Source: EURLEX
Language: en
Format: md

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| European flag | Official Journal  of the European Union | EN  Series L |

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|  | 2024/774 | 5.3.2024 |

COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION (EU) 2024/774

of 1 March 2024

on a Code of Practice on industry-academia co-creation for knowledge valorisation

THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION,

Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, and in particular Article 292 thereof,

Whereas:

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| (1) | Council Recommendation (EU) 2022/2415 [(1)](#ntr1-L_202400774EN.000101-E0001) on the guiding principles for knowledge valorisation recommends that Member States encourage and facilitate multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary collaboration to stimulate knowledge valorisation in Europe. |

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| (2) | Strengthening co-creation, the joint production and valorisation of knowledge between those involved in industry, research and innovation and possibly other stakeholders, such as public authorities and civil society, is key to strengthening the research and innovation (‘R&I’) ecosystem of the Union. Industry-academia co-creation entails systemic relations based on joint interests between different stakeholders. Therefore, it covers a wider spectrum of interactions beyond joint research and technology transfer. |

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| (3) | Efficient industry-academia collaboration is key to accelerating the uptake of innovative solutions and to developing new technologies, products and services to address the most pressing societal challenges, such as ensuring fair green and digital transitions. The new European innovation agenda (‘NEIA’) [(2)](#ntr2-L_202400774EN.000101-E0002) and the European strategy for universities [(3)](#ntr3-L_202400774EN.000101-E0003) identify university-industry collaboration as a crucial channel for the production, valorisation and diffusion of new knowledge. Furthermore, the Council Conclusions on NEIA [(4)](#ntr4-L_202400774EN.000101-E0004) emphasise that effective cooperation among research, business and the public sector is one of the driving forces behind knowledge valorisation. |

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| (4) | The Council Conclusions on a European strategy empowering higher education institutions for the future of Europe [(5)](#ntr5-L_202400774EN.000101-E0005) stress that higher education institutions should be further encouraged to turn knowledge into skills, competences and innovation by developing close cooperation with economic, social and industrial partners within local and regional research and innovation ecosystems, and facilitating intersectoral mobility between higher education institutions and other partners. |

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| (5) | The Council Recommendation [(6)](#ntr6-L_202400774EN.000101-E0006) on a European framework to attract and retain research, innovation and entrepreneurial talents in Europe recommends that Member States place a specific emphasis on schemes aiming to strengthen the skills needed by researchers to engage in knowledge valorisation activities. Those schemes include raising awareness and training on industry-academia collaboration. It also recommends promoting and supporting systems that assess and reward researchers. Those systems, among other things, recognise a diversity of outputs and activities, including knowledge valorisation, industry-academia cooperation, evidence-based policymaking and interaction with society. |

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| (6) | International cooperation is a key element for R&I as it facilitates access to new markets and fosters a network between talents; however, science and technology are also at the heart of geopolitical tensions in a transforming global environment [(7)](#ntr7-L_202400774EN.000101-E0007). Other developments, such as the transition to open science and the shift to open innovation, present both challenges and opportunities in the evolving R&I ecosystem. Those developments should ensure excellence and the impact of the Union’s investment in R&I and safeguard the Union’s interests. In this regard, the Toolkit on tackling foreign R&I interference [(8)](#ntr8-L_202400774EN.000101-E0008) helps to raise awareness and build resilience in the R&I sector across Europe to bolster research security in joint R&I activities [(9)](#ntr9-L_202400774EN.000101-E0009). |

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| (7) | Joint R&I activities present challenges as they involve different partners with different cultural and professional backgrounds, motivations, and interests [(10)](#ntr10-L_202400774EN.000101-E0010). Those partners include universities, research organisations, local communities, businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), non-governmental organisations and social partners. |

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| (8) | The aim of this Recommendation is to provide detailed guidance and tools for those involved in R&I. This Recommendation should facilitate creating an enabling environment and thriving conditions for co-creation. It should help develop interactive models and foster the role of intermediaries and digital platforms that facilitate co-creation and better match innovation’s supply and demand. |

