Eu-SPRI Forum Early Career Researcher and PhD Circulation Award: Call Deadline 11th October 2024

Call for proposals – Early Career Circulation Awards for Doctoral Researchers and Early Career Researchers

Next deadline: 11th October 2024 

The circulation of Early Career and PhD Researchers between the member organisations, is an important element of the training activities of the Eu-SPRI Forum network. It is part of the development of the European Training Platform, which the Eu-SPRI Forum aims to develop in the area of science and innovation policy studies. It addresses our objective of offering a European pathway to Early Career and PhD researchers in this field. 

Member organisations are:

  • Université Paris-Est, Institut Francilien Recherche Innovation Société (IFRIS)
  • Copenhagen Business School (CBS)
  • Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC), Spain
  • Consiglio Nazionale delle Richerche (CNR), IRCRES Research Institute on Sustainable Economic Growth, Rome
  • Politecnico di Milano
  • AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
  • CIRCLE, Lund University, Sweden
  • University of Manchester, Institute of Innovation Research
  • Fraunhofer Institute for Systems and Innovation Research, Karlsruhe, Germany
  • NIFU, Norway
  • University of Twente,  Institute of Innovation and Governance Studies (IGS)
  • VTT, in collaboration with Helsinki Institute of Science and Technology Studies (HIST)
  • UiO, Centre for Technology, Innovation and Culture, University of Oslo
  • SPRU, Science Policy Research Unit, University of Sussex
  • Innovation Studies, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development , Universiteit Utrecht
  • TNO, Netherlands Organisation of Applied Scientific Research
  • TUD, Sozialforschungsstelle Dortmund, ZWE der TU-Dortmund
  • Rathenau Institute — KNAW
  • University of Vaasa, InnoLab

This call is open to Doctoral Researchers, in member organisations, in their second year of PhD thesis or beyond and Early Career Researchers, in member organisations, who have completed their PhD within the past 36 months.

Topic Areas supported

This mobility call is restricted to research topics relating to science, technology and innovation policy including studies of science, technological innovation processes and entrepreneurship which may have relevance for policy.

Candidates can decide to apply for a short mobility call (at least 1 month visiting) or a regular mobility call (at least 3 months of visiting).

How to apply

  1. You must first discuss your proposed short term or regular visit with a potential supervisor at your chosen host institution. Both the ‘Home’ institute and ‘Host’ institute must be members of the Eu-SPRI Forum Network. You must confirm that they are prepared to accept you if your proposal is selected.
  1. Send the following documents to Deborah.cox@manchester.ac.uk

(This does not need to be signed by all parties at application stage)

  • A Curriculum Vitae
  • Letter / email of support from Host Supervisor
  • Letter / email of support from Home Supervisor
  • 1 other academic reference
  1. Your application will be evaluated by a committee from the Eu-SPRI Forum Training Group. You will be informed of the outcome when a decision has been made (within 1 month).

Application guidelines

  • The proposed location should be in a different “national system” so that the researcher experiences a different institutional environment. An application to move, for example, within the Netherlands would not be accepted.
  • Length of circulation visit should be at least 3 months for regular circulation and at least 1 month for short-term circulation. The three months can be split into tranches.
  • In the Letter of Intent, be as specific as possible about what you intend to do at your host institute.  Detail why you wish to visit that particular institute; how it will contribute to your research; what you hope to achieve.
  • Prepare your proposal thoroughly, look at the criteria for selection and make a good case.  The awards are competitive and you need to present yourself well.  Have a specific objective for the stay.  This could be to work on an area of theory with experts or to undertake fieldwork in a different country, for example.  Think about the potential benefits which may arise in the longer term.  Make sure you put in sufficient material to convince the reviewers.  If you apply for a short-term circulation you have to clearly explain why such a short-term visiting is sufficient to reach the research objective of the stay.
  • Ensure that the place you want to visit is a good match for you and your work and make sure that the researcher(s) you want to work with will actually be there and are willing to host you.  Making preliminary enquiries about practical arrangements is also a good idea.  However, if someone at another institution has agreed in principle to accept you, your proposal may still be subject to a request for further revision or rejected.
  • Ask someone (perhaps your supervisor) to review your proposal before you submit it.
  • Your research must be relevant to the Eu-SPRI Forum Network. For more information see the website.
  • Both the ‘PhD Home’ institute and ‘Host’ institute must be members of the Eu-SPRI Forum Network. Therefore, you may only apply to institutes that are ‘Early Career/PhD Hosts’ within Eu-SPRI Forum Network. Full members are listed on the website.

