INSPIRING PRACTICES
Background
The objective of Work Package 1 was to perform preparatory activities in order to build the basis for WP2 and the further project tasks. An analysis of the state of the art of research centres in Libya has been the first step, in order to rely on a proper and reliable knowledge base for the definition of the Research Agenda, for the design of the training (WP3 and WP4) as well as to better understand the context of the action. The analysis was necessary due the rapid changes in the country and due to the many variables in the country that could have changed the scenario in the timeframe between the proposal writing stage and the actual project implementation. Desk research on the Libyan research environment was complemented by a survey to collect up-to-date quantitative and qualitative data and by visits performed by the University of Tripoli (WP1 Leader) to the Partner universities in Libya. As a final step of WP1, a set of inspiring practices from both European and North-African universities was collected, with the support of all the partners.
Methodology
The University of Tripoli together with UNIMED developed an online form for the collection of the inspiring practices from Europe, North-Africa and more in general from the South-Mediterranean region, to be of inspiration for the Libyan institutions in their research developments and strategic decisions. These practices relate to research management, research methodology, research implementation, communication of research, cooperation in research, with a special but not exclusive attention to Environmental studies. Target group of the initiatives were both academic and administrative staff, as well as university leaders. Criteria were established to analyse the practices and define their potential value for the Libyan system, which are: relevance, impact, transferability, sustainability. A specific template was developed to report the analysis of the practices. The online form was distributed wide and far to collect inspiring practices, first and foremost to the project partners, then through the UNIMED network of associated universities (149 members from 24 countries at the time of the research, namely between July and September 2022) and institutional partners (such as APRE, the Agency for the Promotion of European Research in Italy, and the DG Education of the European Commission).
Data collected
After two rounds of data collection between July and September 2022, 7 inspiring practices were collected from the IBTIKAR project partners, 3 were shared by the UNIMED members, while +300 more were collected through desk research and thanks to the contribution of APRE. A first selection was made on the basis of the topic of the initiative, its scope of action, and target group. A second evaluation was then performed based on the potential relevance of the initiatives for the Libyan context. A final list of 17 inspiring practices was defined. A factsheet for every case was developed.
Name of the initiative | Reference institution | Macro-area of competence |
Integrate Climate Change as a micro-credential course for applying internationalization at HEIs. | Bethlehem University | Research implementation Course |
UNINETTUNO | Research implementation Communication of research Course | |
Heriot Watt University | Research implementation | |
Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change | University of Salento | Research management Research implementation |
Research center for the Security and Resilience of Critical Infrastructures | University of Salento | Research implementation Research methodology |
DTA Technological Aerospace District | University of Salento | Research implementation |
University of Salento | Research methodology Research management Communication of research | |
Research on Health Promotion to sun exposure and prevention of skin cancer | University of Granada | Research implementation |
Preparing for a Long-Term Joint EU-AU Research and Innovation Partnership on Renewable Energy, and its follow-up project Long-Term Joint EU-AU Research and Innovation Partnership on Renewable Energy | French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission | Research implementation Cooperation in research |
Mediterranean Science, Policy, Research & Innovation Gateway (MED-SPRING project) | CIHEAM Bari – Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari | Research management Cooperation in research |
Boosting Best Available Techniques in the Mediterranean Partner Countries (BAT4MED project) | Andalusian Institute of Technology | Research management Cooperation in research |
Ingenious Science shops to promote Participatory Innovation, Research and Equity in Science (InSPIRES project) | Barcelona Institute for Global Health | Research methodology Research implementation |
Strengthening of Food, Agriculture and Water related International Research Cooperation of Algeria (FAWIRA project) | National Institute of Agronomic Research of Algeria | Research management |
VRE for regional Interdisciplinary communities in Southeast Europe and the Eastern Mediterranean (VI-SEEM project) | National infrastructures for research and technology in Greece | Research methodology Research infrastructures |
Network of Science with and for Society National Contact Points (SiS-NET project) | Icelandic Centre for Research | Research methodology Cooperation in research |
Network of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action National Contact Points for the mobile scientific and innovation community (Net4MobilityPlus project) | Institute of Fundamental Technological Research, Polish Academy of Sciences | Research management Cooperation in research |
Quintuple Helix Approach to Targeted Open Innovation in Energy, Water, Agriculture in the South Mediterranean Neighborhood (5TOI 4EWAS project) | Autonomous University of Barcelona | Research management Cooperation in research |
