The Project
CatChain is a research project funded by the European Commission’ Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions, focused on unravelling the process of Catching-up from different sectoral perspectives at both country and firm level. The research project is integrated with a higher education agenda aimed at building a solid scientific background, knowledge sharing and transferring among the participating organisations as well as dissemination to external stakeholders, encouraging transnational, intersectoral and interdisciplinary mobility.
The project is designed to have a strong empirical and experimental approach that will allow the delivery of rigorous policy recommendations. The main aim will be the definition of policy tools and frameworks to support effective policy-making actions in the implementation of research and innovation regarding Smart Specialisation Strategies, with respect to the standards set by the Europe 2020 agenda.
The CatChain project will be conducted in two stages. In the first stage, that will take place over three years, the experienced researcher will develop the theoretical part of the research activities, creating a solid scientific background. During the second stage, which will take place in the final year, field research will take place conducting sectoral and country-specific case study. Each stage can be structured along three pillars: training, meetings and workshops. In particular, these activities include seminars, meetings and open days aimed at sharing knowledge among Partners and involving stakeholders not only at the dissemination stage but also during the mid-term assessment stages of the research project.
The project commits to promote gender equality in all aspect and activities of the network of Partners as a whole, in accordance with EU gender equality policies. All Partners will engage in maximising the involvement of the underrepresented gender in the planning and in the decision network activities of the project. Actions will be taken to ensure gender balance in order to try to reach the target of 40% of the underrepresented gender.
Ethical Standards and guidelines of Horizons 2020 will be rigorously applied throughout the project, regardless of the country in which the research is carried out.