Creating a Podcast Series on Implementing RRI at the Regional Level: The TetRRIS Experience 

Written by Maria Gomez-Etxebarria

28 March 2024

The TetRRIS project, funded by the Horizon2020 Programme of the European Union, aims to explore how Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) can be implemented at the regional level, with a particular focus on Smart Specialisation Strategies (S3). As part of the communication and dissemination activities of the project, a 5-episode podcast series was created by EURADA to share knowledge and experiences of RRI implementation in the four pilot regions addressed by the project: Tampere – FI, Cantabria – ES, Karlsruhe – DE, Szeged-Timisoara – HU,RO. 

The podcast series was designed to cater to people with some existing knowledge of RRI, including researchers, academics, policymakers, and other professionals involved in implementing RRI into their work. Each episode was moderated by Richard Tuffs – a member of the project’s Board of Directors, whose expertise relies upon regional research and innovation ecosystems, smart specialisation and territorial development –, and featured 2-3 panellists who shared their insights and experiences on RRI implementation in their respective regions.  

The production of the podcast was made possible thanks to the work of Freshair Production Company from the UK, who provided professional support in the editing and production of the final version of each episode. Additionally, Richard Tuffs came to the premises of EURADA to do the recording of the podcasts, ensuring high-quality sound and a comfortable atmosphere for the panellists. 

The first episode, titled “Transforming regional policymaking through engagement,” featured Nacho Rodriguez from Cantabria and Nicholas Martin and Thomas Stahlecker from Karlsruhe. The speakers discussed how engaging stakeholders and the public can transform regional policymaking, leading to more inclusive and sustainable decision-making. 

Raluca Cibu-Buzac from Luminspino together with Petra Jung-Erceg from TechnologieRegion Karlsruhe starred in the second episode, titled “Innovating across borders and cross-border smart specialisation“. The panellists discussed how cross-border collaboration and innovation can enhance the effectiveness of S3 strategies and promote regional development. 

Responsible AI in regions” is the title of the third episode that has Emad Yaghmai from YAGHMA and Nina Rilla from VTT as the speaking experts. The panellists discussed the challenges and opportunities of implementing responsible AI in regional contexts, and how RRI principles can guide the development and use of AI technologies. 

The fourth episode, titled “Utilising RRI to bring about regional sustainability” featured Ignacio Abaitua from SODERCAN, located in Cantabria and Francisco Royano Gutierrez. The speakers discussed how RRI can be used to promote sustainable development in regions, by considering the social, environmental, and economic impacts of research and innovation. 

Finally, the last episode, titled “Integrating RRI into regional policies for institutional change” featured the two Finnish experts Mika Nieminen from VTT and Antti Lippo. They discussed how RRI can be integrated into regional policies to bring about institutional change, and how this can lead to more responsible and sustainable research and innovation practices. 

Each episode followed a structured format, with introductions, two sub-topics, and concluding remarks. The recording of each episode was approximately 30-35 minutes, with the final edited version for publication being around 20-25 minutes. It was the result of a process of brainstorming and discussion with each of the speakers that brought to the draft of the episodes’ scripts, later reviewed by the moderator Richard Tuffs. 

The podcast series aimed to focus more on the practical side of RRI, with theoretical aspects being brought in to support and serve as a resource for the RRI community. Overall, the podcast series was a successful way of sharing knowledge and experiences of RRI implementation at the regional level. It provided a platform for different voices and perspectives and highlighted the importance of considering RRI principles in research and innovation practices. The series can serve as a valuable resource for anyone interested in RRI and its practical application in different contexts.

Listen to all the episodes here! 

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