Science & Education for Society

The Science & Education for Society Working Group addresses topics related to the concept of place-based universities and engagement with society and citizens while also working on the role of education (both VET and Higher Education) in the Research and Innovation Smart Specialisation Strategies (RIS3) as well as education and skills for research and innovation. The Working Group facilitates information sharing, knowledge development, and aims to strengthen existing and build new relationships with the EU institutions. Facilitating project development is also part of the Working Group's scope. For this purpose, the Working Group assesses the interest of the membership for specific calls under Erasmus+ and support in the most efficient way the members in building consortia, primarily with the ERRIN online tool for project development.  

ERRIN Contact

Last Working Group Meetings

Previous Related ERRIN Working Group Meetings

Strengthening skills governance in regional innovation ecosystems:  lessons learnt and remaining challenges

Strengthening skills governance in regional innovation ecosystems: lessons learnt and remaining challenges

Astrid Hannes

As the activities of the EU Year of Skills came to an end in April 2024, the Science and Education for Society Working Group is organising a Working Group meeting to reflect on the lessons learnt

Design & Creativity WG

The Pact for Skills for CCIs - What next after the Year of Skills?

Francesca Pozzebon

The European Year of Skills is coming to an end after the Pact for Skills Forum (21- 22 March) and the Closing event, taking place on 30 April, which will reflect on the achievements of the past year

Policy & Smart Specialisation WGs meeting: Widening in FP10 and impact on cohesion policy post-2027

Policy & Smart Specialisation WGs meeting: Widening in FP10 and impact on cohesion policy post-2027

Ewa Chomicz

The topic of widening gathers high attention in the discussions around the next European Framework Programme for R&I, raising questions with the potential to influence not only the Widening sub-

WG Related Events

WG Related Events

EWRC Workshop “Thriving regions through science: how innovative research centres can retain talent and drive growth”

In this workshop, organised by the ERC as part of the European Week of Regions and Cities, politicians, scientists, and experts will discuss how research can contribute to regional growth and social cohesion. The workshop will take place on 10 October from 16:30-18:30.

EWRC: "Talent Attraction & Retention: Showcasing Regional Strategies"

The South Moravian Region, the Wielkopolska Region, the Slavonia, Baranja and Srijem Region, and the Kujawsko-Pomorskie Region are partnering on a workshop on Talent Attraction & Retention: Showcasing Regional Strategies. The event is a part of the official EWRC programme.

Next Generation Innovators Summit

The Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union in collaboration with the European Commission organises a high-level conference to reflect on the New European Innovation Agenda, and to discuss the challenges faced by public and private actors concerning deep-tech innovation and its contribution to the twin and digital transitions. The event will take place on 10 October 2023 in Madrid.

ERRIN event: Organising a regional innovation ecosystem

This in-person ERRIN event on 4 October, organised in line with the Management Board priority on widening and deepening engagement in R&I, invites all ERRIN members to share and explore the ways to develop their regional innovation ecosystems going beyond any specific initiatives or funding opportunities. The event will enable informal mutual learning and exchanges of practices between network colleagues from across Europe in an interactive way.

CoR stakeholder consultation "Towards an integrated EU policy approach to support place-based innovation for the green and digital transition"

​​​The European Committee of the Regions (CoR) is drafting an opinion "Towards an integrated EU policy approach to support place-based innovation for the green and digital transition". Interested stakeholders are invited for a thematic consultation and exchange of views on 3 October 2023 from 10:00-12:00 at the CoR premises. Registration is possible by 29 September.

KEP 2.0 seminar: Implementation of the New European Innovation Agenda – What is in it for regions and cities?

​​​The European Committee of the Regions and the European Commission are organising a seminar on "Implementation of the New European Innovation Agenda – What is in it for regions and cities?" in the framework of their Knowledge Exchange Platform (KEP 2.0). The event will take place on 28 September from 14:30-18:00 in-person in Brussels, with ERRIN Director Pirita Lindholm as one of the speakers.

