David Murphy

Manager

European Marine Research Knowledge Transfer and

Uptake of Results

EUROCEAN Steering CommitteeLisbon, 9th November

Who are we?

AquaTT is an international foundation supporting the European Marine sector by providing project management and services

Mission Statement

To bridge the knowledge gap between the dynamic RTD environments and the progressive commercial sectors

Our Profile

AquaTT’s strengths:

• Excellence in proposal writing

• Experienced and motivated team

• Experience in all aspects of a Project Lifecycle

• High rate of success in competitive EC funding calls**

(**2009 to date 100% written by AquaTT (3), 83% as a partner, 5/6 projects)

AquaTT’s core activities are:

• Project management

• Facilitation

• Communication and Dissemination

• Education and Training

• Technology Transfer

Overview• Type of funding scheme: Coordination and

Support actions (supporting)• Work programme topics addressed:

ENV.2009.5.1.0.2 Knowledge transfer and uptake of EU-research results

• Funded: 2nd out of 15 applications under this call

• Partners: AquaTT & EUROCEAN• Budget: ~€950,000• Duration: 24m

Justification

• The European Union (EU) 6th Framework Programme (2000-2006) funded 458 marine research projects worth more than €848 million in grant-aid

• 124 marine research projects (grant-aid €297 million) funded under the FP7 (2007 – 2013) to date.

• Although research effort is significant, not all of the new knowledge has had the expected impact, perhaps because of the “well-known obstacles impeding knowledge transfer between research institutions and third parties”*

*‘Improving knowledge transfer between research institutions and industry across Europe’ (Com (2007) 182 final).

KM Challenge

• cultural differences between the business and science communities;

• lack of incentives; • legal barriers; • fragmented markets for knowledge and

technology

Ref: Improving knowledge transfer between research institutions and industry across Europe: embracing open innovation – Implementing the Lisbon agenda (COM (2007) 182 final).

KM Challenge• Researchers have little motivation or incentive to

transfer knowledge but devote time and effort to publishing scientific papers or searching for new research grants which are recognised and rewarded in the current system and are key elements in career progression.

• Some argue that it is not a researchers core business and they may not have the network or skills for such activities and instead specialists should take up this role.

• It could also be argued that it is not cost effective or efficient to have individual projects disseminating but rather centralise the activity and have a clearing house for knowledge?

Why MarineTT

• No one has yet completed and documented an analysis of final results in order to identify the value and potential of the knowledge generated.

• There is currently a gap in the system. No single organisation or group is currently mandated to do this exercise at the European level.

Knowledge Transfer

A) Knowledge transfer that can be customised and then distributed using existing or newly developed innovative dissemination tools

B) Knowledge transfer in collaboration with multipliers (e.g. associations, IRCs, development agencies, regional business bodies)

Innovative Approach• A change of focus from the promotion of research

projects per se to singling out research outputs those end-users can adopt and/or exploit.

• The clustering and impartial assessment of knowledge potential

• The incorporation of sustainability factors in judging the benefit of knowledge exploitation to society (to ensure that economic growth does not result in environmental degradation)

• Analysis of the potential impact of transferring knowledge

• Measuring the impact of any knowledge transferred;

Methodology Highlights

• The MarineTT knowledge management system• Extensive consultation with stakeholders, i.e.,

RTD performers and potential end-users• The customisation of research outputs in formats

suitable for end-users• The MarineTT innovative delivery mechanisms• The MarineTT integral impact measurement

system which utilises indicators capable of measuring the uptake and the impact of any exploitation of results.

Results

The knowledge and exploitable results will be packaged and disseminated;

- to facilitate and accelerate the commercial application of research results (industry);

- to inform and direct further research (the research community);

- to support evidence-based policy making (policy makers) - provide accurate scientific knowledge to organisations

with a mandate to communicate environmental messages to the public (Communicators e.g. NGOs, Governments).

For more information please contact us

Address: 40 Lower Leeson St., Dublin 2, Ireland

Email: david@aquatt.ieWebsite: www.aquatt.ie Tel: 01-644-9008

Contact us

High Cost / Low Benefit

AHigh Cost / High Benefit

B

Low Cost / Low Benefit

CLow Cost / High Benefit

D

The outputs from research projects will be plotted in a matrix:

The MarineTT project will:

1.Strengthen identification, monitoring, and evaluation systems and capacities so that research outcomes can first be classified as data, information or knowledge2.Ensure that research outcomes in the form of exploitable results can be effectively transferred to end-users

Cross-thematic approach with a focus on the marine environment and the implications on the marine environment of

- biodiversity- climate change- heritage & urban development- earth observation

The Solution

WP 1 : Project management & internal communication Lead: AquaTT• Organistation and management of resources• Facilitation of communication

WP 2: Information management Lead: EurOcean• Collection and management of information• Improve accessibility to end users• Involvement of stakeholders• Organisation and control of the structure, processing and delivery of

information

WP 3: Knowledge analysis Lead: AquaTT• Refinement and trial of a knowledge analysis matrix• Measurement of knowledge in terms of a cost-benefit analysis

Work Packages

WP 4: Consultation with RTD performers & stakeholders Lead: AquaTT• Appreciation for the knowledge already available• Identification of needs in terms of research, knowledge transfer and policy• Confirmation and/or refinement of the knowledge analysis (WP3)

WP 5: Knowledge transfer Lead: AquaTT• Transfer of marine research outputs• Customisation of information and knowledge• Development and use of the latest tools, resources and communication

channels• Measurement of the impact of the uptake of knowledge

WP 6: Project promotion Lead: EurOcean• Dissemination and promotion of the project i.e. its objectives, activities,

partners, major events.

Work Packages