ARC FUND

Events

Citizens’ Panel: How Can We Adapt to Climate Change?

On 17 July, the Applied Research and Communications Fund team, in partnership with the Municipality of Gabrovo, co-organised a citizen discussion panel on the topic “How Can We Effectively Adapt to Climate Change?”  Held as part of the MountResilience initiative, the event brought together citizens and local stakeholders to discuss practical approaches to strengthening climate resilience at the local level. ...

The Legacy of SYNCLUSIVE: Pathways to Sustainable Continuation

On 2 June 2026, experts, policymakers, and key stakeholders gathered to reflect on the legacy of the SYNCLUSIVE initiative and explore the future potential of its ENGINE model. Focused on strengthening the labour market...

INSPIRE: Embedding Participatory Governance

On 29 May 2026, experts from the INSPIRE initiative, including the Applied Research and Communications Fund team, convened with local stakeholders and policymakers to explore practical solutions for the institutional integration, scaling, and adaptation of participatory governance approaches. The workshop focused on identifying institutional barriers, assessing governance capacities, examining the transferability of participatory practices across different contexts, and addressing the democratic trade-offs involved in embedding participatory governance within existing systems. Throughout the...

Applied Research and Communications Fund organised an Open Innovation and Knowledge Transfer training for Bulgarian SMEs under SustainX

On 18 May 2026, the Applied Research and Communications Fund organised an on-site training for Bulgarian small and medium-sized enterprises selected through the open call for interested companies under the SustainX project. The training focused on open innovation, collaboration models, and the transfer of knowledge, innovation and technology as practical tools for strengthening SME competitiveness and innovation capacity. The session formed part of the national capacity-building activities implemented under SustainX, aiming to support companies in developing their innovation potential...

Support for the EU Climate Goals in the Danube Region

On 22–23 April 2026, the Applied Research and Communications Fund (ARC Fund) team joined partners from the HARMONMISSIONS consortium in Podgorica, Montenegro, to advance solutions aimed at increasing participation...

Annual Meeting: Living Labs for the Inclusion of Vulnerable Groups in the Labour Market

On April 16 and 17, 2026, the annual meeting of the Synclusive initiative team took place in Rome. The meeting was hosted by the Italian National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work (INAIL). On the first day of the meeting, representatives of the living labs from Bulgaria, Finland, the Netherlands, and Portugal presented preliminary results and conclusions from the activities carried out so far to the members of the Advisory Board. The partners then worked in small groups to generate policy ideas for continuing and building upon the achievements of Synclusive and replicating...

Multinational Research Meeting on the Effectiveness of Living Labs

On April 15, 2026, the historic headquarters of Istituto Nazionale per l’Assicurazione contro gli Infortuni sul Lavoro (INAIL) in Rome hosted a meeting of the Synclusive research partners. The session focused on consolidating findings from the initiative’s living labs to date, identifying key similarities and differences across contexts, and further refining the Realist Evaluation approach guiding the research. During the meeting, partners shared updates on the progress of quantitative fieldwork, highlighting both achievements and ongoing challenges related to data collection and...

Support for Innovation in Agribusiness

On March 26, 2026, the Applied Research and Communications Fund participated in the first-of-its-kind Academy for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Agriculture. The event brought together entrepreneurs, experts...

World Day of Social Justice: Labour Market Inclusivity Event

All throughout Europe, people over the age of 50 are becoming an increasingly large section of the population. Nonetheless, they remain confronted with severe and specific challenges, with discrimination in the labour market affecting many people in the “silver” age group. Inadequate access to the labour market, low employee retention, and unfair treatment are only some of the challenges faced by people over 50. The SYNCLUSIVE initiative seeks to address these issues and make valuable contributions to social justice and equality. Within its framework, ARC Fund participated in a joint event...