Development of an ecosystemic approach to Trigger cross-sectoral dialogue about SDGs
Introduction
Université Côte d'Azur has implemented major transformations in the recent years leveraged by its initiative of Excellence to build a research-intensive university with strong international visibility while being embedded on its territory
The university’s signature is based on its role as actor of knowledge to contribute by any means to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. To that end, the university relies on values such as excellence through inter- and transdisciplinarity built on solid disciplinary foundations, territorial anchoring, close connections with companies, the inclusion of Art Schools, agility and a structure based on Graduate Schools that backs up education with highlevel research. Université Côte d'Azur works in an optimal way with its academic partners such as the National research organisations (ONRs), companies, local authorities and NGOs, notably through dedicated agreements of objectives and resources and their presence in our plenary steering committee. This operation enables the building of a whole local ecosystem relying on academic activities in partnership with socio-economic players
This transformation echoes the This three main areas of transformation Higher Education Institutions (HEI) must explore according to the UNESCO Global Independent Expert group on the Universities and the 2030 Agenda in their report on Knowledge-driven actions: Transforming higher education for global sustainability. These recommendations (REC) are the following:
- REC 1: inter- and transdisciplinary in education and research.
- REC 2: foster epistemic dialogue and integrating other ways of knowing
- REC 3: stronger presence in society through policy advice and involvement in societal projects.
To scale up its already fruitful links with its environment, Université Côte d'Azur has designed a specific strategy to boost the transfer of technology and knowledge towards the society and gain in visibility and then attractiveness through an unprecedented level of integration across the site of the quadruple helix of innovation linking the academic community, businesses, citizens, and local authorities thus constituting innovation ecosystems Those are defined as a set of stakeholders, expertise, activities, tools, and resources whose interactions create a favourable climate conducive to innovation in all its forms and serving the knowledge square
To do so, the transformation strategy relies on the consolidation and continuous creation of innovation ecosystems identified by crossing the themes of interest with our partners (Research and Training Organisations - RTOs, companies, authorities, NGOs) with the themes of excellence identified by our components in response to major Sustainable Development Goals.
The local ecosystems are then projected at the European and international level through partnerships and our European Alliance to leverage their impact It also provides valuable replicable pilot opportunities to test and adjust our model
Université Côte d’Azur has progressively transformed its structure to develop into a large research-intensive university on the Côte d’Azur. This transformation is based on an ecosystemic approach, thus paving the way to reinventing its position within the region, not only to become an engine of growth but also an established leader in addressing digital, environmental, and societal transitions interlinked with the SDGs.
Indeed, a defining characteristic of the initial vision is to develop strong regional roots and to play a transformational role in the local ecosystem, interwoven with the public and private sectors This new approach serves as a model for developing international relations: the idea is to connect entire ecosystems rather than to merely establish single inter-university partnerships This approach also breaks with conventional practices and methods for developing the excellence and attractiveness of the future university
Main features of the Innovation Ecosystems
Relying on the Innovation Ecosystem study published by the European University Association as well as the definitions provided by the European Commission and the OECD, Université Côte d'Azur defines innovation ecosystems as a set of stakeholders, expertise, activities, tools, and resources whose interactions create a favourable climate conducive to innovation in all its forms and serving the knowledge square
Once these ecosystems have matured, they can be projected internationally to create a system of complementary mirror ecosystems supporting international collaboration to tackle global challenges Thus, although it is constantly evolving, an innovation ecosystem is based on tangible elements, anchored at multiple scales:
transdisciplinary academic community structured and equipped at the campus local level around scientific, technological and socio-economic challenges;
A structured regional network that will make it possible to know, inform, involve and support local stakeholders (companies, NGOs, clusters, local authorities) Indeed, one of the main features of this ecosystemic approach is to be embedded at the site level and codesigned among partners, especially research and training organizations, local authorities, companies and NGOs. To seal this strong collective dynamic, site conventions were signed with each RTO and with major local authorities, highlighting common objectives and priorities (in annex 1)
An end-user community that is not only identified
A proven strategy for disseminating and transferring results in different forms to leverage impact on the society
The ecosystemic approach has made it possible to ensure a transverse structuring of the university's components and partners while encouraging intersectoral approaches, internationalisation and interdisciplinarity. In this respect, the transformation of Université Côte d’Azur was conceived to address the knowledge square.
