TORCH D11.3 - Annual Open Forum 3 Report

Abstract

The third TORCH Annual Forum 'Science with and for Society in European Universities Alliances: Cross-Alliances Forum 2023' is a collaborative and insightful hybrid event hosted by Université libre de Bruxelles (CIVIS). This hybrid forum is address to representatives from European Universities Alliances, researchers, innovators, policymakers, European Commission representatives and other stakeholders from the European Research Area. The focus is the results, achievements and challenges from the European Universities Alliances’ SwafS projects and the exploration of best practices and insights related to the transformational modules. The topics include the development of a common R&I agenda, resource sharing, joint structures, human capital enhancement, and collaboration with the non-academic sector. The forum also emphasises Open Science practices and the engagement of citizens and society in Alliance activities.

The forum was led by an Organising Committee including 11 Alliances that were led by TORCH. The dissemination efforts of this forum were coordinated by a dedicated communication group with 5 representatives from 5 Alliances who ensured effective outreach and impact. The European Research Executive Agency also played a crucial role in maximising the outreach of this event by extending invitations, creating an event page, and featuring the forum in its newsletter.

This report, TORCH's deliverable D11.3, provides the meeting agenda, session debriefs, and key conclusions.

The meeting programme includes plenary sessions, roundtables, workshops, and poster presentations. The first morning is focused on policy and strategic aspects of the European Universities Alliances’ research area, featuring presentations on the European Commission’s strategy, joint R&I activities, and assessments of Alliances’ impact. During the afternoon, the sessions showcase the Alliances’ outcomes through different workshops and an interactive poster session. The second day, the sessions are centred on inspiring the future of R&I in Europe with roundtables exploring topics such as research ethics and integrity, inter- and transdisciplinarity and responsible R&I. The concluding session synthesises the discussions from workshops and roundtables, providing the insights into transformative impacts, funding landscapes, and future trajectories for research within European University Alliances.

The forum foster dialogue, knowledge exchange, and collaboration among Alliances with external stakeholders, policymakers and other external stakeholders. The 'Science with and for Society in European Universities Alliances: Cross-Alliances Forum 2023 is a testament of the commitment of European Universities Alliances to drive excellence, foster collaboration and shape the future of the European Research Area.