About
About
EU.FFICIENT is an innovative project aimed at enhancing collaborative processes across Europe through the establishment of Communities of Expert Facilitators (CEFs). These communities serve as platforms for industry experts, academics, public sector representatives, and society members to come together, share knowledge, and co-create solutions in various fields.
What is co-creation?
By co-creation we refer to the collaborative process where academic researchers and industry/public sector professionals work together to develop new knowledge, technologies, products, and services. Its goal is to leverage the complementary strengths of academia and industry/public sector to create value and drive innovation.
Co-creation involves the exchange of know-how, expertise, and resources between the parties, and requires a deep understanding of each other’s interests and needs. It can take place through different schemes such as academic-industry partnerships, collaborative R&D&I projects, co-location, etc., all of which are considered in the context of this proposal.
What are Expert Facilitators?
Expert Facilitators are individuals who possess the necessary skills and expertise to guide and facilitate the collaboration between the participating stakeholders, so-called Co-creators. Expert Facilitators typically work for Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and Research and Technology Organizations (RTOs), where they can play a variety of functions such as Technology Transfer Officers, Business Liaison Officers, Business Developers, European/R&D Project Officers, and many others. They can also be employed by other intermediaries in the innovation ecosystem, such as clusters (e.g. Cluster Managers) and Science and Innovation Parks (e.g. Innovation Managers). Some specialized consultancies also provide facilitation services to support co-creation projects. Finally, we can also find Expert Facilitators who work both in companies (especially in large corporations) and in public organizations such as municipalities or public companies, where they can play various roles (e.g., Open Innovation Managers).
Advanced Manufacturing
involves the integration of technologies such as automation, robotics, AI, Digital Twins, Additive Manufacturing, and the Internet of Things (IoT) to create highly flexible and efficient production systems. The ongoing trends of digitalization and sustainability have paved the way for the emergence of a new paradigm in manufacturing known as Industry 5.0. This latest trend emphasizes the importance of collaboration between humans and machines, creating a symbiotic relationship that leverages the strengths of both to drive innovation and productivity in manufacturing. With its focus on human-centred manufacturing, Industry 5.0 represents a significant industry shift, one that promises to drive customization, personalization, and sustainability in production processes.
HealthTech
refers to the integration of technology and healthcare to create solutions that improve patient outcomes and reduce healthcare costs. The ongoing trends of digitalisation, personalised medicine, and aging population are driving the rapid growth of this industry. Advanced technologies such as AI, blockchain, big data analytics, and IoT are transforming the way healthcare is delivered, enabling remote patient monitoring, real-time diagnostics, and personalised treatments. eHealth, wearable technology, smart medical devices, and mobile health apps are empowering patients to take control of their own health and well-being. Furthermore, the concept of digital human twins is a new area that is gaining attention, where a patient’s physiological data is used to create a virtual model of their body, allowing for the prediction of health risks and the delivery of personalised treatment plans. This is a field where SSH issues are key and usually SME do not properly address, generating additional costs, longer time to market. Moreover, it is also a highly-regulated field and access to regulatory expertise is scarce.
Mobility
innovations in electric vehicle technology, autonomous driving systems, and connected vehicle platforms are transforming the way we move, making transportation safer, more efficient, and more sustainable. Mobility innovation is also being driven by the growing demand for personalised and on-demand mobility services, with the rise of Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platforms that seamlessly integrate different modes of transportation into a single platform. The integration of advanced technologies such as AI, machine learning, and data analytics is enabling the development of more efficient, responsive, and customer-centric mobility solutions. Ethical/behavioural aspects are key SSH issues.
AI/Digital
this community slightly differs from the previous ones, as it cuts across them (demonstrating the wideranging impact and potential of AI/Digital technologies on most sectors). The further development and integration of AI/Digital techs is enabling industry to automate processes, optimize production, and make more informed decisions. With their potential to enhance productivity, reduce costs, and improve outcomes, these technologies are driving significant changes across many industries beyond Advanced Manufacturing, Mobility and Health. For example, in the energy industry, AI is helping to optimize energy consumption, reduce carbon emissions, and enhance the efficiency of energy grids. Yet, AI also brings new challenges related with privacy, data quality, data origin and ethics, which are the fundamentals to Trustworthy AI efforts lead by EC, and that can only be addressed through proper SSH integration.
Project Details
Project number: 101135297
Project name: European Communities of Facilitators focused on Co-creation training,
Networking and Hands-on learning
Project acronym: EU.FFICIENT
Call: HORIZON-CL4-2023-HUMAN-01
Topic: HORIZON-CL4-2023-HUMAN-01-32
Type of action: HORIZON-CSA
Project starting and duration: 1 January 2024, 36 months