International Life Sciences Institute Europe

This paper presents the design of a local flexibility market called SCOPE (Secondary Congestion Option Platform Exchange). The aim is to deploy a local market at the distribution network level to avoid congestion and to integrate more renewable energy into the grid by making the most of flexible assets. SCOPE proposes an innovative design in which all energy and financial exchanges are conducted on a peer-to-peer basis between decentralised energy producers and flexibility providers, eliminating the need for the DSO to buy flexibility itself. The ecosystem and the various incentives for players in this market are discussed together with the challenges involved. The main challenges concern the regulatory, algorithmic (bid matching algorithm) and simulation aspects (to measure financial and network reliability impacts). Practical implementation aspects are also discussed based on the demonstrators in the ORES network. These include the choice of pilot zones, fallback solutions, the regulatory sandbox and cybersecurity. Preliminary studies and discussions with the different players of the energy sectors show that the proposed design is of considerable interest to the electrical industry with tremendous potential for accelerating the energy transition.

This Review Article summarizes outcomes from the ILSI Europe expert workshop on plant-based proteins in infant formula, held in November 2024. Experts from academia, clinical nutrition, and food science evaluated the current use and future potential of plant-based protein sources in infant formula, considering nutritional adequacy, allergenicity, sustainability, processing technologies, and regulatory constraints. While soy and hydrolyzed rice proteins are already approved and in use, emerging sources such as pea, lentil, and faba beans show promise but require further validation of their amino acid profiles, digestibility, safety, and suitability for infants. Key research priorities identified include the development of improved protein extraction methods, in vitro digestion and allergy modeling, and targeted clinical studies. This review synthesizes current evidence and expert perspectives to support the development of sustainable, nutritionally adequate plant-based infant formulas.

Despite significant progress, occupational injuries and work-related illnesses remain a pressing public health and policy challenge globally. In the European Union (EU), in 2022, 3,286 workplace fatalities and nearly 3 million non-fatal injuries were recorded, demonstrating the magnitude of this issue for the region. High-risk sectors, such as construction, agriculture, and transport, bear a disproportionate burden, while heat stress and hazardous exposures are rising, with workers in Europe and Central Asia reporting a 17% increase in heat-related injury rates. The economic cost is equally profound, i.e., work-related accidents and illnesses account for an estimated 3.3% of the EU GDP annually.Existing and emerging risks are reshaping the occupational landscape. Climate-related hazards, precarious employment arrangements, and psychosocial stressors linked to digitalization and shift work are generating complex health challenges in terms of prevention and response, as well as managerial and organizational challenges. Mental health is now progressively more formally recognized as a core dimension of occupational safety, with burnout, depression, and anxiety impacting a growing share of the workforce. In addition to the challenges of protecting those working in workplaces that may not be considered to be healthy, safe, or, with low quality of working-life conditions; the added importance of addressing psychological safety compounds these issues. This adversely impacts individuals, but also places public health at risk.Furthermore, given preventive and rehabilitative services largely remain fragmented, the EU’s collective resilience is compromised. Rehabilitation and work reintegration strategies are inconsistently applied across the EU, leading to long-term exclusion, economic hardship, and increased health inequalities, where injury-related disabilities grow in number, where effective and timely rehabilitation would have mitigated this. Chronic, comorbid, injury-related disability predisposes individuals to substance use and mental health disorders.The COVID-19 pandemic further exposed systemic vulnerabilities, from workforce shortages to supply chain fragility, prompting the European Court of Auditors (CoA, 2024) to conclude that the EU is still “not fully prepared” for future crises, and look at modalities such as rehabilitation and workplace (re-)design in relation to increased resilience and preparedness.This workshop directly supports the EU Strategic Framework on Health and Safety at Work (2021–2027) and the Global Plan of Action on Workers’ Health of the World Health Organization (WHO), both of which call for stronger prevention, integrated and timely surveillance, mental health promotion, and resilient workforces working in workplaces that meet or exceed quality of working-life standards. The session will address preparedness and work design not only as emergency planning but as future proofing. We strive to build the foundation of a healthy, trained, and adaptable workforce capable of responding to crises in a proactive and planned manner, to mitigate system collapse.This panel will bring together public health epidemiologists/data scientists, legal specialists, academics, researchers, and EU bodies’ representatives to exchange evidence, share practical insights, and co-develop strategies for strengthening occupational safety, mental health, and workforce preparedness across Europe.The session will draw on the latest findings from the European Working Conditions Survey 2024, offering robust, pan-European insights into job quality, health and safety at work, and emerging risks. These results will frame debate systemic challenges, such as workforce shortages, the rise of precarious employment, psychosocial risks, and the increasing complexity of work, while also identifying opportunities to increase resilience and enhance protection for workers across sectors.The discussion will further address surveillance gaps and the urgent need for integrated European data systems capable of capturing injuries, mental health exposures and outcomes, and emerging risks. Legal and regulatory frameworks will also be explored to establish the extent to which workforce resilience can be reinforced through cross-sectoral approaches that connect key elements, such as workplace design, health, environment, and urban planning policies. Complementing this, frontline perspectives will focus on managing burnout, depression, and trauma, and the training needs required for both prevention and recovery-oriented care in diverse occupational and workplace settings.By integrating insights from surveillance, law, clinical practice, sociotechnical practice, and policy innovation, this panel will map actionable pathways towards a future-ready workforce and supportive workplaces. Particular emphasis will be placed on aligning prevention, rehabilitation, and reintegration strategies with EU and WHO priorities, thus, reducing long-term disability, promoting social and economic inclusion, and strengthening a culture of safety across Europe’s labor market.Through moderated discussion and practical case studies, the panel will contribute towards establishing shared understanding among stakeholders, i.e., European institutions, policymakers, civil society and academia on how to advance evidence-informed policies that enhance workforce resilience and protection for all workers.

