On 24 May, ECIU University presented its Challenge-Based Research strategy to stakeholders and policy-makers at a hybrid event in Brussels. With this paper, ECIU University launches the Challenge-Based Research (CBR) way of working as an opportunity to increase the impact of academic research. In CBR, working closely together with partners from business, education, government, civil society and citizens is intrinsic to an approach that seeks to ensure that the output of academic research makes a tangible contribution to challenges faced in reality. It is a way of directing innovation and the power of research to achieve wider social, policy and economic goals. Therefore, CBR contributes to more sustainable and equitable innovation-led growth. This approach precisely aligns with the impact-oriented mission approach developed under Horizon Europe.

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With the paper, ECIU links the CBR-approach to the EU’s impact agenda, shows how it works in practice and how you can implement a CBR-strategy. The paper describes the co-creation of research agenda’s with citizens, and links the strategy to innovation and learning. The paper includes 10 recommendations to increase the impact of academic research through adopting a CBR approach.

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At the event, Lia Karamali, Head of Unit R&I Actors and Research Careers at the European Commission, expressed her strong support for using this document and the concrete measures that it proposes. Greg Hughes, Chair of the ECIU Vice-President for Research group and Vice-President for Research and Innovation at Dublin City University, Fernando Vilariño, Associate Director at the Computer Vision Center and Associate Professor at the Department of Computer Science UAB, and Myra Ronzoni ECIU University Project Manager at UAB, presented the paper and CBR-approach.