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| (9) | This Recommendation builds on input from the community of practice on industry-academia collaboration for knowledge valorisation. The Code of Practice reflects the new directions introduced by Recommendation (EU) 2022/2415 as it encourages connections and co-creation between all those involved in R&I and emphasises the importance of entrepreneurial skills and practices. It also contributes to the action to ‘Upgrade EU guidance for better knowledge valorisation’ which is part of the ERA Policy Agenda for 2022-2024 [(11)](#ntr11-L_202400774EN.000101-E0011). |

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| (10) | All R&I actors involved in industry-academia co-creation are encouraged to follow this Recommendation. This includes universities and other higher education institutions, public and private research, innovation and technology organisations, research and technology infrastructures, businesses of all sizes (including start-ups, spin-offs and scale-ups) and intermediaries (such as knowledge and technology transfer professionals, incubators, science parks and corporate-based intermediaries). Although this Recommendation mainly concerns organisations, its content is also crucial to guide individual researchers, innovators and their teams in industry-academia co-creation. This Recommendation should help cultivate a dynamic R&I environment and develop a comprehensive mutual understanding about the respective goals and activities of industry and academia, |

HAS ADOPTED THIS RECOMMENDATION:

1.   DEFINITIONS

For the purpose of this Recommendation, the following definitions apply:

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| (1) | ‘knowledge valorisation’ means the process of creating social and economic value from knowledge by linking different areas and sectors and by transforming data, know-how and research results into sustainable products, services, solutions and knowledge-based policies that benefit society [(12)](#ntr12-L_202400774EN.000101-E0012); |

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| (2) | ‘industry-academia co-creation’ means the process of joint production and valorisation of knowledge between industry, R&I actors and possibly other stakeholders, such as public authorities, social partners and civil society [(13)](#ntr13-L_202400774EN.000101-E0013); |

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| (3) | ‘academia’ means universities and other higher education institutions, including public and private research and technology organisations [(14)](#ntr14-L_202400774EN.000101-E0014), universities of applied science and other higher vocational education and training institutions; |

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| (4) | ‘intellectual asset’ means any result or products generated by any R&I activities (such as intellectual property rights, data, know-how, prototypes, processes, practices, technologies and software); |

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| (5) | ‘open science’ means an approach to the scientific process based on open cooperative work, tools and diffusing knowledge, as defined in Article 2, point (5), of Regulation (EU) 2021/695 of the European Parliament and of the Council [(15)](#ntr15-L_202400774EN.000101-E0015); |

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| (6) | ‘open innovation’ means the approach of opening up the innovation process outside of an organisation [(16)](#ntr16-L_202400774EN.000101-E0016); |

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| (7) | ‘open access’ means access, provided free of charge to the end user, to research data, including scientific publications, in accordance with Article 14(1)(a) and Article 39(3) of Regulation (EU) 2021/695. |

2.   CREATING AN ENABLING ENVIRONMENT FOR INDUSTRY-ACADEMIA CO-CREATION

2.1.   Strategy, awareness raising and incentives

2.1.1.   It is recommended to promote industry-academia co-creation in the organisation’s strategy by:

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| (a) | setting out a clear mission to promote industry-academia co-creation for knowledge valorisation and develop fit-for-purpose research and development strategies endorsed by senior and middle management; |

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| (b) | encouraging cross-disciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange within the organisation to promote a culture of innovation and open dialogue, sharing both good results and challenges and learning by doing; |

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| (c) | considering setting up dedicated teams responsible for facilitating and supporting industry-academia collaboration; investing time and resources; providing guidance on identifying potential partners (taking into account interests, commitment, prior experience and the complementarity of capabilities); and providing information on the types of co-creation and partnerships available (different degrees of involvement, duration and conditions); |

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| (d) | strengthening dialogue between industry and academia at the level of advisory structures and pursuing joint roadmaps involving academia, industry, public authorities, social partners, clusters, start-ups and citizens, for example, through the set-up of dedicated boards; possibly organising roundtables, collaborative settings or processes including analysis of skills needs to define educational challenges and identify competences and skills relevant for the labour market in view of adapting curricula and teaching methods accordingly and equipping students with future-proof skills; |

