The European Commission will create a competence framework for knowledge valorisation intermediaries – with input from INESC TEC

INESC TEC was the only Portuguese entity to join an event organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Research and Innovation (DG Research & Innovation) on knowledge valorisation agents. The initiative aimed to map these entities, along with their activities and competences – work that will serve as the basis for developing a competence framework for the European Research Area.

The European Research Area Policy Agenda 2025-2027 includes an initiative to improve the capacity of knowledge valorisation intermediaries, towards fostering closer ties between academia, industry and public authorities through the development of a competence framework for said entities.

Although they take different forms and carry out different roles and activities, these entities are crucial to the innovation process by bridging research results with their adoption by the market, public policy or society. With this in mind, and to support them, DG Research & Innovation organised the workshop Towards a competence framework for knowledge valorisation intermediaries, aimed at mapping intermediary entities and discussing good practices, challenges and opportunities related to their role, activities, competences and qualifications.

INESC TEC was the only Portuguese representative at the event – and the only European Research and Technology Organisation (RTO) – which brought together representatives from DG Research & Innovation, the Association of European Science and Technology Transfer Professionals (ASTP), Young European Research Universities (YERUN), the European Patent Office (EPO), the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), and the DG Joint Research Centre.

“Taking part in this workshop allowed us to contribute to the development of this future European competence framework, drawing on our experience as an RTO in carrying out these various intermediation and valorisation roles – starting with the support we provide to our researchers in applying and transferring their scientific and technological results, and, as an interface centre, in the strong connections we foster between academia and businesses,” said Luís Seca.

The member of the Board of Directors at INESC TEC joined a panel dedicated to mapping knowledge valorisation intermediary entities, moderated by ASTP and featuring representatives from YERUN, EPO and EUIPO; the workshop took place on 3 June, in Brussels.