Societal impact of research and projects

In the current context, environmental and social challenges, and the need for efficiency in managing project and research resources, the methodology of Societal Impact of Research, or Research for Impact become essential.

Research for Impact involves direct participation, and when appropriate co-creation, of the full range of societal and institutional actors involved in the subject of research, either at the local, regional or national level, or in a combination of them; this happening,  throughout the entire research process, or life cycle of a project. This connection of projects and research with society as a whole is the path that will lead us to an amplified impact, far beyond the usual context of, say for example, communicating to the scientific community, your funders or the social base most directly linked to an NGO. 

With Research for Impact we aim at maximizing opportunities for the different steps of a project or research, from design to its conclusions and evaluation, to help promote policy changes, practices, and behaviors. And, let me insist, we are not talking about the results of research that promotes change; We talk about processes of involvement, communication and influence, throughout the research process, to establish a real search for impact: research WITH people, communities and societies. .

This vision is very interesting and innovative, in European projects – Horizon 2020 > Horizon Europe dedicate 1/3 of the main memory to impact, and LIFE,  Intereg  and others also give it great importance), in projects of action and environmental and social transformation of NGOs,  in the training of young researchers, etc.

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Are you designing or carrying out a project or research and want to deepen its societal impact, or research design for impact? Let’s talk about it.

jordi@jordipietx.net Header image by MorningbirdPhoto at Pixabay .