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| (e) | developing joint structures such as innovation and knowledge hubs, virtual institutes and entrepreneurship academies [(17)](#ntr17-L_202400774EN.000101-E0017) to foster cooperation and establish sustainable inter-connected ecosystems; possibly creating living labs and offering challenge-based activities such as hackathons, bringing together internationally diverse and transdisciplinary teams of students, researchers, companies and cities to develop innovative solutions that are relevant for companies and cities; |

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| (f) | creating opportunities for hosting bachelor and master students, doctoral candidates and post-doctoral researchers in companies and actively engaging in collaborative research and mission-oriented R&I; |

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| (g) | promoting activities to build trust and mutual knowledge (such as networking, secondments and staff exchanges between partners) and using tools (such as innovation vouchers) to foster more efficient and sustainable partnerships. |

2.1.2.   It is recommended to raise awareness in organisations on the mutual benefits and value-creation opportunities that industry-academia co-creation can offer by:

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| (a) | fostering a culture of inter-sectoral co-creation and mutual learning by exchanging ideas about topics of common interest and by sharing examples of success stories and best practices [(18)](#ntr18-L_202400774EN.000101-E0018); |

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| (b) | aligning public and private interests by identifying shared challenges and objectives between industry and academia, such as addressing societal needs or advancing technological innovation; |

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| (c) | communicating on the benefits of knowledge co-creation for industry, such as contributing to any societal need, creating social impact, improving industrial research, accessing talent and skills exchanges, upscaling of social and organisational innovations at the workplace, accessing publicly funded research programmes, sharing risks to test new ideas and technologies, improving products or services, and improving business competitiveness; |

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| (d) | communicating on the benefits of knowledge co-creation for research organisations, such as contributing to societal needs, creating social impact, stimulating the development of spin-offs, joint projects and publications, the industrial application of research results, exposure to industry, skills exchanges and access to infrastructures, upscaling of social and organisational innovations, improving the employability of students and researchers, and financial opportunities (including more funding opportunities); |

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| (e) | highlighting successful industry-academia partnerships within the organisation, emphasising the importance of effective intellectual assets management and demonstrating the value created in industry-academia co-creation; |

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| (f) | engaging with policymakers and public administrations on industry-academia co-creation policies, funding and tax incentives (for example, for funding industrial doctorates); |

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| (g) | creating joint activities (such as case-study competitions, hackathons, communication campaigns, joint trainings and proofs of concept) and involving citizens in industry-academia co-creation activities in accordance with Commission Recommendation (EU) 2024/736 [(19)](#ntr19-L_202400774EN.000101-E0019). |

2.1.3.   It is recommended to provide incentives for all staff of the targeted organisation [(20)](#ntr20-L_202400774EN.000101-E0020)
in industry and in academia to participate in industry-academia co-creation by:

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| (a) | recognising and rewarding successful industry-academia partnerships, staff exchange or intersectoral mobility and the skills developed in industry-academia co-creation in recruitment, performance evaluations [(21)](#ntr21-L_202400774EN.000101-E0021), career assessments and progression of staff; other incentives should be considered, such as funding, co-ownership of intellectual property and royalty sharing; |

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| (b) | communicating on the benefits of different co-creation and partnership possibilities for industry and academia staff, such as lifelong learning, professional and personal development, research autonomy, leadership roles and research commercialisation opportunities; |

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| (c) | engaging all staff in bi-directional intersectoral mobility, from industry to academia and from academia to industry, to promote co-creation and cross-disciplinary activities, such as campus programmes, to bridge the gap between research and practical applications by industry; |

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| (d) | providing information to all staff about relevant tools and programmes, including on project grants, fellowships, scholarships, industrial doctoral and post-doctoral programmes, such as Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) Postdoctoral Fellowships’ non-academic placements [(22)](#ntr22-L_202400774EN.000101-E0022) and MSCA Doctoral Networks (including industrial doctorates) [(23)](#ntr23-L_202400774EN.000101-E0023), proof of concept grants [(24)](#ntr24-L_202400774EN.000101-E0024), European Universities alliances [(25)](#ntr25-L_202400774EN.000101-E0025), seed-funding opportunities, support services, training and coaching, funding opportunities and events. |

