BETTER Life

Bringing Excellence to Transformative Engaged Research in Life Sciences through Integrated Digital Centres

Name of the project: Bringing Excellence to Transformative Engaged Research in Life Sciences through Integrated Digital Centres

Acronym: BETTER Life

Grant provider: European Commission

Programme: Horizon Europe

Duration: 2022 – 2025

The general objective of the project “Bringing Excellence to Transformative Engaged Research in Life Sciences through Integrated Digital Centres” — short BETTER Life — is to establish the EU Digital Centre of Excellence for Socially Engaged Research in Life Sciences (hereinafter EU BETTER Life Centre). The Centre will be an inter-institutional support structure for developing capacities of early career researchers (PhD students and researchers not yet fully independent) (hereinafter ECR) aiming to foster socially engaged research (SER) to tackle societal challenges in their surrounding ecosystems while consolidating the EU BETTER Life Centre as a world reference in planning, supporting, and implementing SER in life sciences.

EU BETTER Life Centre addresses the issue of research engagement and collaboration as a key element to generate wide impact in the surrounding ecosystems and diverse stakeholders. Recent studies agree that there is a growing need for collaborative and interdisciplinary research in addressing global challenges and that ECRs play a key role in challenging the existing academic barriers and consolidating the field. In Europe, this claim is supported by the MORE4 Report that shows that only 32% of researchers collaborate with non-academic sectors or receive any transferable skills training and only 24% of researchers have moved to other sectors during the research career (a decreasing number compared with previous reports). This phenomenon is similar in the universities that are a part of this consortium – there is a need to establish support structures for early carrier researcher to upgrade soft skills, developing tools, and find the connections with the surrounding ecosystem to socially engage their research. Our consortium is committed to address this challenge in life sciences, which is the key field of strength across the institutions, by engaging the partners in creating the support structures to build individual, intra-institutional, and inter-institutional capacities, engaging with the surrounding ecosystem, and constructing in international framing guidelines.

Latest updates

  • Presenting the BETTER Life E-Zine: June 2024

    Presenting the BETTER Life E-Zine: June 2024

    We are excited to share our latest BETTER Life E-Zine, highlighting recent developments in socially engaged research (SER) in life sciences. Read the E-Zine here: https://betterlifehorizon.eu/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/E-ZINE-2024.pdf This issue covers:• Twenty Years in the EU: An Interview with Professor Michal Lošťák• BETTER Life Welcomed South Korean Gwacheon Delegation• BETTER Life Project Contributes Groundbreaking Research on Bioeconomy […]

  • Toolkit Series: N.10 – Taking Different Perspectives: A Collaborative Boardgame

    Toolkit Series: N.10 – Taking Different Perspectives: A Collaborative Boardgame

    Explore the power of collaboration and diverse viewpoints with BETTER Life’s innovative educational boardgame! 🌍 This engaging tool helps participants understand the advantages of cooperation among Quadruple Helix actors while addressing real-world challenges aligned with the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030. 🌱 Key Features:🔄 Role-playing different organizational entities🎯 Balancing individual and communal goals⏳ Time-based rounds tied […]

  • Register Now: Immersive Summer School on Socially Engaged Research in National Parks

    Register Now: Immersive Summer School on Socially Engaged Research in National Parks

    Join us for an immersive Summer School focusing on socially engaged research through Ecosystem Services, Tourism, Community Engagement, and Conservation Strategies in National Parks! Click Here to Register Date: September 9 – 14, 2024 Theme: Ecosystem Services, Tourism, Community Engagement, and Conservation Strategies in National Parks During this engaging Summer School, you will have the […]

  • Bootcamp III at Educons University: Bridging Academia and Industry through the BETTER Life Project

    Bootcamp III at Educons University: Bridging Academia and Industry through the BETTER Life Project

    BOOTCAMP III CONNECTING STAKEHOLDERS WITH ECRs was held at Educons University on Thursday, June 6, 2024. The Vice-Rector for Science and International Cooperation, Prof. Dr Andrea Andrejević Panić, and Assistant Provincial Secretary for Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry, Dr Mladen Petreš, welcomed the representatives of the Board of Directors of the Faculty of Business Economics, […]

  • Toolkit Series: N.9 – Empowering Growth Through Guided Connections

    Toolkit Series: N.9 – Empowering Growth Through Guided Connections

    Foster effective mentor-mentee relationships for personal and professional growth in scientific research. 🌱 Our comprehensive mentoring plan enhances these relationships and promotes success across European countries and beyond, supporting doctoral students, recent graduates, and interns. 🎓 Key Features: 🎯 Clearly defined goals for professional growth, skill enhancement, and effective communication 📅 Structured responsibilities ensuring a […]

  • BETTER Life Annual Meeting 2024

    BETTER Life Annual Meeting 2024

    From May 14 to 16, 2024, the BETTER Life Annual Meeting in Halle, Germany, brought together all consortium members for a vibrant series of discussions, workshops, and networking sessions. The first day featured a Reporting Review by CZU, followed by PULS leading a session on Think Tank and Mentorship initiatives, emphasizing innovation and professional development. […]

  • Toolkit Series: N.8 – Human Ecosystem Integration Lab: Empowering Quadruple Helix Stakeholders in Life Sciences Research

    Toolkit Series: N.8 – Human Ecosystem Integration Lab: Empowering Quadruple Helix Stakeholders in Life Sciences Research

    Discover a groundbreaking digital tool that revolutionizes collaboration and engagement in life sciences research. The Human Ecosystem Integration Lab, or (H)EIL, brings together universities, businesses, administrations, and NGOs to drive innovation and collective impact. 🤝 Enhanced Collaboration and Networking: (H)EIL facilitates cross-sector collaboration, enabling stakeholders to connect, share ideas, and form partnerships. Unlock the potential […]

  • Toolkit Series: N.7 – Integrating Citizens’ Perceptions of Urban Environmental Quality into Inclusive City Planning Processes

    Toolkit Series: N.7 – Integrating Citizens’ Perceptions of Urban Environmental Quality into Inclusive City Planning Processes

    Explore the intersection of community insights and urban environmental planning with our toolkit designed for an array of stakeholders—from city managers and urban planners to environmental activists and the citizens themselves. These guidelines facilitate a participatory approach to urban planning, focusing on the integral role of urban nature in enhancing resilience and quality of life […]

  • Twenty years in the EU in an interview with Professor Michal Lošťák

    Twenty years in the EU in an interview with Professor Michal Lošťák

    How has the academic life of teachers and students changed after joining the European Union? What has been the contribution in the field of science and research? How important are European Union projects? And what is the BETTER Life project all about? Not only these questions were answered in a special episode of the Czech […]

  • BETTER Life Project Toolkits Presented to South Korean Gwacheon Delegation: Enhancing University-Municipality Collaboration

    BETTER Life Project Toolkits Presented to South Korean Gwacheon Delegation: Enhancing University-Municipality Collaboration

    During the visit of the delegation from municipality council and municipality administration of the South Korean city of Gwacheon (May 6, 2024), Michal Lostak (Principal Investigator of the BETTER Life project) presented the toolkits developed under the BETTER Life project. The reason for this presentation were the delegation’s questions about the universities’ role in supporting […]