EELISA’s InnoCORE served as the dynamic research and innovation arm of the alliance, embodying a spirit of creativity and forward-thinking. It operated within the framework of EELISA’s ecosystem, drawing from the collective knowledge and challenges identified by its diverse communities.
InnoCORE has played a pivotal role in driving institutional transformation by focusing on research and innovation. Its initiatives have aimed at fostering interdisciplinary collaboration, and these are being continued through EELISA.
In this interview, former EELISA InnoCORE representative Sara Barsanti, gives us some insights into the practical tools developed by EELISA InnoCORE for researchers: The EELISA InnoCORE Networking Platform and InnoCORE’s Page for Junior Researcher, still active.
Q. What is the EELISA InnoCORE Networking plaftform?
A. The EELISA InnoCORE Networking Platform (EINP) is designed to be a place for researchers to register their research profile and interests. Registered users can also upload research projects or calls for proposals, based on which, by matching key words with the profiles through an intelligent algorithm, potential cooperation partners are brought together.
Q. How can it help EELISA researchers find peers and develop new research collaborations within EELISA?
A. The EINP has the opportunity to support additional collaborations within and across partners with three main objectives:
1. to facilitate the exchange between academics and researchers within EELISA, by connecting individuals with similar research interests;
2. to collect research interests in a structured and continuous manner, in order to understand which are the main research topics to focus on in the coming years;
3. to create research clusters, connecting universities and research groups in order to identify future trajectories for possible new international research projects and facilitate the creation of new opportunities.
Q. How does it exactly work?
A. It works in three plus one (!) main steps:
– First, the research idea is entered by the researcher is characterized by ‘title’, ‘abstract’ (descriptive), and a set of labels that ‘classify’ the proposed project;
– After that, as soon as the system identifies a similarity match between projects, it sends a notice (e.g. by e-mail) to the proposers to allow them to establish contact;
– Researchers receive alerts about the topic, consult the projects identified as “similar” and decide to accept/reject the contact; then they can start to discuss with colleagues that have similar research ideas by email.
– Additionally, the clustering function allows then to identify research issues and clusters whithin EELISA. That way, the EINP can elaborate the research network, clustering the projects on the base of similar labels (single labels or groups of similar labels).
Q. You mentioned that any researchers can insert their projects into the platform, but what exactly do you mean by “research project”, and what does it entail?
A. By the term “research project” we do not necessarily mean an already structured research project. Indeed project ideas are still in rough form, possibilities for collaboration to be structured, need for even informal exchange of ideas are welcome in the platform!
Q. How do you think this tool will enhance the collaboration between EELISA researchers?
A. The EINP in its ‘simplicity’ of operation and its user friendliness, has itself a great goal: to connect researchers from a university alliance of thousands of members. In this sense, the tool itself cannot suffice and its goals can only be achieved with a large collection of research projects.
Q. EELISA InnoCORE has also set up a page showcasing opportunities for junior researchers. Could you let us know what this is about and how can EELISA researchers use it?
A. EELISA InnoCORE’s page for junior researchers likely serves as a platform to advertise various opportunities tailored to individuals at the early stages of their research careers. These opportunities might include post-doctoral positions, lectures, assistant profession opportunities or visiting schemes specifically designed to support the professional development and advancing in research careers within the EELISA network for young researchers.
Sara Barsanti, project manager of EELISA InnoCORe and EELISA Unfolds for Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna of Pisa (Italy).
She has a PhD in Management. In the past years, she has worked on a variety of research projects as a scientific responsible and collaborated with a wide spectrum of international institutions. She has several international and national publications.
EELISA-InnoCORE has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 R & I programme under GA No. 101035811