Research and Innovation

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UNITA Research & Innovation Strategy: This document outlines the roadmap to transition from R&I Hubs into six sustainable European Research & Innovation Institutes (ER2I) by 2034.

Title: UNITA Research & Innovation Strategy

Goal: To structure sustainable European R&I institutes (ER2I) anchored in peripheral, cross-border, rural, and mountainous ecosystems by 2034.

Executive Description

UNITA’s strategic R&I goal is to transform current thematic hubs into fully-fledged, legally and financially autonomous entities. These institutes will be central to a research-centered education strategy, strengthening the Alliance’s visibility and competitiveness globally.

The Five Building Blocks

1. Governance: Robust financial, legal, and administrative frameworks.
2. Identity: Promoting scientific reputation through flagship transnational projects.
3. Efficiency: Sharing resources and infrastructures to enable economies of scale.
4. Ecosystems: Integrating local public and private stakeholders for innovation transfer.
5. Talent: Enhancing attractiveness for early-stage researchers through Graduate Schools and PhD co-tutelles.

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1. State of the Art

Summary of Actions to Date

The foundations were laid during UNITA Phase 1 and the **Re-UNITA** project (2021–2024). Concrete achievements include:

• R&I Hubs: Establishment of six thematic hubs with dedicated co-leadership.
• Research Cartography: A database mapping 1,486 projects and activities across the alliance.
• Doctoral Network: Over 52 PhD co-tutelles launched; initiation of the CHORAL MSCA-COFUND project (42 PhD students for Cultural Heritage).
• Open Science: Development of the **U*NIGHT** project and a common Zenodo open-access platform.

Resource Analysis (Current State)

Resource Category	Status	Details
~80 staff | 12 hub co-leaders, 72 committee members, and specialized IT support.
€2.5M+ | Includes €1.2M for Starting Grants and €961k for Advanced Grants.
€6.6M+ | Re-UNITA (€2M), U*night (€395k), and CHORAL (€4.2M).
Shared Catalogue | Managed by UNIZAR; cartography managed by USMB.

Difficulties Encountered

• Human Resources: Structuring hubs requires more staff than initially planned in Erasmus+ budgets.
• Engagement: Ongoing challenge to fully involve the broader researcher community in hub-specific identities.
• Policy Harmonization: Varying local and national legal constraints hinder unified strategy deployment.

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2. Context & Analysis

PESTEL Analysis

Factor	Key Aspects	Impact on Strategy
EU MFF (2028-2034) & Cohesion Policy | High potential to secure funding as "European demonstrators" of place-based innovation.
Limited local private investment in rural areas | Risk of public fund dependency; need to leverage regional specializations (Agri-tech, Green Energy).
Depopulation & Brain Drain | ER2Is serve as drivers for local empowerment and youth retention.
Digital Transition (AI, Open Science) | Opportunity to lead in "Applied Rural Tech" and remote health/mobility solutions.
EU Green Deal & Climate Adaptation | Mountain/Rural regions act as living laboratories for biodiversity and energy transition.
GDPR, Open Science mandates, IPR | Need to harmonize IPR across partners to manage innovation outcomes.

Internal Resource Analysis (Forward-Looking)

• Gaps: Insufficient HR for hub management; IT tools require upgrades for scientific networking; limited direct funding for specific research projects.
• Opportunities: Alignment with the **European Charter for Researchers** and **CoARA** progress; leverage "Regional Smart Specialization Strategies."

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3. Prioritization and Action Plan

Prioritization Matrix

Action	Feasibility	Strategic Impact	Priority
High | High | High
Medium | High | High
Medium | Medium | Medium
Medium | High | Medium
High | High | High

Detailed Actions

Action 1: Financial, Legal & Admin Framework

• Goal: Integrate institutes within the EEIG (European Economic Interest Grouping).
• Timeline:
  • 2028-2030: Conception of realistic integration framework.
  • 2030-2034: Full implementation of ER2I governance and management bodies.

Action 2: Scientific Identity & Collaborations

• Goal: Develop flagship projects that reach the most competitive European calls.
• Indicators: Number of projects supported; external funding received.

Action 3: Sharing Resources & Infrastructures

• Goal: Transition to a sustainable model where the EEIG can host/buy common infrastructures.
• Focus: Open infrastructures to local ecosystems for mutual benefit.

Action 4: Transnational Ecosystem Networks

• Goal: Incorporate local private/public stakeholders into the governance of the 6 institutes.
• Business Model: Built on private-public collaborations tailored to local needs.

Action 5: Early-Stage Researcher Attractiveness

• Joint Degrees: Aiming for 15+ joint programs by 2034, with at least 6 at the Graduate level specifically tied to the ER2Is.
• Strategy: Promoting "Mobility 4 All" at Undergraduate level while focusing on "Expertise and Differentiation" at Graduate level.
• Talent Pipeline: Use Graduate Schools and co-tutelles to recruit global top-level PhD students.

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