18.12.2024 LivingLab for peace: advancing societal impact at WP7’s first in-person meeting in Madrid

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On December 9–10, 2024, the WP7 group  on “Societal Dialogue” of the EUPeace Alliance convened in Madrid, hosted by Comillas Pontifical University, for its first in-person meeting. This gathering brought together university representatives to advance on the WP7 activities and strengthen its initiatives to foster societal impact through collaborative innovation.

Over recent months, WP7 has been working on finalising the formalisation of the EUPeace LivingLab, an open innovation ecosystem in which universities, civil society, the private sector, government and citizens interact to co-create and test solutions that have a positive and sustainable impact. The group has also been focused on setting up the local Societal Dialogue Groups (SoDiGs), which will provide strategic direction to the LivingLab, promote its work and attract potential projects.

The meeting opened with a presentation by Pilar López de la Osa on Comillas’ Service-Learning methodology, which offers a replicable model that could be adopted by other universities. Simone Strambach introduced the CIM-Hub in Marburg, highlighting hybrid models that bridge academia and civil society. Nereida Bueno Guerra showcased an impactful project that will be incorporated in the Comillas’ LivingLab: the Dulcinea Project, focused on the rehabilitation of patients with aphasia. Other universities also shared promising local initiatives expected to be integrated into the LivingLab framework.

In order to bring forward these activities, participants brainstormed strategies for implementing LivingLab models and setting up the Societal Dialogue Groups, sharing best practices and methodologies to ensure success.

On the second day, the WP leaders addressed important project management topics, including reporting protocols, monitoring requirements, and KPI-driven objectives. They also shared tools and strategies for effectively coordinating social impact projects within the alliance.

The session concluded with a roadmap for 2025, focusing on micro-credentials and bridge dialogue formats. This milestone meeting underscored the potential of LivingLabs to drive positive change in communities across Europe and its main role in the EUPeace alliance’s mission.