Project Structure

The organisational change process in both Fraunhofer and TNO proceeds through the same three steps starting with goal setting (WPs 2 and 3), followed by development of the action plans (WPs 4 and 5) and implementation of the selected pilot activities (WPs 6 and 7). Each organisation adapts process and activities to its specific requirements. In parallel, the analysis of the international practices is carried out in WP9. WP10 fosters the continuous exchange between the lessons learned first within the participating organisations and then with a growing circle of other actors of the research and innovation landscape. WP8 supports the partners in continuously reflecting the lessons learned and improving the process accordingly.  

WP 1 State of the art aims at establishing a common understanding of and developing further the conceptual state of the art on the deep institutionalisation of RRI. Based on the EC concept of the RRI key dimensions but also relying on further approaches (cf. projects MoRRI, RES-AGorA), the concept will be adapted to RTOs, and additional cross-cutting features of RRI will be incorporated. In addition, existing good practices inside and out-side Europe will be identified via desk research and interviews. Insights will be used to carry out kick-off workshops at Fraunhofer and TNO in order to analyse stakeholder’s general expectations towards RRI transitions within their organizations.

WPs 2 and 3 Development of RRI goals are dedicated to the stakeholder-based development of the organization-specific goals that will guide the development and institutionalisation of RRI at Fraunhofer and TNO. In each of the five key dimensions mentioned in the call, a workshop will be carried out with stakeholders within Fraunhofer and TNO respectively for further demand specification, vision development and goal formulation.

Based on state-of-the-art theory in organizational behaviour, WPs 4 and 5 RRI action plan aim at analysing the organizational barriers with regard to the transition towards the previously defined goals. Empirical information will be gathered by qualitative interviews with change agents, e.g. the organizations' employees (stakeholders already involved in WPs 2 and 3 and further actors in different institutes/ departments/organizational levels). Results will feed into the stakeholder-/workshop-based development of RRI action plans for each of the five key dimensions.

In WPs 6 and 7 Implementation, the actions set out in the RRI action plans will be specified and rolled out in a first stage. At both Fraunhofer and TNO, these work packages involve an extensive engagement of the actors involved (examples: setting out of ethical guidelines, open days to promote societal engagement, establishing an open data repository as well as other adaptations and expansions of technical and information infrastructures).

WP 8 Monitoring: In all project stages, a monitoring will be carried out by the Institute for Higher Studies (IHS) for quality control, and to continuously reflect on the suitability and success of the actions taken.

WP 9 International mutual learning process will serve to conduct a systematic exchange and analysis of information on international good RRI practices in the form of case studies within CAS and ASU. Case studies will be conducted in a two-stage process respectively, with one exchange workshop with representatives of CAS and ASU at the end of each stage. During the first stage, desk research and interviews will be employed to analyse existing good practices. The second stage is dedicated to a deeper analysis of implementation practices. A third workshop on the results will take place at the project’s end.

In WP 10 Mutual learning and communication, a systematic mutual exchange between Fraunhofer and TNO will be organized: Case-based comparative analyses will be employed to identify lessons learned and good practices from WPs 2 to 7. The uptake of these results across further RTOs and similar research organizations across the EU 28 will be initiated. At the beginning of the project, a user board consisting of similar European RTOs will be established for mutual exchange throughout the project. In addition, the European Association of Research and Technology Organizations (EARTO) will serve as an information channel for further upscaling. Dissemination and upscaling actions will comprise exchange workshops with these bodies as well as further information channels (examples: a user brief, articles in selected media) to address other RTOs and further RRI stakeholders within the European Research Area.


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This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 709747.