the first period, 10 workshops were conducted. Four of them included decision-makers from IPS and BAS management and aimed to present key findings and policy proposals to aid internalization and boost research management and project drafting capacities. The other six workshops were meant to introduce new topics and research approaches, as well as to provide networking opportunities.
As part of the goal to stimulate internalization and to increase the competence for project drafting, two joint proposals for new research projects were elaborated (one submitted, the other one due shortly after) during the first reporting period.
All this work has been accompanied by an active dissemination and communication strategy. MILIEU was presented via a number of events and activities both at the EU and national levels amounting to a total of around 5000 participants. Three informational seminars were held in the last 15 months and 3 interviews were aired on radio, complemented by a number of appearances in printed and web media.
The multifaceted results and outcomes of MILIEU will bring positive change to IPS, the BAS Academy as a whole, and the advanced project partners – UCM and UNIGE. As MILIEU evolves and an increasing number of project activities are implemented, the project’s impact is already becoming evident.
For instance, even at this early stage the results and outcomes of MILIEU have already contributed to increasing the reputation, attractiveness, and networking channels of IPS. It is expected that, thanks to the various activities of MILIEU by the end of the project, IPS will gain a substantial boost in visibility and reputation at the international level.
Next, MILIEU has already contributed and will further contribute to improving the capability and competencies of scholars and ESRs of IPS and BAS to compete successfully for research funding. Project partners have devised a comprehensive set of activities towards the improvement of competencies for project drafting and management that will have a positive effect on different levels.
Focusing an entire work package on ESRs, MILIEU will contribute to increasing the research and academic competencies of young scholars and enrich their networks by contacts in international associations.
MILIEU will also result in increased research excellence of IPS in feminist disability studies, disability studies, and gender and women’s studies. IPS has the potential to become a point of reference in this regard for other research institutions in Bulgaria and beyond, thanks to the good practices for promoting inclusion. As MILIEU research topics are unaddressed in Bulgaria, the project will bring significant research and societal impacts in the long term.
The mutual exchange and joint activities of MILIEU will also boost UCM and UNIGE expertise and research capacities by providing new approaches and narratives for gender and disability studies and opening new research pathways.
MILIEU will also improve all partners’ capacities for all matters concerning RRI principles and will increase awareness within the participating institutions with respect to Open Science, Open Access, Public engagement, etc.
Last but not least, MILIEU will generate positive impacts also for the wider academic community and for Bulgaria and the EU in general, thanks to the fact that most of MILIEU activities are open and welcoming to scholars from other institutions, and efforts are made for ensuring the sustainability of a large part of its twinning and networking mechanisms.
For instance, even at this early stage the results and outcomes of MILIEU have already contributed to increasing the reputation, attractiveness, and networking channels of IPS. It is expected that, thanks to the various activities of MILIEU by the end of the project, IPS will gain a substantial boost in visibility and reputation at the international level.
Next, MILIEU has already contributed and will further contribute to improving the capability and competencies of scholars and ESRs of IPS and BAS to compete successfully for research funding. Project partners have devised a comprehensive set of activities towards the improvement of competencies for project drafting and management that will have a positive effect on different levels.
Focusing an entire work package on ESRs, MILIEU will contribute to increasing the research and academic competencies of young scholars and enrich their networks by contacts in international associations.
MILIEU will also result in increased research excellence of IPS in feminist disability studies, disability studies, and gender and women’s studies. IPS has the potential to become a point of reference in this regard for other research institutions in Bulgaria and beyond, thanks to the good practices for promoting inclusion. As MILIEU research topics are unaddressed in Bulgaria, the project will bring significant research and societal impacts in the long term.
The mutual exchange and joint activities of MILIEU will also boost UCM and UNIGE expertise and research capacities by providing new approaches and narratives for gender and disability studies and opening new research pathways.
MILIEU will also improve all partners’ capacities for all matters concerning RRI principles and will increase awareness within the participating institutions with respect to Open Science, Open Access, Public engagement, etc.
Last but not least, MILIEU will generate positive impacts also for the wider academic community and for Bulgaria and the EU in general, thanks to the fact that most of MILIEU activities are open and welcoming to scholars from other institutions, and efforts are made for ensuring the sustainability of a large part of its twinning and networking mechanisms.