 The criteria for evaluating proposals are:

  • Quality of the candidate
  • Quality of the ECR/PhD project
  • Relevance of the project to Eu-SPRI
  • Expected benefits of stay for host institution
  • Expected benefits of stay for research career and/or PhD studies
  • Balance of student flows (only for regular circulation)

Further details

  • Eu-SPRI will award a lump sum of €3000 per regular visit candidate (for travel expenses and accommodation) and an amount up to €1,500 for short-term candidates.  This will be paid once the awardee is in situ at the host organisation.
  • If your application is successful, the letter of Intent must then be signed by all parties who must agree to the terms outlined in it.
  • On completion of the circulation you must provide a Circulation Report to the Eu-SPRI network which may be placed on the website. This is a mandatory requirement.
  • If you think you need any further information please email: Debbie.Cox@manchester.ac.uk or Kate.Barker@manchester.ac.uk 
 
 

Joint EuSPRI training for early‐career researchers with early‐career policy professionals ‘Mission‐Oriented Science‐Policy Dialogues’

A group of logos

21‐24 January 2025 (Online pre‐events: 3, 10 and 17 Dec. 2024)
Paris, France

Welcome to the event page of the EuSPRI early career training on ‘Mission‐Oriented Science‐Policy
Dialogues’. This event is co‐organized by the Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Sciences, Innovations,
Sociétés (LISIS) and the Austrian Institute of Technology (AIT), Center for Innovation Systems & Policy.
This webpage contains background information on the event, insight into the structure of the training,
how to apply for participation, and key dates to consider.

In case of any questions, please contact the local organizing team at: scipol_training@umr-lisis.fr

Background
How do we learn to engage in dialogue at the science‐policy interface? Several formats and initiatives
for (un‐directional) policy advice exist, but bridging between the different environments is not
straightforward and requires mutual (bidirectional) learning. In addition, established formats usually
focus on experienced researchers and policymakers, and exclude early career individuals, which
underlines the importance of (re)educating both researchers and policymakers of the future to
systematically collaborate and leverage scientific as well as policy knowledge. The recent emergence
of transformative and mission‐oriented STI policies (TIP and MOIP) requires a new and cross‐sectoral
approach to policy making, thus leaving renewed impetus to build relationships between science and
policy in addressing societal challenges.

In 2023, an exploratory initiative called Policy Dialogues Demonstrator (P2D), was launched by
researchers from EU‐SPRI partner organisations: Fraunhofer ISI (coordinator), AIT, Ingenio and LISIS
(https://euspri‐forum.eu/exploratory‐initiatives/p2d‐policy‐dialogues‐demonstrator/). This initiative
aims to develop and pilot new formats of dialogue between STI policy research and policymaking
practice in Europe. This training is one of the demonstrators, to nurture new generations of early
career professionals able to navigate within the science‐policy interface.

This training is a joint event for early‐career researchers with early‐career professionals in the policy
arena (e.g. ministries, funding agencies, etc.). The aim is to create a dialogue between both groups,
and in this way, to nurture a new generation of professionals at the science‐policy interface. It provides
a learning exercise in mission‐oriented science‐policy dialogues towards:

  • Understanding mutual perspectives, professional values, needs and constraints;
  • Understanding the process of co‐production in terms of problems and solutions to improve
    policy making, and;
  • Generating reflexivity for increased societal impacts.

 

Structure of the Training
The training comprises a three‐stage process (summarised in Table 1):

Phase 1: Online pre‐events (3, 10, and 17 December 2024)
In the first phase, we organise three online (plenary) pre‐events, consisting of three main elements
to: 1) provide insights into the contexts of MOIP and TIP, and the need for dialogues in this regard; 2)
provide practical testimonies from (couples of) policy makers and researchers; 3) initiating and
preparing the group work of the training.