WG Documents

WG Documents

ERRIN Year in review 2022

The ERRIN Year in review 2022 is out! Read the report to see the numerous activities ERRIN and its members have been involved in throughout the year.

WG Related Content

WG Related Content

Survey: Digital education and skills on regional and local level

The SEDEC Commission of the European Committee of the Regions and the European Commission's Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and Culture (DG EAC) are inviting local and regional authorities to take part in a survey to share their experiences on digital education and skills. The deadline to fill in the survey is 23 May 2022.

UniLiON vademecum on implementing synergies with Horizon Europe

The UniLION working group on synergies has published a vademecum 'Implementing synergies with Horizon Europe.'

EU R&I community providing support for Ukrainian researchers

In the context of the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the ongoing war, members of the EU R&I community are mobilising efforts to support Ukrainian researchers. To engage and inspire, ERRIN members are encouraged to share information about their regional activities and initiatives in support of Ukraine's R&I ecosystem on the ERRIN website, using the tag ‘Solidarity with Ukraine’.

Looking for pre-schools and kindergardens working with science education through nature play

With climate change in mind, it is important that children have the desire to be in nature and experience it as an extended part of them. This extension must make up for the frightening images and bad thoughts about the future and the destruction of nature. The theater will stage nature / local areas so that discoveries in nature become something where there is an interaction between children and nature. We believe that children invent new ways to appreciate nature. The children's imagination in these performances or setups will strengthen their empathy for each other and nature, simply…

VIA University College seeks consortium for Erasmus+ Teacher Academies

As one of six university colleges in Denmark, VIA University College educates e.g. teachers, pre-school and early childhood learning specialists, nurses, social workers, engineers and designers and offer education programmes in 11 cities of the Central Denmark Region. VIA also has seven research and development centres including centres and programs developing and researching digital learning, sustainability and inclusion. VIA is searching for partners to build an Erasmus+ Teacher Academy.

8th Cohesion Report: findings on regional innovation in Europe

The European Commission has published the 8th Cohesion Report: Cohesion in Europe towards 2050. According to the findings, while the Cohesion policy has, in general, helped to narrow territorial and social disparities between regions in the EU, the regional innovation divide in Europe has grown.

Latest Updates

  • By Anonymous

Looking for partners for COSME call on innovation uptake and digitalisation in the tourism sector

The Department of Tourism of the Autonomous province of Trento (Trentino) is looking for partners to address the digital transformation and growth of local service providers, mainly SMEs, whose level of digital literacy is not uniform and, on average, is quite low. The first objective is to develop, test and validate useful methods to deepen digital culture in the involved SMEs, and then to spread knowledge outside the scope of the project.

  • By Central Denmark EU office

KA2 Partner Search - European Languages in a digital world

Central Denmark EU Office is searching for European partners, where we first and foremost are looking for regional authorities who are strategically supporting language learning at upper secondary schools, and who want to strengthen their collaboration with other European regions.

  • By Hilary Webb

AGM Virtual networking: Discover secret talents within ERRIN!

The ERRIN team has designed a festive networking game that will take place at the end of the Autumn AGM. In order to make it happen, we need your secret talents!

  • By Hilary Webb

CoR, JRC & DG R&I share Joint Action Plan

Innovation, research, culture and education are at the centre of a new action plan launched by the Committee of the Regions, DG R&I and the JRC. The plan contains 26 concrete actions under four priority areas.

  • By Agnieszka Wieczorek Jetha

ERRIN Autumn Annual General Meeting – registration open!

We are happy to invite you to ERRIN’s Autumn Annual General Meeting (AGM), which will take place on 10 December, 14.00-17.00. Even if the AGM takes place on-line, it will include several interactive elements and an occasion to virtually connect with colleagues in the network.

  • By Agnieszka Wieczorek Jetha

We want to hear from you! Provide your input on priorities, topics, and activities for ERRIN in 2021.

To start planning the activities in the WGs for 2021, the WG leaders will meet according to the clusters to discuss the policy context, project development, and possible topics for the year ahead. All members are encouraged to feed in ideas.