ACSELL Project Update

The ACSELL project has now moved into the in-depth mutual learning phase. Supporting this phase, in collaboration with the SCIROCCO Exchange project team, the SCIROCCO tool and its use of maturity assessment methodologies to assess local context has been adapted and utilised by the ACSELL project partners in the form of an Online Self-Assessment Tool (OSAT). This expanded Tool for Demand-Driven Innovation has applied in real life settings of 7 ACSELL regions and countries.  At the end of 2020, the results of the partners’ individual Online Self-Assessment Tool (OSAT) regional assessments were reviewed by all the project partners.

At the beginning of 2021, a range of innovative approaches, related to the OSAT dimensions, were shared and the members of the project partners’ Regional Stakeholder Groups quickly identified areas of good practice that they wanted to share.  They also identified the dimensions that they were weaker in and where they wanted to learn more from the other partners. This sharing and learning approach was used to identify Twinning partners. We (Scotland) were assigned Timis, Romania and Flanders, Belgium as our twinning partners. We had initial discussions with Twinning partners and planned two workshops for Spring 2021, each workshop focused on one of the dimensions of the OSAT that all 3 partners agreed were of particular interest to them. 

In April, two of our International Engagement Team members, Donna Henderson and Andrea Pavlickova, had the opportunity to participate in the ACSELL Cast podcast series. They discussed: The Benefits of Interreg Europe Projects. 

Twinning

The first Twinning workshop took place on Thursday 29th April 2021 and it featured user empowerment / involvement in health and social care innovation.

The second workshop took place on Thursday 27th May 2021, and the three twinning partners came together virtually to share and discuss their respective approaches to funding mechanisms for innovation.

The ACSELL project team organised a virtual a Polithon for all project partners which was held on 15th June 2021. The project partners had an opportunity to learn about all of the good practices shared within the twinning groups to date and to consider how these can inform and improve the partners’ own local policies towards open and demand-driven innovation. 

Planning is now underway for the Autumn Twinning workshops and the next stage of the Project.