Phase 2: In‐person main training (21‐24 January 2025 in Paris)
The second phase represents the main in‐person training event in Paris. The aim is to understand the
difficulties of the different roles in science‐policy dialogues, to understand institutional barriers, and
to co‐develop a policy pitch through group work. Consequently, the training will be a mixture of two
main activities: 1) Interactive sessions to understand different roles and competences in science‐policy
dialogues; 2) Group work to co‐develop a policy pitch from problem definition to the design of
potential solutions. The groups will consist of four participants (of four (two early career researchers,
and two early career policy makers) and their work will be guided by mentors.

Phase 3: Post‐events (tbd)
The aim of the online post‐events is to constructively discuss this learning exercise. The groups get
more time to further explore the policy pitches they presented during the training, and use the
feedback that they received.

Table 1. specific objectives and structure of the three training phases

 Phase I: Pre‐eventPhase II: Main eventPhase III: Post‐event
Objectives

‐ Facilitate the group’s initial meeting

‐ Contextualise the training

‐ Familiarise with the group members and their different roles

‐ Define a case study and a problem

‐ Develop competencies for science‐policy dialogue

‐ Develop and present policy pitch

‐ Understand institutional barriers

‐ Develop networks across science‐policy

‐ Share learning experiences of the training

‐ Provide feedback on this training experiment

 

Activities

‐ Introductory plenary session w. icebreakers and problem statement

– Keynotes

‐ Testimonies

‐ Mentoring

‐ Modules w. lectures and exercises

‐ In‐group collaboration

‐ Mentoring

‐ Socializing

‐ Online feedback sessions

How to apply
There will be place for 20 participants to the ‘Science‐to‐Policy training’:

  • 10 early‐career researchers that are rather advanced in their PhD research (3rd year or higher)
    or post‐doctoral researchers and research assistants having obtained the PhD degree in the
    past five to eight years. Research topics should be related to Science, Technology and
    Innovation Policies.
  • 10 early‐career professionals in the STI policy arena (minimum 3 years of experience).

If you wish to apply, please send your CV and motivation letter (max 1 page in which you also explain
your link to MOIP and/or TIP) before 20 July 2024 to scipol_training@umr-lisis.fr

Participation for EuSPRI members is free of charge. Participation for non‐EuSPRI participants is €300.

Key dates

  • Deadline for application: closed
  • Communication of decisions on participation: 31 August 2024
  • Registration period: September‐October 2024
  • Online pre‐events:
    o Session 1: 3 December 2024 – 9h30‐12h30
    o Session 2: 10 December 2024 – 12h‐13h30
    o Session 3: 17 December 2024 – 12h‐13h30
  • Main training event: 21‐24 January 2025
  • Post‐events: tbd between February‐June 2025

Link to the event page on the LISIS website.

Eu-SPRI Early Career Conference (ECC) 2024 Enhancing innovation ecosystems for a sustainable world in times of dramatic change: A policy challenge

A building by water and a boat

We are pleased to announce that the 2024 EU-SPRI ECC Conference “Enhancing innovation ecosystems for a sustainable world in times of dramatic change: A policy challenge” is now open for submissions!

The conference will take place in Bari on 30th and 31st October 2024, jointly organised by Politecnico di Milano – School of Management (IT), University of Twente (NL), and Politecnico di Bari (IT).

Purpose and thematic areas

Global warming, pandemics, unprecedented technological progress and wars are fundamentally reshaping how innovation ecosystems can contribute to a more sustainable world. We identify three key thematic areas that demand attention from scholars. First, while the advancement of platforms and AI technologies is expanding the scope of innovations and entrepreneurial opportunities, concerns persist regarding the potential negative consequences of these powerful tools. Second, the pandemic has accelerated the recognition of the necessity to support “deep tech” innovation to address significant societal challenges effectively. Third, as innovation becomes more open and less constrained, there is a noticeable trend towards de-globalisation, resulting in polarised and more closed economic systems.

Therefore, the conference invites scholars and practitioners to reflect on the policies and strategies to enhance innovation ecosystem initiation, unfolding, and emergence for sustainable purposes, particularly in times of dramatic change. This topic is especially relevant and urgent given the evolving market landscape in the wake of transformative changes such as technological advancements (e.g., platformisation and deep tech) and de-globalization, which have the potential to exacerbate inequalities across nations, regions, and local communities worldwide.

