Porfolio of the potential of challenges revealed in first EELISA Communities with identification of scientific and technological needs

Abstract

This document is prepared within the work package WP2 – ‘EELISA Research and Innovation Strategy’, task 2.5, as deliverable D2.5 “Portfolio of the potential of challenges revealed in first EELISA Communities with identification of scientific and technological needs”. When producing D2.5 “Portfolio of the potential of challenges revealed in first EELISA Communities with identification of scientific and technological needs, we followed the data collection steps about and from EELISA communities and partners on the societal challenges that are focused on and the technological and scientific needs revealed about these challenges in EELISA communities. The search was conducted with the data and information on both the mission statements in the definition of each EELISA community and the activities organized by these communities. The methodology adapted for this deliverable had followed a hybrid approach utilizing primary and secondary data on the EELISA Communities. For revealing the challenges and scientific or technological needs identified within these challenges, this report presents a quantitative descriptive analysis of the existing data and information in the EELISA Community Platform and the data collected within EELISA WP4 – Communities. Two dimensions are focused in this section: (1) The relationship of EELISA Communities’ missions with Societal Challenges through an SDG Based Analysis, (2) The classification of the Communities by the scientific or technological needs identified for contributing to solutions to overcoming these challenges by EELISA Strategic Research Areas. Since the Strategic Research Areas (SRAs) are about the linkages to scientific and technological fields, SRA Based analysis of the Community Definitions provided an overview of the R&I focus of Communities. In addition, a survey is conducted with EELISA Community Coordinators/Contacts and active Community Members who had organized activities1 in EELISA Communities in which the ommunities’ perceptions on their experiences on their expectations from and the needs and barriers regarding the EELISA Communities. The study concludes with the combination of the findings in a dialectical approach revealing the “Benefits and opportunities” raised by Communities to Research and Learning, and the “obstacles and barriers” faced by the communities. In a SWOT analysis framework, the community concept of EELISA is strategically elaborated on to guide further practices. The discussion on these provided the potential of Communities based on their outcomes by the challenges they focused on enabling “Active Collaboration for Research and Innovation Projects and Research-Based Learning.” The “Policy Recommendations and Future Directions” which will serve as the basis of the future directions of the EELISA Communities. EELISA communities are among the most important component of EELISA innoCORE R&I and Research-Based Learning strategies and processes. Hence this deliverable report is expected to provide guidance on how to improve contributions of EELISA to solving societal challenges represented by SDGs, and the research and innovation performance in SRAs.(DRAFT NOT YET APPROVED BY EUROPEAN COMMISSION)