Support to the networking of national R&I Think Tanks for helping co-shape and share a common perspective on R&I policy across Europe
GOVERNANCE-23-2020 (CSA - Coordination and support action)
Horizon 2020 Framework Programme CLOSED
The intended new governance of R&I policy at EU level relies on a combination of co-creation across policy fields and co-design with relevant stakeholders, as part of an open, transparent and cooperative relation between science and society. This implies developing a shared understanding and common views on policy challenges and opportunities based on sound evidence and continuous exchanges with policy advisors and shapers active at national level. In that regard, there is a need to help the transparent networking of R&I Think Tanks across the EU to strengthen and enlarge their input to the co-design of R&I policy.
Scope
The coordination and support action should support the networking of R&I Think Tanks across the EU, with the aim to inform EU and national policy-making and help develop and share common views needed for co-designing the EU R&I policy. Proposals should demonstrate the capacity to develop existing informal or self-organised collaborations across national Think Tanks and/or R&I policy advisers into an actual European network of R&I Think Tanks, to achieve efficiency and effectiveness in codesigning R&I policies.
The network should bring together think tanks or advisory communities already organised at national level, and increase their cross-border collaboration and capacity to deliver strategic policy advice at European level. The network should aim at enhancing trust and coherence amongst its members, through transparent, open and collaborative processes involving national and European policy-makers, research and innovation communities and citizens. While the new network should help shape and spread new ideas about EU R&I policy, it should also capture and discuss emerging trends to make R&I policy more impactful and develop methodologies and approaches for co-designing policies with a clear EU added value.
Specific objectives of this action
- The network will greatly increase the capacity and diversity of R&I policy advice available in each Member State, by opening up the possibility for national Think Tanks to source or discuss expertise and advice from Think Tanks in other Member States.
- The network will allow to rapidly bringing to the fore and debating new R&I policy concepts, through e.g. an annual event, in view of developing a common understanding and supporting the coherence of policy making processes across the EU.
The Commission considers that a consortium requesting a contribution from the EU in the order of EUR 0.5 million would allow this specific challenge to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.
Expected Impact
Opening up and connecting policy advisers and R&I communities will add value to the governance of the European research and innovation system, will have a measurable impact for policy makers, R&I communities and citizens, and will lead to policies with more relevance and impact.
In the short term, the action will reinforce network collaboration between national R&I policy advisers, with the prospect in the medium term to offer a sounding board for national and EU policy-makers alike. In the longer term, it will facilitate the strategic alignment of R&I policies in Europe by supporting the uptake and dissemination of research and innovation best practices and questioning.
Cross-cutting Priorities
