GSS EU Science Funding Gateway

Through national engagement sessions the project should:

• raise awareness and build ownership of the soil mission’s objectives as well as the definitions, concept and criteria for soil health living labs and lighthouses, as foreseen in the mission’s implementation plan;
• raise awareness on key soil health challenges identified in the different regions and steer a conversation on the regions or areas and sites which would be most suitable to set up the first living labs in each country;
• provide key information and capacity building material on the living lab approach and how to start and run living labs, including a range of different inspiring examples from the EU and beyond;
• provide coaching sessions to potential applicants to start testing and improving their initial ideas; and
• identify potential applicants and facilitate matchmaking between applicants in various countries to support the creation of transnational proposals for living labs.

The successful project will organise a stream of support activities including two sets of national engagement sessions complemented by hands-on support of potential applicants based on capacity building material.

To ensure equal opportunities for stakeholders in all countries, these engagement sessions should be organised in all 27 Member States and participating Associated Countries in national languages. The sessions should ensure the participation of a diverse group of actors who are most suitable to take part in soil health living labs, covering various land use types and climatic conditions in a balanced manner (e.g. urban, industrial, forestry and agriculture).