Over the past decade, calls for research assessment reform have grown, led by initiatives such as the Declaration on Research Assessment (DORA) and the Leiden Manifesto, and, more recently, the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment (CoARA). A key element being discussed as part of research assessment reform is a shift towards more qualitative assessments, focussed on the content of research and the broad skills and competencies of researchers, and the array of contributions they make to knowledge creation and innovation. Narrative CV formats have emerged as a good practice example for enabling qualitative assessments of research projects and researchers, and are becoming more widely piloted and implemented. As part of the 2023 Dutch Recognition and Rewards Festival, the authors hosted a workshop to gather perspectives on Narrative CVs, including whether and how they may contribute to shifts in research culture that are needed to support research assessment reform. Participants, representing research organisations and the research community, discussed both beneficial and critical aspects of narrative-style CV implementations from their experiences. The effects observed since narrative CVs have been implemented were discussed, with perspectives provided on career prospects and the empowerment of the research community to direct change. Finally, the discussion turned to expectations for the future, with workshop participants calling for focus on the roles that narrative-style CVs can play in improving research careers, recognition of collaborative work, and equality, diversity, and inclusion. A short informal survey exploring levels of implementation of narrative CVs across different research organisations was run prior to the workshop, the results of which are also presented as part of this report. The authors intend to expand this discussion to other scientific and policy conferences, and this report serves as a basis for a wider and deeper dialogue in the community.

This publication highlights the strategic combination of the preservation of heritage and innovation for supporting the sustainability of traditional crafts in Europe. Demonstrating both challenges and opportunities faced by artisans, there is a need to balance cultural authenticity and the pressures of current markets and environmental imperatives. The research has explored interventions at three levels of craft practice, education, and training and recommends practical directions on short- and long-term bases. Key findings include new materials and technologies to revitalize crafts, the integration of digital tools in education, and cross-border collaboration, which are considered vital for enhancing the visibility and viability of traditional crafts. The circular economy principles and eco-certifications emerge as key to aligning traditional crafts with global sustainability goals. The analysis also highlights cultural policies and funding mechanisms as a means of encouraging innovation and promoting the resilience of the craft sector. The publication, by weaving together case studies, policy analysis, and strategic recommendations, provides a comprehensive roadmap for stakeholders—from artisans and educators to policymakers and researchers—to ensure that the legacy and relevance of Europe’s rich craft heritage continue.

Bu çalışmada sınıf öğretmenlerinin çevrimiçi teknolojik yeterliklerini ve pandemi sürecindeki uygulamalara yönelik görüşlerini belirlemek amaçlanmıştır. Bu amaç çerçevesinde karma yöntemlerden açıklayıcı desen kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın nicel ve nitel süreçleri için ayrı ayrı çalışma grubu belirlenmiştir. Nicel veriler Çevrim İçi Teknolojilere Yönelik Öz Yeterlik Algısı Ölçeği ile toplanmış ve183 sınıf öğretmenine uygulanmıştır. Nitel verileri ise görüşme formu ile toplanmış ve 20 sınıf öğretmenine uygulanmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda sınıf öğretmenlerinin çevrimiçi teknolojilere yönelik öz yeterlik inançları genel anlamda yüksek düzeyde bulunmuştur. Sınıf öğretmenlerinin çevrimiçi teknolojilere yönelik öz yeterlik algıları ortalama puanları farklı değişkenlere göre karşılaştırılmış, cinsiyet, görev yeri ve mesleki kıdem değişkenine göre fark gösterdiği sonucuna ulaşılmıştır. Pandemi dönemi uzaktan eğitim sürecinde sınıf öğretmenlerinin yaşadıkları problemlere ilişkin görüşleri “teknolojik araçları kullanma, uygulamaları kullanma, ders içeriği ve ödevlendirme, konu ve ödevleri paylaşma” temalarında olduğu belirlenmiştir. Pandemi sonrasında yüz yüze eğitim sürecinde dersleri sadece sınıf ortamında yapmak yerine derslerin hem sınıf hem de sanal sınıf ortamı oluşturularak yürütülmesi öğrenci ve öğretmenlerin teknoloji kullanımı ile ilgili bilgilerini taze tutmasını sağlayacaktır.

Safe, authentic and nutritious food is key to sustaining life and promoting good health, yet the current EU food safety system falters when a need arises to quickly adapt to a continuously evolving food chain. The EU-funded FoodSafety4EU (FS4EU) project kicked off in January 2021 as a step forward towards a more engaged and co-operative Food Safety System (FSS) in Europe. The project aims to design, develop and release a multi-stakeholder platform, along with new digital tools to help citizens, scientists, companies, European Commission (EC), European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and national Food Safety Authorities co-design Europe’s future food safety system. With the overall ambition of becoming a Competence Centre for Food Safety in Europe supporting the transformation towards a safe and sustainable food system, the FS4EU platform is shaped to: Reduce the current fragmentation of the EU FSS, facilitating higher value interactions between its actors in the multi-levelled system. Support EC and EFSA to address the main food safety challenges and formulate appropriate recommendations. Make available selected knowledge and data (by delivering digital solutions) enhancing the public confidence.

This study aims to review fiqh on the practice of buying and selling transactions using deposit services on the Instagram application according to contemporary scholars, namely Erwandi Tarmizi, and Oni Sahroni This research uses the descriptive analysis method. Collecting data through interviews and literature study. The results of this study indicate that buying and selling transactions using deposit services on the Instagram application are viewed from the view of contemporary cleric Dr. Erwandi Tarmizi, MA, and Dr. Oni Sahroni, MA is allowed if the custodian pays first and then delivers the goods later.