The aim of the RI-PATHS project is to develop a model describing the socio-economic impact of research infrastructures and their related financial investments. The model will be developed in a modular manner adapting it to a broad range of scientific domains and types of infrastructures. The project outcomes are expected to contribute to a common approach at international level and facilitate investments in research infrastructures by funding agencies and other stakeholders. The project activities will take into account the results from the Working Group of Socio-Economic Impact of Research Infrastructures established by the OECD Global Science Forum, and involve key international players in this domain. The specific objectives are: 1. Carry out a comprehensive stocktaking exercise on the existing approaches for impact assessment of research infrastructures and map the current and future data gathering needs of the key stakeholder groups; 2. Employing systems thinking approach develop a modular impact assessment model that represents all major impact pathways of distinct types of research infrastructures; 3. Operationalisation of the IA model by defining a set of reference indicators, providing guidance on the most appropriate monitoring and evaluation approaches and testing its feasibility with pilot research infrastructures.

1. This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 731049

2. This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 731049
• Increasing investments in research infrastructures
(RIs) call for an enhanced accountability to showcase
their socio-economic returns
• Existing impact assessment (IA) approaches include:
• Analysis of direct economic effects and economic multipliers
• Input-output models
• Cost-benefit analysis
• Approaches based on multiple indicators
• Case studies
• Insufficient understanding of long-term causal
pathways and no unified framework for IA of RI

3. This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 731049
• Coordination and support action funded by Horizon
2020 (call: INFRASUPP-02-2017)
• Implementation period: January 2018 – June 2020 (30
months)
• 8 project partners, including 4 research
infrastructures who will co-design and pilot impact
assessment methods
• Effort: 122.5 person months
• Budget: € 1,498,718

4. This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 731049
Develop a logical model that describes the socio-
economic impact of a research infrastructure (RI) and
its related financial investments and is adaptable to a
broad range of scientific domains and types of RIs

5. This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 731049
• IA model design reflects the specificities of RIs taking into
account their mission, type and phase of development
• Work is carried out in a participatory manner engaging RI
stakeholders in a co-design of the IA model
• Project outcomes provide a practical IA tool-box for policy
makers and RI managers
• Effort contributes towards a more common approach at
international level

6. This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 731049

7. This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 731049

8. This project has received funding from the European
Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation
programme under grant agreement No 731049
www.ri-paths.eu
contact@ri-paths.eu
@RI-PATHS
https://www.linkedin.com/groups/12098402