Close

About this project

Why are we doing this?

Research and Innovation (R&I) policymakers need access to the right evidence to design and implement high-impact interventions that deliver innovation, growth and well-being. Big data and data analytics offer many opportunities to transform R&I policy with a new generation of indicators, that are more relevant, inclusive, timely, trusted and open (RITO) than those already available. Such data can enable better decisions with bigger (and better measured) impacts. However, concerns about the representativity, accuracy and inclusiveness of new data sources and methods could hinder their acceptance. EURITO aims to build trust around these indicators, so they can be adopted effectively.

What are we doing?

Funded by the European Commission, this project tries to engage policymakers and researchers as stakeholder groups to promote a user-driven, agile, rigorous and transparent process that goes from identifying policy needs to developing relevant indicators for R&I policy. The overall aim of the project is to develop new mapping methods (data, software and knowledge) of the innovation ecosystem, that will lead to better R&I policy, new opportunities for open innovation, an enhanced understanding of innovation systems and new networks between policymakers, researchers and data businesses.

This is achieved through five connected phases:

  • Scoping Phase: Identifies R&I policymaker needs and data gaps
  • Exploration Phase: Takes eight key questions identified from the scoping phase and develops short pilots using big data and new data analytics to address these questions
  • Data Collection and Analysis Phase: Scales up four data pilots with the biggest policy potential enabling the production of Relevant, Inclusive, Timely, Trusted and Open (RITO) indicators for R&I policy
  • Validation Phase: Systemically validates all of the indicators generated in the data collection and analysis stage with the goal of building trust around their use
  • Communication and dissemination Phase: Seeks to enhance the impact and transparency of outputs by disseminating them in a way that is actionable and reproducible, including through open datasets, open source repositories, and interactive data visualisations and dashboards.

EURITO in COVID19 times

The European Commission is coordinating a common European response to the coronavirus outbreak, taking resolute actions to reinforce Europe’s resilience and mitigate the socio-economic impact in the European Union. In this regard, the European Commission is mobilising efforts and resources to define new ways of facing this new challenge, by promoting its innovative ecosystem and defining new tools and policies to contain it.

In this new scenario, EURITO will work to develop enough evidence to improve the understanding of the landscape of R&I activities related to Covid in the EU and member states. This new information will enable improved decision-making to tackle the impacts of the pandemic.

Last edited on the 10th of September 2018