16December2020FlorianGliksohn(ELI-DC)

CASESTUDY- ELIWorkshoponImpactAssessment,EvaluationandMonitoringofResearchInfrastructures

ACCELERATEhasreceivedfundingfromtheEuropeanUnion'sHorizon2020ResearchandInnovationProgrammeundergrantagreementNo731112

ELIinBrief

• ELIistheworld’smostadvanced laserresearchinfrastructure

• Firstinternationalresearchinfrastructure builtcompletelyinCentralandEasternEurope

• FundedinsynergybetweenERDF,NationalandFrameworkfundsanddeliveredthroughacommunityeffort

• ELIERICtobeestablishedinthecomingweeks

• Gradualtransitionfromconstructionprojectstointegratedoperations until2022

ELIinBrief

1

JointInitiation

2006 2007 2011 2013 2017

ESFRI ELI-PP

ELI-NP

ELI-Beamlines

ELI-ALPS ELI

ELI-DC AISBL ELI - ERICPP Consortium MoU

JointOperation

ParallelImplementation

2010 2019

13 Countries40 Research Institutions Czech Republic

Hungary

Romania

GradualIntegration

PurposeoftheAssessment

Context:

TheestablishmentofELIERICbringsanewperspectiveonELIasasingleinternationalorganizationandnotasthreeseparateinvestmentprojects.

Generalpurpose:

• InthecontextoftheestablishmentofELIERIC,useofthe‘GeneralprotocolforRIsocietalimpactassessment’toidentifyandunderstandcoreelementsofwhatcouldbeELIERIC’sfutureimpactstrategy.

• ThereportismeanttoserveasareferencebasistothefutureELIERICGeneralAssemblytodefinestrategiesrelatedtoimpact(theELIERICStatutescallforregularassessmentsoftheimpactofELIERIC’sactivitiesinthehostingregions,inEuropeandinternationally.

ApproachandEffort

Approach:• UseoftheELIERICstatutorydocumentasreference,assumingitreflectsthe

expectationsandthereforetheperspectiveoftheFoundingMembersonthewheretheorganisationshouldfocusitsimpactinpriority.

• “Translate”intoessentialimpactareasandunderstandwhatstrategiesandactivitiesshouldbeconsideredtomaximiseimpact.

• Impactconsideredbothasachangeortheresultandasaprocess.Theimpactpathwaysarethereforeapproachedasnarrativesthatpresenthowstatutoryobjectivesrelatetoinputs,activitiesandresults.

Effort:• Circa1PMtoputthereporttogetherbyamemberoftheManagementTeam• Contributionsfromotherteammembersdifficulttoquantify

Results

ReviewoftypesofimpactsreferredtointheStatutes (competitiveness,added-valuetocommunity,platformfordevelopmentofknow-how,strengtheningofRTDIcapacity,economiceffectsonERA,synergies,attractionandretentionofqualifiedstaff,etc.)

3impactareas:• Scientificimpact consistingintheenablingofscientificexcellencefornovel

researchopportunities• Impactontheindustry,withELIbecomingaplatformforindustrialpartners• Impactonthescientificcommunity,withELIactingasaninitiator,driverand

coordinator

Definitionofimpactpathwaysforeachofthem,includingidentificationofrequirements,actionsandpolicies,andexpectedresults(intermsofindicators).

Feedback

• Emphasisontheanalysisofthecontextinwhichtheevaluationisbeingconductedisessential(inourcase,changeinthestakeholderscallsforarenewedperspectiveonimpact)

• Useofnarrativeswellsuitedforthepurposeofthisanalysisasfocusisonunderlyingmechanismsdrivingimpact(impactasaprocess)

• Narrativesallowtofocusonthemaximisationofimpact(howtooptimise),notonlyontheassessmentitself

• Nextstep:definitionofELIERICstatutorypolicies(includinginnovationpolicy),havingimpactinmind.