Partners from Erasmus University Rotterdam shared their research valorization experience with the KSE academic community

From March to May 2026, the online course “Designing Valorization Strategies: Creating Impact with Academic Knowledge” was held within the BRIDGE project for the academic community of KSE and the Alliance of Ukrainian Universities. The course was delivered by Dr. Vincent Homburg — Associate Professor at the Department of Public Administration at Erasmus University Rotterdam, a leading scholar in the field of e-government and the principal investigator of the BRIDGE project from Erasmus University Rotterdam.

The term valorization refers to communicating research findings to local governments or European partners in ways that can influence decision-making. The quality of academic work alone does not guarantee that it will have an impact. What matters is understanding how knowledge reaches those who make decisions.

At Erasmus University Rotterdam, this institutional culture has been systematically developed for more than twenty years. That is why the experience of Vincent Homburg, who knows this process from within, was especially valuable for the Ukrainian audience.

Together with the lecturer, participants explored topics that often remain outside the focus of traditional academic training:

• how academic impact differs from societal impact and why they are achieved in different ways;
• where the boundary lies between traditional research ethics and the ethics of research impact;
• how to find common ground with journalists and policymakers;
• how to respond to resistance from opponents, since strong and honest conclusions are almost always uncomfortable for some stakeholders.

The course lasted two and a half months and combined lectures with online sessions where participants discussed their own research projects and analysed case studies. Participants who completed all modules and passed the tests received certificates.

We thank Dr. Vincent Homburg for his practical approach and willingness to speak openly not only about effective methodologies, but also about the mistakes and doubts he encountered in his work. Our special thanks go to the participants for their engagement and for the feedback they shared with us throughout the course. We also thank BRIDGE Project Manager Anastasia Tereshchuk, who supported participants throughout the course.