The seven universities participating in the EC2U Alliance are determined to gradually align their R&I strategies to converge towards a common R&I agenda that will be much more than the sum of the individual strategies. The common agenda will significantly broaden the scope of R&I capacity and impact of the entire EC2U Alliance.

The creation of an R&I Agenda will be developed in three steps:

• Definition of the agenda in consultation with the 7 university communities and an assessment of resources.
• The development of R&I activities inside the three existing EC2U Virtual Institutes.
• The careful analysis of the priorities of the common R&I agenda will lead to the identification of new UNSDGs where the EC2U Alliance has the capacity to create impact. These UNSDGs will be the core topics of a new set of four new Virtual Institutes.

1. Identify and Analyse Local Societal Demand: Conduct a thorough massive survey to identify the specific needs and demands of local communities, including socio-economic actors, university managers, researchers, professors, students, and other stakeholders. It aims at understanding their requirements and expectations in particular disciplines.
2. Assess Research Capacities: Evaluate the research capacities of RI4C2 partner universities, including research laboratories, research centres, and long and short-term R&I strategies. Understand the strengths and weaknesses of the existing research infrastructure and capabilities.
3. Identify Common Ground: Identify the common points between the demands of society and the research capacities of universities. Explore areas where societal demand aligns with the research strengths of the universities. Formulate a common research agenda that bridges the gap between societal needs and university research capacities.
4. Establish new Virtual Institutes: Based on the identified societal demands and research capacities, three new United Nations Global Goals (UNSDGs) will be chosen to establish three new Virtual Institutes to address new specific topics. These Virtual Institutes will serve as collaborative platforms that bring together researchers, professors, students, and other stakeholders.

At the project’s conclusion, the unified EC2U R&I agenda will drive future developments in R&I fields. This will begin with new R&I activities in the existing Virtual Institutes (VI) for Good Health and Well-being, Quality Education, and Sustainable Cities and Communities. Furthermore, additional VIs will be created in accordance with the agenda to further expand research and innovation efforts.

D2.1 – Survey on R&I Needs

D2.3 – EC2U R&I Agenda

D2.6 Creation of Four New Virtual Institutes