Implementation at the local level of the Innovation Ecosystem approach interlinked to the SDGs
in consultation with local authorities, UniCA has developed 5 specific innovation ecosystems aligned with Societal and industrial territorial challenges interlinked with one or more SDG.
This strategy has proven to be successful, as emphasized by the report on the economic contribution of UDICE universities published in 2021 by the consultancy firm Biggar, which highlighted that Université Côte d’Azur contributes €1 9 billion in added value to the PACA Sud Region in 2019, with a leverage effect of 1/6 and an employment effect of 1/3
Université Côte d’Azur has also demonstrated its commitment to innovation with, between 2019 and 2020, over 197 research contracts involving one or more industries, providing an income of €8,703,589 and leading to the submission of 83 Invention Declarations, of which 38 led to the submission of a patent, thus adding to the existing 152 active patents. To add to this, Université Côte d’Azur can rely on its capacity to raise funds (from private sources) through spin-offs and start-ups, which enabled it to secure €20,000,000 in 2020.
To be more specific we selected two examples providing from our Ecoystem dedicated to Risk and Resilience that relies on two structures specifically focused on the one hand to develop relationships with regional NGs and government (OTECCA) and on the other hand to trigger cross-sectoral dialogue about SDG (IMREDD).
Why Risk and Resilience ?
Whether risks and disasters are of natural, technological, health, economic or societal origin, and whether they are linked to global changes – climatic, environmental or geopolitical – all researchers, actors and decision-makers agree that they are multidimensional. This complexity is notably linked to the very large number of interrelated factors, components and impacts, and to the effects of spatial scales (a disaster is rarely confined to a single scale, local, regional or global) and temporal scales (prevention, crisis management and the return of territories to "normal" functioning).
These various interacting mechanisms give rise to the extreme disasters that the Côte d'Azur region has had to face and will probably face in the future Over the last ten years, its highly urbanised, coastal and mountainous landscape has been the scene of extreme phenomena (e g , heatwaves, drought, pollution, terrorist attacks), sometimes recurrently (e g , catastrophic floods and landslides in 1994, 2015 and 2020) The human, health, environmental, organisational and economic consequences, which will still be visible in many years' time, underline the region’s vulnerabilities, which are now accentuated by rapid urbanisation, demographic growth, and climate instability.
This unique environment between land and sea combined with strong urban growth and the concentration of multifaceted challenges (e g , human, environmental, material and economic) make the Côte d'Azur a highly relevant open-air laboratory for demonstrating and experimenting with forecasting and preventing risks and managing disasters, whatever their origin (biotic or abiotic) For example, the Côte d'Azur is home to all the natural risks present in mainland France, except for cyclones and volcanic activity
Université Côte d'Azur wishes to strengthen and promote innovative disciplinary, inter- and transdisciplinary research to better understand and explain the emergence of risks, the triggering of disasters, their dissemination in time and space, and their systemic nature. In this context, the human-centred approach will consist in changing the paradigm, on the one hand, by dealing with risks and disasters along the continuum of Forecasting, Prevention and Management and, on the other hand, by creating a common synergy that includes researchers, citizens, companies and local authorities.
Best Practice
Mediterranean Institute of Risk, Environment and Sustainable Development
The Mediterranean Institute of Risk, Environment and Sustainable Development (IMREDD) as a tool to trigger cross-sectoral dialogue about SDGs. The purpose of the Mediterranean Institute of Risk, Environment and Sustainable Development is to anchor academic activities in the socioeconomic world through public-private partnerships, providing practical solutions in response to urgent challenges connected with SDGs.
