Experience of the coordinator

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Experience of the coordinator

With TeRRItoria coming to an end it is good to look back and reminisce the path that led us here and what it has taught us.

TeRRItoria brought together 13 partner organizations from across the Europe. Not only everyone had different background in expertise but cultural one as well. Thus, harmonizing and synchronizing the complex of the project work, with assuring delivery, but maintaining good morals, proved from time to time a little challenging, but especially in terms of communication.

Here considering the main goal of TeRRItoria – the implementation and application of RRI principles and dimensions – in a different light assured help. The rigorous application of RRI dimensions in coordination as we wanted to see them in our territorial experiment have given us the support need in times of challenge and believe have helped us through the numerous unexpected changes during the implementation of the project. Anticipate, Reflect, Include, Respond – these four dimensions of RRI are what helped us the most in our work as coordinators as they allowed for adaptability and flexibility in planning and implementing of the project actions.

To facilitate the approach that makes the best use of the four RRI dimensions we held regular meetings with whole consortium and when needed with smaller groups to identify as soon as possible any deviations from the planning, co-create change management strategies and by an inclusive approach devise the best suited course of action and respond in a timely manner. TeRRItoria was loaded by the challenges caused by the current pandemic crisis. The global sanitary situation put us all in situation where quick adaptation was needed. But, thanks to our regular meetings we assured timely analysis, the revision of the initial approach and finding solutions and compromises to accommodate the changes without extending the project for more than a month.

The main lessons that we can draw from coordinating the TeRRItoria project is to always remain flexible to accommodate necessary changes adapted to the specific needs of the project and partners, and maintain a supportive working environment.

Article written by Adam Brandstetter-Kunc – ESF – in collaboration with Ildiko Ipolyi – ESF

Adam is a Junior Science Officer at the European Science Foundation working on Science with and for Society projects.
Ildiko is Science Officer and head of the Science with and for Society Cluster at the European Science foundation

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