2.2.   Skills development and lifelong learning

2.2.1.   It is recommended to invest in developing skills and in lifelong learning for strengthened industry-academia co-creation by:

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| (a) | providing and encouraging coaching, mentoring and professional and personal development opportunities for all staff across industry and academia (including micro-credentials and vocational training) [(26)](#ntr26-L_202400774EN.000101-E0026); |

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| (b) | investing in diverse and flexible learning opportunities, including micro-credentials, to address evolving needs across industry and academia and involving teachers and guest lecturers with diverse profiles, especially from industry; |

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| (c) | strengthening the transversal skills of industry and academia staff needed for effective cross-disciplinary and cross-sector collaboration, such as communication, leadership, adapting to changing work environments, flexibility and negotiation skills; |

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| (d) | fostering a comprehensive understanding of how businesses work and providing training and possibilities for students and researchers to pitch their projects to panels of industrial representatives to receive feedback and create a network for their future professional development, including through the set-up of student incubators; |

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| (e) | developing skills in project management, supervision and mentorship, impact assessment, communication, knowledge co-creation, valorisation and innovation for all staff and students across academia; this involves training on evaluation methodologies, measurement frameworks and assessing project outcomes and their societal impact; |

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| (f) | fostering strategic thinking and entrepreneurial skills for students and researchers to develop spin-offs and start-ups based on innovative products and services, bringing their research results into practical applications on the market; |

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| (g) | providing more training on R&I funding opportunities and fostering a comprehensive understanding of the functioning and activities of academic and research institutions across industry, in particular SMEs, and promoting incubators, innovation hubs and technology diffusion centres to support SME innovation processes, for example, building on the work done in the Centres of Vocational Excellence [(27)](#ntr27-L_202400774EN.000101-E0027); |

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| (h) | providing training on intellectual assets management (training should also target industry, especially SMEs, and academia including students, ideally in mixed groups) and focus on managing intellectual assets in projects and partnerships, including open science and open innovation considerations, in accordance with Commission Recommendation (EU) 2023/499; |

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| (i) | providing training on standardisation to improve the understanding of the characteristics and linkages between research, innovation and standardisation and how they can support each other to boost knowledge valorisation, in accordance with Commission Recommendation (EU) 2023/498 [(28)](#ntr28-L_202400774EN.000101-E0028); |

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| (j) | developing staff, students’ and researchers’ skills in using digital platforms and tools, including those related to data literacy and data management for knowledge valorisation; |

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| (k) | encouraging the participation of all staff (including managerial and administrative staff) and researchers in relevant national and international intersectoral mobility schemes between academia and industry and other schemes, such as MSCA Doctoral Networks, MSCA Staff Exchanges [(29)](#ntr29-L_202400774EN.000101-E0029), MSCA COFUND [(30)](#ntr30-L_202400774EN.000101-E0030), Erasmus+ [(31)](#ntr31-L_202400774EN.000101-E0031), education and training programmes of the knowledge and innovation communities of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) [(32)](#ntr32-L_202400774EN.000101-E0032) and the Community for European Research and Innovation for Security (CERIS). |

2.3.   Networking and communication

2.3.1.   It is recommended to invest in networking, communication and relationship-building to facilitate industry-academia co-creation by:

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| (a) | encouraging staff to take part in networking activities within the organisation and with external organisations and raising awareness about networking opportunities; |

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| (b) | organising and participating in events that bring together industry (including SMEs, spin-offs and start-ups, business angels, venture capital funds and other stakeholders) and academia to discuss common interests, challenges and opportunities; |

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| (c) | maintaining an active alumni network to build connections and provide opportunities for alumni entrepreneurs and those working in industry to share their expertise with students and provide mentoring [(33)](#ntr33-L_202400774EN.000101-E0033); |

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| (d) | joining clusters [(34)](#ntr34-L_202400774EN.000101-E0034), networks [(35)](#ntr35-L_202400774EN.000101-E0035), platforms [(36)](#ntr36-L_202400774EN.000101-E0036), communities of practice, joint working groups and advisory boards (both formal and informal) and using available support services (such as incubators, accelerators, knowledge and technology transfer offices (KT/TTOs), liaison offices and third-party experts) at EU, national and regional levels; |

