On 16 April, partners of the Synclusive Project gathered in Rome for the first day of the project’s General Assembly, hosted by project partner INAIL. The in-person meeting brought together consortium members and the Advisory Board for a two-day conference dedicated to reviewing the project’s progress, sharing insights, and planning the next steps.
The opening day created a valuable opportunity for partners to reconnect face-to-face, reflect on achievements so far, and exchange ideas about the future direction of the project. The meeting focused on reviewing ongoing work, gathering feedback from the Advisory Board, and identifying strategies to strengthen the impact and scalability of the project’s outcomes.
During the morning sessions, partners from INAIL, TNO, FIOH, CENTAR, SDA, ARC Fund, ISCTE, Tilburg University, and University College Cork presented updates on their work. The presentations highlighted the progress made in the realist evaluation of the project, as well as developments within the four Living Labs that are central to Synclusive’s approach. These sessions allowed partners to share findings, reflect on lessons learned, and discuss how the different activities across the consortium are contributing to the overall goals of the project.
A key moment of the day was the reflection session with the Advisory Board, which provided an opportunity for external experts to offer feedback and strategic recommendations. Their insights helped the consortium reflect critically on the work carried out so far and identify areas where the project could further strengthen its impact. The discussion emphasized the importance of collaboration, evidence-based policy recommendations, and the continued exchange of knowledge between researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.
In the afternoon, participants took part in small group brainstorming sessions focused on policy recommendations for upscaling. The discussions were centered around an important question: what would be needed to activate the Engine model in other regions? Partners explored possible enabling factors such as policy support, stakeholder engagement, institutional collaboration, and the adaptability of the model to different regional contexts. The interactive format encouraged participants to exchange perspectives, share experiences from their Living Labs, and jointly identify pathways for expanding the project’s impact.
The first day concluded with a session dedicated to the third policy brief, where partners discussed key messages, emerging evidence from the project, and how best to translate the project’s findings into clear and actionable recommendations for policymakers and stakeholders.
Overall, the first day of the Synclusive General Assembly in Rome set a collaborative and reflective tone for the meeting. By bringing together partners and Advisory Board members, the event provided a space to assess progress, gather valuable feedback, and continue working toward scalable and sustainable solutions that support the project’s mission.