The organising committee invites submissions of full papers based on original research engaging with the theme – more details on the call for papers theme can be found here.

Special Issue: Technovation

N.B: Authors of the best papers will be invited to submit their work to an open call for papers in Technovation (see here more info). Hence, the conference represents a unique occasion to receive detailed feedback from the guest editors of the call. Please note that acceptance for publication is not guaranteed.

Submission guidelines

For further details and practical information on how to submit, and register to the conference please check the following document [Submission guidelines].

 

Keynote speech

Carmelo Cennamo, Professor Strategy and Entrepreneurship at Copenhagen Business School.

Important dates

  • The deadline for full paper submissions is 29 April 2024 23:59 CET.  (extended deadline)
  • Notification of decisions will be shared with authors by 15 May 2024.
  • Conference registration opens on 15 May 2024. 
  • Conference registration closes on 15 June 2024 23:59 CET. 

Target audience

The ECC Conference primarily aims to engage early career researchers (e.g., Assistant Professor, Post-Docs, and PhD candidates). However, contributions from experienced researchers and scholars in related disciplines are also welcome.

Organising committee

Angelo Cavallo (Politecnico di Milano School of Management) – Scientific Coordinator

Umberto Panniello (Politecnico di Bari) – Scientific Coordinator

Yazan Devrim Murat (University of Twente) – Scientific Coordinator

Antonio Messeni Petruzzelli (Politecnico di Bari)

Massimo G. Colombo (Politecnico di Milano School of Management)

Daniela Silvestri (Politecnico di Milano School of Management)

Letizia Alvino (University of Twente)

Alessandro Lucini Paioni (Politecnico di Milano School of Management)

Angelo Natalicchio (Politecnico di Bari)

Lorenzo Ardito (Politecnico di Bari)

 

Contact Info

For any query or additional information, please contact euspribari-dig@polimi.it.

We look forward to receiving your submissions and welcoming you in Bari!

Eu-SPRI 2024 Annual Conference

Submission Deadline: now closed. 

The 2024 Eu-SPRI Annual Conference will be hosted by the Knowledge, Transformation, and Society (KiTeS) group at the University of Twente Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences in Enschede, NL, in collaboration with other groups within the university. The main conference will take place on 5 to 7 June with a preceding Early Career Event on 4 June.

The conference theme is Governing Technology, Research, and Innovation for Better Worlds, and the organising committee are now welcoming academic researchers from a broad range of disciplines, as well as STI policymakers, to submit proposals for tracks and special (stand-alone) sessions.

Governing Technology, Research, and Innovation for Better Worlds

Policies for science, technology, and innovation (STI) can, among other things, be understood as attempts to create a better world. But what world is better, for what, for whom? Political, moral, and efficiency-economic values influence the direction and instruments of STI governance, sometimes explicitly, as in the recent shifts in STI governance to mission-oriented or challenge-based approaches, and sometimes in more implicit or hidden manners. Competing worldviews of actors involved in STI policymaking go hand in hand with questions of justice and equality, importance and irrelevance. The conference invites to identify and discuss the explicit and implicit, competing and complementary normative orientations that drive STI policy and research in the many contexts where it takes place.

The organising committee now invites submissions of abstracts based on original research engaging with the theme of ‘Governing Technology, Research, and Innovation for Better Worlds’ (more details on this theme can be found here). Submissions related to other topics around science, technology, and innovation policy (broadly defined) are also welcome. 

IMPORTANT dATES

The deadline for abstract submissions is now closed. 

Notification of decisions will be shared with authors by 29 February 2024. 

Conference registration opens early March 2024. 

Authors of accepted submissions will then be invited to upload their extended abstract or paper. 

Deadline for final submissions is planned for 17 May 2024, 23:59 CET. 

Conference registration closes on 17 May 2024.
The presenting author for each submission will need to have registered for the conference by 10 May 2024, 23:59 CET. 

The conference will be held from Wednesday 5 June to Friday 7 June 2024. 

For further details and how to submit, please visit the conference website.

If you need help with proposal submission, please contact euspri2024@utwente.nl.