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| (e) | raising awareness about challenges, including research security related to R&I cooperation and possible foreign interference [(37)](#ntr37-L_202400774EN.000101-E0037), and promoting partnerships between Union businesses and global academic partners [(38)](#ntr38-L_202400774EN.000101-E0038); |

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| (f) | encouraging open and effective communication and ensuring understanding of the terminologies used by different actors; |

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| (g) | identifying and using well-established, professionally run digital platforms or brokerage firms (with search options, filters, alerts, etc.) that:   |  |  | | --- | --- | | (i) | match industry and academia as well as other stakeholders, such as individuals and public authorities; |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (ii) | explore co-creation opportunities; |  |  |  | | --- | --- | | (iii) | interactively align goals and objectives; | |

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| (h) | setting up internal liaison offices with the necessary means and resources to act as contact points for industry-academia co-creation that provide information about opportunities and ensure smooth relations with partners; |

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| (i) | promoting long-term and sustainable post-project engagement and fostering ongoing relationships and partnerships between industry and academia. |

3.   MANAGING INDUSTRY-ACADEMIA CO-CREATION FOR EFFECTIVE KNOWLEDGE VALORISATION

3.1.   Conditions for successful partnerships

3.1.1.   It is recommended to develop a joint industry-academia partnership framework for effective knowledge valorisation by:

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| (a) | agreeing on a shared vision, goals, expectations and objectives leading to a high level of engagement and long-term commitment while respecting academic freedom and when possible and relevant, considering the involvement of other stakeholders to create the partnership framework; |

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| (b) | fostering trust and commitment among all parties involved in the partnership framework; |

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| (c) | setting out a clear and comprehensive contractual framework, governance structure, arrangements for managing the partnership and a procedure for resolving conflict all with the support of legal experts; |

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| (d) | agreeing on a detailed schedule and roadmap for the partnership, including milestones and deadlines and their regular review, and drawing up a common cross-sectoral working terminology between partners; |

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| (e) | setting specific indicators to monitor and evaluate the progress, the value created, the impact (environmental, technological, economic, societal, political and health) and sustainability of the partnership; |

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| (f) | developing a joint intellectual assets management strategy [(39)](#ntr39-L_202400774EN.000101-E0039), including considerations about background knowledge, exchange of data, valuation, joint management and ownership of intellectual property, open science, open innovation practices and contributions to standardisation; |

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| (g) | agreeing on confidentiality, data ownership and data privacy issues and a policy on conflicts of interest; |

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| (h) | setting up a clear structure for cooperation with specifically trained staff (and a dedicated team in partner organisations if relevant); these teams may be supported by KT/TTOs for academic partners or by relevant associations for industry partners; |

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| (i) | promoting equality, diversity, sustainability and inclusion and avoiding gender bias in partnership objectives and activities; |

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| (j) | raising awareness about the partnership framework and the values, roles, incentives and resources of partners to ensure clarity and alignment. |

3.2.   Involving intermediaries [(40)](#ntr40-L_202400774EN.000101-E0040)

3.2.1.   It is recommended to foster the role of intermediaries to encourage and manage sustainable long-term industry-academia co-creation by:

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| (a) | benefiting from the support of various types of intermediaries, including knowledge and technology transfer professionals and contract managers overseeing formal transactions within the organisation (such as matters relating to intellectual assets management); intermediaries may also include corporate-based and other professional facilitators (such as industrial sector or scientific associations) helping with dialogue and understanding working relationships or organisations supervising multi-stakeholder co-creation spaces (such as sandboxes, testbeds, platforms and living labs); |

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| (b) | benefiting from the support of intermediaries in the partnership to facilitate mediation and communication between partners; |

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| (c) | involving intermediaries in developing partnership frameworks and taking part in competitive calls with funding agencies; |

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| (d) | engaging with intermediaries to give insights on responsible innovation, regulatory advice and guidance on matters in which the organisation may not have expertise (such as technology risk management); |

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| (e) | providing adequate resources, including funding and investing in the professionalisation of intermediaries, and recognising their key role in EU, national and regional innovation ecosystems and in aligning multi-stakeholder, intersectoral and regional interests in industry and academia; |

