From the IHA Impact in the Humanities event 8 June held in QUB and co-sponsored by InterTradeIreland. Panel Two: Impact in Horizon 2020 and the EU How is Impact conceptualised and captured at the EU level, in programmes such as Horizon 2020, and how does this affect academics, research officers and policy makers at the national level?

1. Research & Enterprise
Directorate
NICP network
Impact - Horizon 2020
Inmaculada Higueras
NICP SSH

2. Research & Enterprise
Directorate
NICP network
Impact Horizon 2020
• NICP for SSH
• Applicant’s perspective
NICP NETWORK AND SUPPORT FOR APPLICANTS

3. Research & Enterprise
Directorate
Impact in H2020 projects
Role of impact in H2020 projects?
• Giving back
Tax payers money. What is this project giving back?
Why should this project be funded?
• Big picture
How does the project contribute to the goals
as defined
EU 2020
Strategy
H2020
Regulation
Specific
Programme
H2020
Strategic
Programme
Work
Programme
Call/
Topic

4. Research & Enterprise
Directorate
Europe 2020

5. Research & Enterprise
Directorate
Evaluation criteria
Excellence
Impact
Implementation
Impact
Type of action
The extent to which the outputs of the project should contribute at the European and/or
International level to:
For all types of action The expected impacts listed in the work programme under the relevant topic
Research and innovation;
Innovation; SME
instrument
Enhancing innovation capacity and integration of new knowledge; Strengthening the
competitiveness and growth of companies by developing innovations meeting the needs of
European and global markets; and, where relevant, by delivering such innovations to the
markets; Any other environmental and socially important impacts (not already covered
above); Effectiveness of the proposed measures to exploit and disseminate the project
results (including management of IPR), to communicate the project, and to manage
research data where relevant.
Coordination & support
actions
Effectiveness of the proposed measures to exploit and disseminate the project results
(including management of IPR), to communicate the project, and to manage research data
where relevant.
ERA-NET Cofund
Achievement of critical mass for the funding of trans-national projects by pooling of
national/regional resources and contribution to establishing and strengthening a durable
cooperation between the partners and their national/regional research programmes;
Effectiveness of the proposed measures to exploit and disseminate the project results and
to communicate the project.
Pre-commercial
procurement Cofund/
Public procurement of
innovative solutions
Cofund
Strengthening the competitiveness and growth of companies by developing innovations
meeting the needs of European and global procurement markets. Effectiveness of the
proposed measures to exploit and disseminate the project results (including management of
IPR), to communicate the project. More forward-looking concerted procurement approaches
that reduce fragmentation of demand for innovative solutions
Evaluation against type
of action,
not thematic area
Evaluation criteria in H2020

6. Research & Enterprise
Directorate
RIA, IA & SME Instrument
RIA & IA; SME Instrument
Impact:
Describe how your project will contribute to:
• The expected impacts set out in the work programme, under the relevant topic
• Improving innovation capacity
• Strengthening the competitiveness and growth
• Developing innovations meeting the needs of European and global markets
• Delivering such innovations to the markets
• Describe any barriers/obstacles that may determine whether and to what extent
• the expected impacts will be achieved
• Provide a draft plan for the dissemination and exploitation of the project’s results
or business plan (if appropriate)
• Outline the strategy for knowledge management and protection
(You will need a consortium agreement to manage the ownership and
access to key knowledge (IPR, data, etc)

7. Research & Enterprise
Directorate
RIA, IA & SME Instrument
RIA & IA; SME Instrument
• Planning to maximise the impact
• Identifying needs, delivering benefits (to whom? How much?) Specific,
detail
• Select objectives to maximise impact (extent of the benefit)
• Impact on Science (research); publications, conferences,
• Impact on policy making (measuring this ?)
• Beyond dissemination or knowledge transfer: REF experience and
UK academic partners in consortia

8. Research & Enterprise
Directorate
MSCA
MSCA Impact:
1. ITN - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Innovative Training Networks
Enhancing research –and innovation- related human resources, skills, and working conditions to realise the potential of
individuals and to provide new career perspectives
Contribution to structuring doctoral/early-stage research training at the European level and to strengthening European innovation
Capacity, including the potential for a) meaningful contribution of the non-academic sector to the doctoral/research training, as
appropriate to the implementation mode and research field; b) developing sustainable joint doctoral degree structures (for EJD only)
Effectiveness of the proposed measures for communication and dissemination of results
2. IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action: Individual Fellowships
Enhancing research- and innovation-related human resources, skills and working conditions to realise the potential
of individuals and to provide new career perspectives ; Effectiveness of the proposed measures for communication and results dissemination
3. RISE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action: Research and Innovation Staff Exchange
Enhancing research- and innovation-related human resources, skills and working conditions to realise the potential
of individuals and to provide new career perspectives
To develop new and lasting research collaborations, to achieve transfer of knowledge between research institutions and to
improve research and innovation potential at the European and global levels ; Effectiveness of the proposed measures for communication and
results dissemination
4. COFUND - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action: Co-funding of regional, national and international programmes
Enhancing research- and innovation-related human resources, skills and working conditions to realise the potential of
individuals and to provide new career perspectives ; Impact of the programme on aligning practices at participating organisations with
principles set out by the EU for the human resources development in research and innovation ; Effectiveness of the proposed measures
for communication and results dissemination of the programmes

9. Research & Enterprise
Directorate
Impact at proposal stage
At proposal stage projects are expected to provide, at least:
• Expected impacts: how innovation will be provided and new
knowledge integrated – including possible barriers
• Indicate the socio-economic impacts generated by the project
• Provide Dissemination and Exploitation plans
• Stakeholder involvement

10. Research & Enterprise
Directorate
Dissemination
Key elements for dissemination
• Public disclosure of results by any appropriate mean: Includes scientific
publications: Open access in H2020
• Beyond scientific publications: think multi-channel and multi-audience
(but keep it focused)
• Set targets / performing indicators and monitor them constantly
• Leverage each partner’s own dissemination activities

11. Research & Enterprise
Directorate
Stakeholder involvement
Stakeholder involvement
• Role of stakeholders from the project outset
• Interaction with external actors (not exploitation and/or dissemination?)
• User groups activities, focus groups, user testing and validation, user
requirements activities, etc.
• Valuable feedback in the interaction with stakeholders
• Select relevant stakeholders for your project
• Effective stakeholder involvement can dramatically improve overall
impact

12. Research & Enterprise
Directorate
Impact in H2020 projects
Impact in H2020 projects?
• Giving back
Tax payers money. What is this project giving back?
Why should this project be funded?
• Big picture
How does the project contribute to the goals
as defined
• Type of action, not your research area
EU 2020
Strategy
H2020
Regulation
Specific
Programme
H2020
Strategic
Programme
Work
Programme
Call/
Topic

13. Research & Enterprise
Directorate
Impact in H2020 projects
THANK YOU
i.higueras@qub.ac.uk