SCORE: Structural Capacities for Tackling Wicked Problems Programme: Erasmus+

BACKGROUND

Modern policy implementation and organisational frameworks fail to create a sustainable approach in the resolution of wicked problems as growing global concern. They include problems that are hard to define, difficult to solve and need various approaches for their potential solution. Poverty, climate change, health, gender equality, and justice are all wicked problems that are part of the SDG Agenda.

SCORE aims to create a cooperation structure and develop a model for tackling these problems. Wider transnational capacities are involved, proposing a bottom-up approach in social-planning processes. Our aim is to demonstrate that such problematic can be solved through cautious approach of HEIs in the process.

SCORE promotes and strengthens the European cooperation on this topic while designing and piloting novel research in tackling climate change. Specific topics that are to be addressed include environment and climate change, inter-regional cooperation and research and innovation. The project consortium will mutually benefit by active participation. Practically, project participants will be able to demonstrate decisiveness and capability in solving numerous problems in the relevant area, setting the foundation for other organisations to be able to implement such approaches. Furthermore, through the project implementation and follow up phases, a new generation of scholars will gain the knowledge, tools and methods for solving wicked problems. Sharing good practices and developing inter-connected higher education systems will be supported through sustainability network, models, e-tools and guidelines generated by SCORE.

OBJECTIVES

Implementation of SCORE sets an overall objective of developing a model and creating a cooperation structure with the project partners in tackling wicked problems. The inclusion of HEIs in addressing such challenges will set the foundation for present and future generations. SCORE aims to enhance various approaches in targeting such complex topics.

Specific project objectives include:

– Developed and evaluated model for transnational and inter-organisational cooperation of solving wicked problems,

– Establishing inclusive bottom-up social planning approach,

– Applied pilot research on air pollution as a wicked problem, and

– Established transnational interdisciplinary structure for solving wicked problems.

Air pollution, as wicked problem par excellence, is properly objectified as founding example for the proposed approach. Inclusion of project partners and various cities in its resolving, will serve as a proper example in the assessment of different economic, political, environmental and social policy responses. SCORE aims to target and involve a wider range of institutions and organisations, such as:

– HEIs of the project consortium,

– HEIs in the international and national networks of project partners, and

– National and European policy creators.

RESULTS

The project will deliver the following results

– State-of-art analysis that will present state-of-art development on wicked problems research and approaches

– SCORE E-tool for holistic bottom-up approach for identifying solutions to wicked problems

– SCORE model guidelines ensures that the model and the e-tool can be used to perform research on wicked problems by other academics within the partner institutions and other HEIs that are the target groups

– Informative Kit for Wicked Problems for Policy Makers that should equip policy makers with all the necessary knowledge about wicked problems and what role can SCORE model and e-tool play in identifying solutions

– SCORE Experimentation Report is a summary of the transnational research performed by the partner organisations that used the developed model and e-tool on the wicked problem of air pollution

– Sustainability network will be established as an online platform to ensure the sustainability of the model, e-tool and the guidelines.

How was the logo made, and what do the different colours mean? Click here to find it out.

On the 13 and 14th of June, we had the SCORE’s first transnational meeting in Skopje, Macedonia. More pictures can be found HERE.