Reaching further with Seed Money – Interview with Sophie Michel (EM Strasbourg)
Eucor’s Seed Money call for projects is once again open for applications. This programme supports cross-border cooperation in the fields of research and education between universities in the Upper Rhine region. Sophie Michel, professor at EM Strasbourg Business School at the University of Strasbourg, has participated in two projects funded by Seed Money – one focused on research, the other on training. She reflects on her experience and explains how this funding helped bring about a large-scale Interreg project.
You participated in the Seed Money project ‘Food Democracy and Meta-Organisations’ (2020-2022). What was the objective?
The objective was twofold: on the one hand, we wanted to analyse how meta-organisations – i.e. groups of actors from various sectors such as NGOs, local authorities and businesses – can contribute to building more sustainable and democratic food systems. On the other hand, this project had a very operational function: it aimed to prepare the submission of a larger-scale project by identifying the right partners and structuring a coherent proposal at the cross-border level.
What was the contribution of Seed Money funding in this process?
Seed Money was an essential driver. It enabled us to build a solid consortium, bringing together academic partners as well as regional stakeholders outside the academic field. Thanks to this funding, we were able to organise face-to-face meetings, which were crucial in establishing a climate of trust. The collaboration developed very smoothly and naturally. The project created a collective dynamic around a common goal, with a shared desire to go further.
What has come out of this collaboration in concrete terms?
It led directly to the Interreg UpperRhine4SustainableFood project, with a budget of €2.5 million. This project aims to develop sustainable value chains for vegetarian meals, particularly in canteens and retail outlets. There is a direct connection between the Seed Money project and the Interreg project: the former made it possible to test ideas, build the partnership and prepare the project application under favourable conditions.
You are currently participating in a new Seed Money project in the field of training. What is it about?
During the first project, we noticed that there was a lack of educational initiatives around the sustainability challenges of our energy and food systems. The new project aims to fill this gap by co-developing innovative teaching formats on these topics.
Teachers and researchers from member universities of Eucor – The European Campus can apply for Seed Money until September 8, 2025. The requirement is that at least two universities from two countries are involved in a project. The aim is to provide initial funding for new projects that further advance the development of Eucor – The European Campus and scientific networking. Corresponding applications can be submitted for the funding line “Teaching” as well as for the funding line “Research, innovation and transfer”. A total of 300,000 euros is available. The maximum funding amount for a project is 60,000 euros, and the maximum duration is 24 months.