LIAISE
Network of Excellence
Impact Assessment Tools

Overview:

The 4.5-year Network of Excellence (2009-2014) LIAISE (Linking Impact Assessment Instruments to Sustainability Expertise)
devoted to Impact Assessment tools and financed by the EU under the 7th framework program will:

Unite the multi-disciplinary competences of a core of large European institutes, that in turn consolidate the expertise from large FP6 projects such as SEAMLESS, SENSOR, MATISSE, Sustainability A Test, IQ Tools and EVIA;
Combine researchersthat analyse current policy needs and link them in innovative ways (i.e. targeted, co-designed and co-produced IA "test cases") to those who maintain existing and are presently improving existing and developing new tools;
Develop a roadmap towards a virtual centre of excellence on IA, that can operate as the durable hub of existing academic and practitioner networks relevant to the themes of the NoE;
Maintain the flexibility to support "real life" IA processes, informed by a structured dialogue with the IA user community, represented by a high level Policy Advisory Board;
Develop a business plan to ensure durable operation, scientific credibility and efficient usability of the shared toolbox, also in the post-project period.

The project will deliver the following outputs:

A shared toolbox: a durable and flexible infrastructure to support IA with improved tools;
A continuously updated shared research agenda fed from scientists of different disciplines and practitioners;
Capacity building and training components to spread the results of research activities to target groups in communities of IA users and IA researchers;
A virtual centre of excellence: an internationally visible, integrated and interdisciplinary scientific community providing excellent and applicable research in support of IA.

The consortium of 15 partners is co-ordinated by ALTERRA, Wageningen.