IMPACT-ORIENTED RESEARCH: Towards an Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation Alliance

This Research Note argues that the prevailing research system—shaped by metrics, rankings, and competition for funding—has drifted away from its essential mission: generating meaningful territorial, social, and economic impact. In the Euro-Mediterranean region, where structural imbalances and untapped potential persist, the urgency is to reframe research as a strategic lever for development, integration, and cooperative growth.

The Note promotes a shift from publication-centered agendas toward impact-oriented research capable of producing solutions, supporting regional regeneration, and strengthening the role of technical and professional disciplines. Restoring the applied mission of engineering, medicine, law, and management is presented as essential for reconnecting knowledge with societal needs.

Building on this perspective, the text outlines the foundations for a future Euro-Mediterranean Cooperation Alliance—a platform designed to align research, education, and innovation ecosystems around shared missions of resilience and sustainable territorial transformation.