The Mutual Learning Exercise (MLE) of 18 countries on knowledge valorisation strategies and tools is entering its final phase. After intensive study visits in Austria, Sweden and Finland in 2023, a further meeting in Spain in January 2024 will conclude the series of policy dialogues. The thematic reports on ‘intermediaries’ and ‘incentives and skills of research talent’ have already been published, and further thematic reports with many useful insights, recommendations and inspiring use cases are to follow shortly. The final summary report is planned to be disseminated widely and discussed in early summer at a conference of the Belgian Presidency that has made knowledge valorisation one of its priorities in the field of research and innovation.
The recently published report on ‘’Intermediaries’ mainly reflects the lessons learned and examples studied in Stockholm/Sweden in September 2023. Intermediaries have a crucial role in the R&I eco-system by connecting different R&I actors, matching the offer and the demand of knowledge, promoting the co-creation of solutions, advising and supporting the various pathways and business models that generate value for all R&I actors involved as well as society at large. The report defines what is meant by knowledge & innovation intermediaries, describes their roles, maps and analyses the landscape of established intermediaries, identifies new approaches, practices and models adopted by conventional and novel intermediaries, and discusses the main policy implementation challenges. It provides recommendations in seven areas on how to make best use of intermediaries for implementing efficient knowledge valorisation strategies, illustrated by best practices.
The report on ‘Incentives and Skills: Focus on Research Talent’ primarily reflects the outcome of the meeting in Vienna/Austria in June 2023. It focuses on how to empower and motivate research talents that are essential for effectively valorising knowledge. The report highlights the importance of developing skills such as entrepreneurship, intellectual assets management etc. and providing incentives to researchers and their teams through funding opportunities, career progression, and visibility. It also emphasises the need for strong collaboration between academia and industry and for enhancing talent circulation and intersectoral mobility, which can foster cross-fertilisation and effective knowledge valorisation. The report discusses relevant support measures to improve the employability of researchers outside academia and to overcome barriers to intersectoral mobility. Many interesting examples of national tools and programmes promoting demand-driven skills development and intersectoral mobility as well as providing incentives and support for knowledge valorisation can be found in the annex of the report.
Further thematic reports on ‘networks and processes’ (Finland meeting) and ‘incentives and skills: policy and legal context, governance and funding’ (Spain meeting) as well as on the cross-cutting topic ‘intellectual assets management’ are to be published in the coming weeks. The final report is expected for spring 2024.
More information
Mutual Learning Exercise Knowledge Valorisation
Consult the factsheet.
Consult the dedicated webpage on with the discussion papers and further information is published