Science Summit at United Nations General Assembly (UNGA78)

Session Overview:
The session "Exploring the Value of Living Labs in Co-Creation and Open Innovation Ecosystems within a Global Scale" at SSUNGA78 aims to delve into the dynamic realm of living labs and their pivotal role in driving co-creation and open innovation across diverse domains. Living labs, as real-world experimentation environments, have proven to be essential platforms for fostering collaboration, enabling rapid learning, and creating value for stakeholders. This session will uncover the unique potential of living labs to accelerate innovation, enhance stakeholder engagement, and contribute to sustainable development within the framework of co-creation and open innovation by serving as vital connectors between technology and human-centric societal goals, fostering collaborative solutions for the challenges of the digital era and supporting the attaining of the SDGs.
 Key Objectives:
 Unveiling Living Lab Principles: Understand the core principles that define living labs and their relevance as powerful tools for co-creation and open innovation.
 Showcasing Collaborative Potential: Explore how living labs create an ecosystem that brings together stakeholders from academia, industry, government, and civil society to collaboratively address complex challenges.
 Real-World Impact: Discover real-world case studies that highlight the tangible outcomes and transformative impact of living labs on innovation, learning, and sustainable development.
 Stakeholder Engagement: Discuss the critical role of stakeholder engagement within living labs and its significance in driving co-creation and open innovation processes.
Expected Outcomes:
 Participants in the session will gain a comprehensive understanding of how living labs serve as catalysts for co-creation and open innovation. By exploring real-world success stories and engaging with experts, attendees will take away insights on how to harness the potential of living labs to foster collaboration, drive innovation, and achieve sustainable outcomes.
Target Audience:
This session is tailored for individuals from academia, industry, government, research institutions, and civil society interested in understanding the transformative impact of living labs in co-creation and open innovation. Attendees seeking insights into collaborative methodologies, stakeholder engagement, and innovation ecosystems will find this session particularly relevant.
 Agenda
15:00-15:05 Welcome by the Organizer - Declan Kirrane Iscintielligence
15.05 - 15.15 Defining living labs and introducing their significance in fostering co-creation and open innovation
Evdokimos Kostantinins, Chiar at ENoLL. Martina Desole, Director ENoLL
15:15-15:30 Living Labs as research infrastructures for New way for Science
 Living Lab principles & methods in science diplomacy for rebuilding trust with underrepresented communities & improving decision-making efficiency.
Evdokimos Kostantinins, Chair at ENoLL, AUTH
15:30-15:45 The role of living labs in supporting innovative economic policies for Climate Change mitigation towards Zero pollution & ENoLL’s model of citizen-centric policymaking
 Valentino Piana, HES-SO - Lantern Project
 15.45-16.00 Living Labs enabling Open Innovation Communities & digital transition to improve readiness for sustainable and innovative urban mobility and logistics.
 Georgia Ayfantopoulou Research Director Center of Research & Technology Hellas, Coordinator of Thessaloniki Smart Mobility Living Lab (ThessM@LL)
16.00 -16.15 Living Labs as a social technology for global digital cooperation. The case of Living Labs project in Senegal between FDSUT and i2cat.
 Artur Serra, Director i2CAT Foundation
16.15 -16.30 Actively Engaging and Empowering Citizens through Citizen Science and Living Lab approaches. How Living Labs can help to develop a global healthcare research and innovation infrastructure after the COVID lessons?.
Panagiotis Bamidis Professor, Director, Medical Physics & Digital Innovation Lab, Aristotle University of ThessalonikiFounder, Thessaloniki Action for Health and Well-being Living Lab (ThessAHALL)
 16.30– 17.00 Round Table Discussion
How Living Labs are supporting the attaining of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and beyond?
Moderated by Martina Desole
ENoLL Director
17:00-17:15
Q&A and Conclusions
The Organizer:
European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL)
Founded in 2006 under the Finnish Presidency of the Council of the European Union, ENoLL is globally active to support and certify Living Labs. The role of living labs in advancing has been formally recognized by the IPCC, the United Nations body for assessing the science related to climate change, in their 2022 Climate Change Report: Global adoption of living lab methods can drive co-created solutions to existing problems by integrating scientific and expert knowledge with local knowledge and common values. The report has also formally recognized ENoLL’s model of open and citizen-centric innovation for policy-making globally.