Academia is not, nor should it be, a passive observer or a service provider but, on the contrary, has the capacity to be a solution innovator To do so, we must provide the necessary opportunities for academic research to go beyond the walls of the laboratory and demonstrate that science improves lives To this end, Université Côte d’Azur created the Mediterranean Institute of Risk, Environment and Sustainable Development (IMREDD) dedicated to smart territories, risk management, and prevention At the heart of the development of its territory and participating in its international influence and attractiveness, IMREDD brings together researchers, teachers, students, entrepreneurs, economic partners, and local authorities to craft inclusive and efficient solutions for the territory of the future. It develops its activities around four strategic activity areas (SAAs): energy through intelligent buildings/neighbourhoods, mobility, risks, the environment and, across these areas, human beings.
Best Practice
Mediterranean Institute of Risk, Environment and Sustainable Development
Example
International project triggering crosscollaboration
The IRIS project supported the lighthouse cities of Utrecht (NL), Gothenburg (SE) and Nice Côte d’Azur (FR) and the follower cities Vaasa (FI), Alexandroupolis (GR), Santa Cruz de Tenerife (ES) and Focsani (RO) to meet their urgent needs to provide cheaper, more accessible, more reliable energy and mobility services in their cities and to contribute to a better and more sustainable urban quality of life.
By demonstrating intelligent solutions that integrate energy, mobility and ICTs, anchored in a City Innovation Platform, IRIS quantifies their value and connects the interests of many stakeholders to innovative business models, enabling replication of integrated solutions for sustainable cities across Europe and globally.
Furthemore, IRIS created an open innovation ecosystem that motivates citizens to act as prosumers; more effective urban planning and governance of integrated solutions; the exploitation of validated innovative business models based on multi-stakeholder collaboration; more stable, safer, and more affordable energy and mobility services for citizens, with improved air quality.
The project benefited from funding from the European Commission under the H2020 topic SCC- 1-2016-2017 - Smart Cities and Communities lighthouse projects (€ 20 810 612,77).
Example
Regional project triggering crosscollaboration
With the support of several local authorities, IMREDD holds an industrial Chair dedicated to territories and autonomous Shuttles. The Chair aims to establish the territory as a model of territorial development integrating intelligent and sustainable mobility and, in particular, the autonomous shuttle, in a context as varied as the dense city to the village in the high country. The company is developing experimental transport and logistics services for the local development of specific areas. These experiments involve short-distance transport of daily activities, based on local knowledge and the study of use cases using autonomous technologies
Best Practice
Observatory for socio ecological transition
The Observatoire de la Transition Écologique et Citoyenne Côte d’Azur (OTECCA), observatory for socio ecological transition as a tool to develop relationships with regional NGs and government. OTECCA is composed of researchers, association representatives and student organization representatives. OTECCA aims to interface with scientific as well as civil communities in order to gather, produce and share knowledge of socio ecological transition on the Alpes-Maritimes territory and to increase citizens, decision makers and other stakeholders’ action through better collaboration It addresses a wide range of themes stretching from agriculture, consumption, culture, to energy, economy, education, environment, food, health, housing, solidarity, transports, etc OTECCA pursues three missions:
Document and analyze the territory from the angle of ecological and civic transition. OTECCA gathers, organizes and produces multi-sector data on socio ecological transition available to researchers and the general public. The goal is to provide information on the current state of play in the Alpes-Maritimes for analyses of vulnerabilities, potential, and future developments.
Implement and promote collaborative science-society research OTECCA strives to connect scientists and researchers with civil society stakeholders in order to implement projects built hand-in-hand on the territory While needs of research on environmental as well as civic transition can emerge from both researchers and civil society stakeholders, OTECCA finds the right partners and brings into existence a collaboration between stakeholders in order to build and carry out a research-based project Social utility of research is thus strengthened The collaboration also contributes to scientific innovation with new research questions emerging from society’s day-to-day realities.
