RoRuralia Living & Policy Lab

Designed as a collaborative and innovative hub, RoRuralia Living & Policy Lab aims primarily at connecting stakeholders from the Romanian North-East Development Region for identifying and assessing the particular issues of the rural and urban systems.

RoRuralia Dimensions

• Living Lab Dimension: The living lab dimension of RoRuralia is innovation oriented. The lab is based on scientific research, collaborative networking and co-creation actions.
• Policy Lab Dimension: The policy lab dimension of RoRuralia has a participative governance approach, based on multi-actor and strategic actions.
• RURALITIES Project: RoRuralia is a component of the RURALITIES project. This project is about climate smart, ecosystem-enhancing and knowledge-based rural expertise and training centers.
• RDRP Ecosystem: RoRuralia is integrated in the RDRP Knowledge Ecosystem. This ecosystem is the super hub in the North-East region of Romania. It has the mission to develop intelligent rural and urban systems.
• SIMSES: RoRuralia is operating on SIMSES basis, in synergy with Food for iasi Living Lab, on systems thinking basis.
• Synergies: RoRuralia is developing synergies with all actors, agents, stakeholders and beneficiaries on rural and urban systems arena.

Scientific Research

The scientific research in RoRuralia is produced, managed, and transferred within 2 laboratories, which represent the main dimensions of rural systems: their culture and civilization.

• Agri-Economy Systems Research Lab represents the main scientific research laboratory developed within RoRuralia living & policy lab.It is supporting research projects to understand, document, and present rural worlds within their economic and agricultural dimensions. 
• The Rural Anthropology Research Lab is oriented on understanding and presenting the rural people and their culture in close synergy with their civilization, which represents the main domain of research for the Agri-Economy Research lab.
• The Knowledge Research Lab is oriented on developing and implementing tools and methodologies for participatory knowledge and innovation. 

Principles of the RoRuralia Epistemic System

• Open Scientific Research: RoRuralia Knowledge and Action strategies are based on scientific research. RoRuralia Living & Policy Lab is implementing research projects in rural and regional food systems.
• Participatory Innovation: Innovation is an important link in the epistemic chain. RoRuralia supports participatory knowledge and wisdom for smart co-innovation activities oriented on durable, resilient and sustainable rural systems, fully integrated in the environment of the rural worlds.
• Strategic Knowledge: RoRuralia knowledge and action activities and projects are driven by the mission to build policies and strategies for healthy and intelligent rural and regional systems.
• Public Knowledge Transfer: One of the most important links in the epistemic chain is the knowledge transfer. RoRuralia produces, supports, and consolidates knowledge transfer in rural and regional communities and systems.
• Knowledge Consolidation: Knowledge Patrimony is one of the most important resource of rural and regional systems. RoRuralia is oriented on knowledge and action smart management for rural and regional systems.

Knowledge Culture: Knowledge is the most important link between culture and civilization. RoRuralia is an actor and agent in the civilization arena but also a culture developer and facilitator.