NUCLEUS is a four-year project that aims to develop a New Understanding of Communication, Learning and Engagement in Universities and Scientific Institutions. With a consortium of 24 international partners, €4 million of funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 programme, and a focus on practical implementation, its goal is to overcome institutional barriers to responsible research and innovation (RRI).

Research institutions do not exist in isolation, but interact with many other stakeholders in society, including policymakers, the media, economy, public engagement and civil society. Like the individual cells of a larger organism, each stakeholder group in society has unique specialisations and goals, but can have productive interactions with the other “cells” that enable them to address more complex challenges and tasks together.

The project addresses how RRI can be implemented by the “nucleus” of a university or research institution; the governance that directs the policy and culture of an organisation. By developing the “DNA” for practical implementation of RRI, the project will contribute strategies that have been tested, demonstrated, and refined by an international network of partners. The NUCLEUS project is coordinated by Rhine-Waal University, Germany. Project Lead: Prof. Alexander Gerber.

For more information, visit the website of the project: http://nucleus-project.eu/