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| (f) | supporting collaboration and the exchange of best practices between intermediaries involved in industry-academia co-creation and encouraging experimentation to adapt to and benefit from new technologies, such as artificial intelligence; |

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| (g) | empowering intermediaries and investing in the required skills by funding study visits and providing training opportunities on the financial and non-financial valorisation of results and social entrepreneurship; |

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| (h) | encouraging intermediaries from industry and academia to engage with regional policymakers and administrations, venture capitalists, business angels and investment funds to create and/or strengthen regional innovation hubs and attract investment. |

3.3.   Strengthening the valorisation of industry-academia co-creation outcomes

3.3.1.   It is recommended to promote the valorisation of the outcomes of industry-academia co-creation activities by:

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| (a) | including, for each expected result, rules on ownership and control (including open access and protection of intellectual property) and a valorisation plan for more impact; this plan should set out the role of each party, the steps to be taken to have an impact and for joint exploitation where relevant and where partners’ core interests are aligned; |

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| (b) | setting up effective channels and tools [(41)](#ntr41-L_202400774EN.000101-E0041), including for standardisation, to ensure the uptake of results and drawing up a regularly updated list of key staff and contact points for each partner in a given collaboration; |

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| (c) | increasing awareness and taking advantage of public and private funding schemes, including prototype funding programmes to demonstrate the technical feasibility of research results, and Union and national funding for deployment; |

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| (d) | encouraging the use of established tools and services that promote identifying results with high-innovation potential and support developing strategies and business plans for their uptake in society. |

3.3.2.   It is recommended to pool resources and engage in joint infrastructures and co-creation facilities to strengthen industry-academia co-creation by:

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| (a) | investing and participating in joint research and technology infrastructures [(42)](#ntr42-L_202400774EN.000101-E0042) and co-creation facilities, such as shared workspaces, testbeds and innovation parks, testing and experimentation facilities [(43)](#ntr43-L_202400774EN.000101-E0043) and pilot lines [(44)](#ntr44-L_202400774EN.000101-E0044), which may provide professional staff support in areas such as business development, industry liaison, KT/TTOs management and research funding management to bridge the gap between industry and academia; |

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| (b) | providing access to resources, such as shared facilities, equipment and data repositories, to support joint research and innovation activities (and considering related confidentiality issues); |

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| (c) | supporting and participating in open innovation platforms (including digital environments and tools for co-creation and professional matchmaking of industry and academia) to initiate and develop innovation projects starting from innovation ideas, industrial challenges and needs and finalising them by building innovation project consortia and teams; |

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| (d) | offering guidance on co-creation methods, open innovation and valorisation best practices tailored to the specific goals and objectives of the partnership; these methods may include design thinking, user-centred approaches and participatory action. |

3.4.   Assessing outcomes, value created and impact

3.4.1.   It is recommended to assess the outcomes, value created and impact of industry-academia co-creation activities by:

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| (a) | jointly agreeing on suitable metrics for such assessments and ensuring a balance between business-, social- and research-oriented metrics. These may include identified innovations, licences, trademarks and software, contributions to standards and public-private co-publications. The impact (such as environmental, technological, economic, societal, political and health effects) should be evaluated. Negative impacts should be reported, and ethical concerns should be assessed; |

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| (b) | jointly agreeing on and developing qualitative metrics to evaluate the outcomes of the partnership (such as professional relationships, trust developed and knowledge sharing), for example, using targeted surveys and regular feedback rounds; |

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| (c) | using case studies to assess societal impact and value created, particularly for predominantly publicly funded projects, and make such case studies publicly available; |

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| (d) | reviewing metrics and indicators over time and monitoring the long-term impact of the partnership in terms of consistency, sustainability, scalability and reusability; |

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| (e) | ensuring fair and equitable sharing of the value generated by industry-academia co-creation activities based on the impact created by such activities; |

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| (f) | ensuring that all parties involved consider the value and impact created by the partnership when developing future activities and partnerships. |

Done at Brussels, 1 March 2024.

For the Commission

Iliana IVANOVA

Member of the Commission

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ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/reco/2024/774/oj

ISSN 1977-0677 (electronic edition)

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