Co-creation in Sustainability Science
Challenges and potential ways forward in implementing co-creation in European research and innovation funding
- Publication
- Citation
Hirschnitz-Garbers, Martin (2018). Co-creation in Sustainability Science. Challenges and potential ways forward in implementing co-creation in European research and innovation funding. RECREATE Project Policy Brief No. 9.
This policy brief explores and explains the concept and rational of co-creation, both as a general concept as well as in the specific context of sustainability science. Furthermore, it takes a detailed look at its use and potential in the framework of European research & innovation funding. On this basis, it identifies a number of lessons learned with regard to the application of the concept and puts forward concrete policy recommendations. The RECREATE policy brief, written by Ecologic Institute's Dr. Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers, is available for download.
Key messages of the policy brief are:
- Co-creation is a means to improve and foster the participation of end-users by actively involving them in innovation processes. This is believed to yield a number of benefi ts, including bringing in additional knowledge and creativity; building partnerships and trust; increasing end-user satisfaction; and fostering legitimacy and acceptance.
- Implementing co-creation is challenging for various reasons, such as:
- Differing values assigned to scientific and extra-scientific knowledge – mixing 'objective empirical knowledge' with 'more subjective and judgmental' knowledge
- Need for 'intercultural' dialogue between scientists and societal actors to translate and integrate different kinds of knowledge
- Lack of flexibility in R&I funding to adapt projects to emerging co-creation opportunities
- Lack of skills in knowledge integration and boundary management
- European research & innovation policy could foster co-creation in sustainability, e.g. by
- Fostering conceptual clarity for the term co-creation and embedding a binding and clear definition in H2020, Cohesion and Territorial funding call texts
- Stipulating co-creation in mission-oriented R&I calls covering topics where societal impact and hence meaningful stakeholder participation is essential
- Adapting existing and developing new funding instruments to provide more fl exible and open-ended forms of science funding
- Fostering skills for knowledge integration in science education
Contact
- Language
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English
- Authorship
- Credits
Layout: Beáta Welk Vargová (Ecologic Institute)
- Funding
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European Commission, Directorate-General Research & Innovation (DG Research & Innovation), International - Year
- Dimension
- 14 pp.
- Project
- Project ID
- Table of contents
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Click to show full table of contents
- Keywords
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innovation policies
Svatikova, K., I. Artola, S. Slingerland and S. Fischer (2015). Selling Solar Services as a Contribution to a Circular Economy. RECREATE Project Policy Brief No. 1.
Hirschnitz-Garbers, M. and J. Gosens (2015). Producing bio-ethanol from residues and wastes - A technology with enormous potential in need of further research and development. RECREATE Project Policy Brief No. 2.
Davis, McKenna; Ina Krüger; Mandy Hinzmann 2015: Coastal Protection and Suds – Nature-based Solutions. RECREATE Project Policy Brief No. 4.
Fischer, Susanne; Mandy Hinzmann and Martin Hirschnitz-Garbers (2017). Stepping up Waste Prevention – Challenges and Opportunities for National Waste Prevention Programmes. RECREATE Project Policy Brief No. 7.