A collective research impact framework and multi-variate models to foster the true engagement of actors and stakeholders in health research and innovation

The COVID-19 pandemic as well as the growing health costs associated with demographic and climate changes are some of the challenges the health research and care systems are facing. Building a connected and responsible ecosystem of research and care that could unlock the transformative potential of science and technology to translate research results into societally desirable outcomes is crucial. Regrettably, despite the interest from stakeholders in more participatory decision-making models, the lack of innovative governance approaches and methods to assess impact hinder the return on investment of meaningful engagement in health research and innovation. The EU-funded MULTI-ACT project has developed an innovative model for collective research impact assessment establishing a multidimensional set of indicators and guidelines to institutionalise stakeholder engagement.