On 23 March 2026, partners of the BrightSpace project convened online for the latest Work Package 11 (WP11) meeting, focusing on progress across stakeholder engagement, capacity building, communication, dissemination and exploitation activities as the project moves into its final phase.
Strengthening stakeholder engagement
Partners confirmed plans for two key upcoming events: the third Thematic Seminar and the third Stakeholder Retreat. These will play a central role in shaping feedback on BrightSpace scenarios and the future roadmap. While initial timelines and formats were agreed during the Annual Meeting in Cremona, further coordination with WP9 and WP10 leaders will refine the scope, topics, and scheduling in the coming months.
Advancing capacity building initiatives
Significant progress was reported on training and education activities. A dedicated modelling course under the AFEPA programme is scheduled to launch in October 2026 at the University of Bonn. Discussions are ongoing to broaden participation to additional partner universities, reflecting strong interest in expanding access.
In parallel, several specialised training opportunities are underway, including recent CAPRI seminar and upcoming GLOBIOM summer school. These efforts contribute to a longer-term objective: making BrightSpace training materials openly accessible for teaching and self-learning.
Enhancing communication and visibility
New communication materials highlighting the Annual Meeting in Cremona have been released, with a press announcement forthcoming. In addition, proposals were introduced to restructure the BrightSpace website, including a stronger focus on “project highlights” to better showcase key outcomes to external audiences.
Increasing focus on exploitation
As the project approaches its later stages, WP11 is placing greater emphasis on exploitation. Partners are working towards identifying a shortlist of Key Exploitable Results (KERs), which will be further discussed at Executive Board level. Practical considerations — such as post-project obligations and reporting requirements — are also being addressed to ensure long-term impact and compliance.
