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

  • 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 […]

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  • 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 […]

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  • 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 […]

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  • Ministerial delegation in discussion with BETTER Life team members

    Ministerial delegation in discussion with BETTER Life team members

    On Wednesday 27 March 2024, a delegation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs led by 1st Deputy Minister Jiří Kozák visited the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague. They met with the 1st Vice-Rector of the University and Principal Investigator of the BETTER Life project, Professor Michal Lošták and other members of the project team. […]

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  • Toolkit Series: N.6 – Design Thinking for the co-design of public open spaces

    Toolkit Series: N.6 – Design Thinking for the co-design of public open spaces

    Embark on a transformative journey with our Design Thinking toolkit, your ultimate guide to co-designing vibrant public open spaces. Rooted in human-centered principles, this practical toolkit empowers users to harness the power of Design Thinking and deliver integrated solutions that truly reflect the needs and aspirations of local communities. 🔍 Holistic Approach: Dive into a […]

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  • Toolkit Series: N.5 – Visual Methodologies for Landscape Observatory

    Toolkit Series: N.5 – Visual Methodologies for Landscape Observatory

    Step into a world where art and science converge with our Visual Methodologies for Landscape Observatory guideline. Designed to equip young researchers, spatial planners, architects, and community stakeholders alike, this toolkit revolutionizes how we work and communicate on spatial and landscape planning approaches. 🎨 Artistic Fusion: Discover the power of visual tools, from photographs to […]

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  • Virtual International Spring School 2024 for Early Career Researchers in Life Sciences: Recap

    Virtual International Spring School 2024 for Early Career Researchers in Life Sciences: Recap

    Our Spring School 2024, held from the 9th of April to the 10th of April 2024, is finished. Participants from seven countries, most of them PhD students or postdocs, spent two days learning about the concept of socially engaged research, how it can be applied, and what challenges it involves. The BETTER Life team presented […]

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  • Toolkit Series: N.4 –ShinyR

    Toolkit Series: N.4 –ShinyR

    Discover ShinyR, your ultimate companion for data analyses, presentation, and interpretation, all within an interactive web-based platform. Say goodbye to the complexities of statistical programs and embrace a user-friendly approach to understanding your data. 🌐 Interactive Web Interface: Seamlessly navigate through your data with the help of Rs Shiny app, designed to simplify data interpretation […]

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  • Toolkit Series: N.3 – Promote your Research Communication

    Toolkit Series: N.3 – Promote your Research Communication

    Crafted as a user-friendly guide, this toolkit is your go-to resource for elevating the visibility and impact of your research findings, particularly within the Quadruple Helix framework. 📘 Comprehensive Guidance: Explore six meticulously curated chapters, providing step-by-step instructions for researchers in the life sciences domain. From pre-publication tasks to monitoring research impact, we’ve got you […]

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