A LivingLab is being established at UWB to help address current social issues

A platform for applied research and collaboration between the university, the public sector, civil society organizations, and the private sector is being established at University of West Bohemia. Scholars from the Faculty of Arts addressed this topic at the EUPeace alliance meeting in Madrid.

Poverty, unemployment, or discrimination – these are just some of the pressing social issues that researchers are addressing on a large scale. To tackle these challenges, a new platform called LivingLab is being established at the University of West Bohemia (UWB) as part of the EUPeace project. The purpose of this platform is to contribute to solving these problems. LivingLab will bring together and enable the exchange of expertise among academia, civil society, non-governmental organizations, public institutions, and the private sector.

Such centers for applied social science research were the central topic of a meeting of representatives from partner universities involved in the EU Peace project, held on December 9–10, 2024, in Madrid. Scientists from member universities of the alliance showcased long-standing centers at universities in Madrid and Marburg as sources of inspiration for their colleagues. The meeting took place at Madrid's Connecta Lab and Comillas Pontifical University.

Representatives from UWB had the opportunity to present the existing applied social science research conducted at the Faculty of Arts. Together with other participants, they discussed the process of establishing university-based LivingLabs, the practical aspects of their operation, and the types of projects that should be pursued within them. The meeting also addressed the establishment of local Social Dialogue Groups and the prospective creation of a shared international EUPeace Lab.

"The meeting was very inspiring, not only regarding the development of LivingLabs but also in terms of further collaboration. We agreed on specific initiatives, such as organizing a political science summer school in collaboration with Comillas Pontifical University in Madrid in June 2025 and cooperating on measuring the impact of social projects with the CIM HUB at Marburg University," said Tereza Šlehoferová from the Faculty of Arts at UWB.

Those involved in UWB's LivingLab anticipate launching several pilot projects as early as 2025. The university will provide information about the principles of LivingLab operations and opportunities for involvement on a new website, currently under development.

EUPeace is a European university alliance that UWB has been part of since 2023, following approval by the European Union. Among the plans of the nine member universities from five countries are joint degree programs, international research collaborations, and the establishment of international research centers.