People are at the core of the innovation process. Their social, technical, creative, and entrepreneurial skills are drivers of innovations and the ability to put them to good use. In our regions, we found the gap between research, business, and organizations, which has been noted, especially in social competencies for Research and Innovation Infrastructure (RII). Even the best infrastructure and EU subsidies will not be fully utilized without investment in human capital. Skills are a “critical infrastructure” for innovation.

The emphasis on technological innovation also neglects some other skills for much-needed social innovation, as both are used to tackle economic, social, and environmental challenges. Partners want to focus, i.e., on skills like social skills, open attitude, proficiency in an international environment, entrepreneurial mindset, creativity & management skills. These are by policy brief: Skills for Innovation. The strategic objective of SOCORE is to create an environment that enables the development of critical competencies in research and innovation infrastructure.