CAPACITY BUILDING FOR EXCELLENCE AND IMPACT
On July 24, 2020, the EUTOPIA TRAIN initiative was awarded funding under the Horizon 2020 call Support for the Research and Innovation Dimension of European Universities (SwafS). The University of Gothenburg coordinates the project (2021-2023).
EUTOPIA aims to be more than a university network. It holds a fundamental vision regarding the valueadded contribution of academia to society.
EUTOPIA TRAIN sponsors academic innovation with societal impact: it aims to integrate pan-EUTOPIA research and innovation communities and structures and open them to society, businesses, students, and policymakers. The project intends to link the research communities of EUTOPIA with the local and international needs of multiple stakeholders at the different levels of the formulation of research agendas, their execution, and the dissemination of results.
EUTOPIA TRAIN gives today a clear frame to the goal set by the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, CY Cergy Paris University, the University of Gothenburg, the University of Ljubljana, the Pompeu Fabra University-Barcelona and the University of Warwick to mutualize resources and tools and to define a shared Research & Innovation Policy. Objectives are to boost the research capacity of the six universities of the Alliance, in both human and technical resources, and contribute to developing the European Union R&I performance. The idea is to generate a crossinstitutional strategy based on joint governance and common understanding to reach a state-of-the-art capacity building for excellence and impact.
The guiding principle of the EUTOPIA TRAIN activities is the concept of a complete academic environment centred on the interconnections between research, education, and innovation. The idea displays cross-boundary research, collaborative education, and cooperation with public and private actors from across society.
EUTOPIA TRAIN
EUTOPIA TRAIN is an ambitious research initiative committed to building a challenge-driven knowledgecreation community that capitalises EUTOPIA partners’ joint potential to promote innovation and societal impact. This programme, which aims to extend EUTOPIA’s challenge-led model to the development of its Research and Innovation (R&I) dimension, tackles two main challenges:
- Integrate pan-EUTOPIA R&I Communities.
- Open up EUTOPIA research communities to society, businesses, students, and policy-makers. To this end, three cross-cutting objectives will be targeted:
- Developing R&I synergies and delivering a joint Research Strategy
- Mutualising resources and tools
- Defining a shared R&I policy.
Objectives are to boost the research capacity of the initial six and now ten universities of the Alliance in both human and technical resources and contribute to the development of the EU R&I performance. The idea is to generate a cross-institutional strategy based on joint governance and common management structures. Among other actions, the project includes an Open Access metadata portal, a common Human Resources strategy and roadmap, and the creation of an EUTOPIA Grants, Legal, and Innovation office.