Foster and spread scientific culture as well as citizen science OTECCA strives to foster interactions between scientific and civil communities in order to develop knowledge sharing as well as good practices in analyses and actions To do so, OTECCA positions itself as a means for scientific mediation through a variety of actions such as collaborative projects, conferences, seminars, training, or workshops
Best Practice
Observatory for socio ecological transition
Example
Collaboration with a local authority
The current pandemic, climate and geopolitical crises highlight the vulnerability of our food systems to shocks and the need for a transition to resilient, self-sufficient systems. Around Nice, for example, selfsufficiency is a real challenge. So how can we help these areas make the transition to agriculture? What history and what past choices have led us to such circumstances? This is what the TEFOR project team worked on. Geographers from the ESPACE laboratory, economists from GREDEG, agronomists from the ISA and experts in collaborative methods from OTECCA are all working towards the same goal: to coconstruct scenarios for tomorrow’s agriculture. To achieve this, 3 local authorities have joined to project as pilots: the Communauté d’Agglomération Sophia Antipolis, the Communauté d’Agglomération Cannes Pays de Lérins and the Communauté d’Agglomération du Pays de Grasse.
Example
Collaboration with an NGO
OTECCA initiated in November 2020 a research project built hand-in-hand with the NGO “Les Petits Loups Maraîchers” (PLM) in order to question the suitability, relevance and future of the association model from agricultural, energetic, economic, social as well as political perspectives. PLM is based in Bar-sur-Loup (Alpes-Maritimes area) and it develops a collective approach to produce organic local food on three different plots. The multidisciplinary approach needed for the questions that emerged specifically engaged OTECCA into the research project. The research has led to several student group projects and internships within Université Côte d’Azur (UCA) and its related partners, in energy and technology, political science and psychology. As an example, a student in social psychology worked over a six-months internship on understanding the values of the PLM association members and the impacts on their commitment to the organisation and on the adoption of ecoresponsible behaviour. Not only the study allowed the association to better adapt the needs and motivations of its members, it also brought to light unexpected and interesting results in terms of behavioural psychology.
Projection of our local innovation ecosystem at the European and International level to leverage impact of the SDGs
The step of our strategy is to project these ecosystems at the European and international level. To do, we have developed two different strategic pathways: through Ulysseus at the European level through a mirror Campus at the International level
Mirror Campus
The Mirror Campus were designed to promote scientific developments, education and innovation following the same ecosystemic approach while adapting to local realities and context Which means that the mirror Campus, not only, do they rely on a solid university cooperation, but also, with they must have the capacity to create a mirror collaboration including local authorities, companies, etc To do so, they rely on a two-way transfer dynamic and should allow the experimentation abroad of practices that can be replicated on our site and vice versa Thus, they contribute to the balance “brain drain” versus “brain gain”
European University Ulysseus
In the context of the creation of the Erasmus + European University Ulysseus, it was provided the opportunity to Université Côte d’Azur to replicated its local ecosystemic model at a European level: through the design and the deployment of the Ulysseus Innovations Hubs. The Innovation hubs, understood as thematic ecosystems deployed both at a territorial level and as a European network, are the center of gravity of Partners’ collaboration within the European Alliance Ulysseus. They constitute the focus of the co-creation processes for transdisciplinary and challenge driven education intertwined with research and knowledge transfer, the promotion of citizens involvement and European values. They are directly inspired by UniCA’s local model.
Ulysseus has eight Innovation Hubs (IH), one at each partner University, which address eight Research & Development challenges shared with our regions and cities while being interlinked to SDGs The hubs work as concentrators of all the collaboration and cooperation activities coming from the Ulysseus community (the alliance and the associated partners) Hubs are connected to local nodes around each partner University, to consolidate the Innovation Ecosystem
Projection of our local innovation ecosystem at the European and International level to leverage impact of the SDGs
Alignment of the priorities of the Innovation Hubs Ulysseus (Ulysseus challenges) with global priorities including SDGs
