- Who are we?
Founded in 1987, the European Forum for Urban Security (Efus) is the only European network of local and regional authorities dedicated to fostering discussion, cooperation and support to elected officials and their teams in the field of crime prevention and urban security.
Bringing together nearly 250 cities and regions from 17 countries, the network seeks to:
> Promote a balanced vision of urban security combining prevention, sanctions and social cohesion
> Support local and regional authorities in the design, implementation and evaluation of their local security policies
> Reinforce the role of local elected officials within national and European governance
Efus works on a wide range of topics related to urban security and connects European local authorities through the exchange of experience and knowledge, cooperation and training methods. It also serves to facilitate the relationship between local authorities and institutions at national, European and international level.
- The project: Transcend (Transdisciplinary methods for societal impact assessment and impact creation for security research technologies)
Efus is one of the partners of the Transcend Project’s consortium. The project is co-funded by the European Union.
TRANSCEND aims to improve practices of citizen and societal engagement in security R&I: to enable individuals, and organisations that speak on their behalf, to participate actively and creatively in iterative processes of design and deployment. TRANSCEND will develop a Toolbox of methods to enhance the involvement of civil society in security R&I. The Toolbox will be tested and evaluated in four pilots, in close collaboration with diverse ‘on the ground’ organisations by bringing together transdisciplinary actors from academia, government, industry and society (Quadruple Helix).
The TRANSCEND Framework will present guidelines on how to design and structure meaningful civil society and public engagement for societal impact assessment for security research technologies and present domain-specific instructions for the use of the TRANSCEND toolbox.
TRANSCEND will contribute to the uptake of effective methods for citizen and societal engagement throughout the EU, so that civil society is given a louder voice, a place at the right tables and security practitioners are motivated and equipped to enhance such participation.
- Subject-matter of the contract
The subject-matter of the contract for the European Project “TRANSCEND” involves the engagement of experts for the European Project “TRANSCEND”. The project aims to facilitate collaboration between researchers and the public sector, particularly focusing on the intersection of security and innovation. The project aims to address key challenges related to security and innovation within the core city. Specifically, the selected experts will contribute to Task T3.4, which encompasses activities such as horizon-scanning, developing knowledge frameworks for crime prevention, governance of emerging technologies, and human-centred innovation and also safety and security in public spaces.
The contract will focus on mobilising and coordinating researchers associated with the Forum’s Working Group on Security and Innovation to actively participate in and support these tasks. Additionally, the experts will play a crucial role in the planning and implementation of specific activities, including process mapping and facilitating exchanges between city representatives and local Civil Society Organizations (CSOs and with Efus and the TRANSCEND Project.
- Expert Profile:
The experts for the “TRANSCEND” project should possess a combination of academic and practical expertise in the following areas:
- Academic Background: Advanced degree in a relevant field such as criminology, security studies, innovation management, or a related discipline.
- Crime Prevention Knowledge: Expertise in developing knowledge frameworks and strategies for crime prevention, with a focus on innovative approaches.
- Governance of Emerging Technologies: Understanding of the governance aspects surrounding emerging technologies and their impact on security in urban environments.
- Human-Centred Innovation: Experience in promoting and implementing innovation strategies that are centred around the needs and experiences of the local community.
- Collaboration Skills: Ability to facilitate and coordinate collaboration between academia, city representatives, and local CSOs.
- Project Management: Strong project management skills to contribute effectively to the planning and execution of project activities, including process mapping and framing exchanges.
- Affiliation with the Forum’s Working Group: Preference will be given to experts associated with the Forum’s Working Group on Security and Innovation.
- Local Authority Perspective: The expert should have extensive knowledge and understanding of initiatives, projects, and policies related to the security and protection of public spaces, particularly from the perspective of local authorities. This includes a nuanced understanding of the challenges faced by local authorities in addressing security concerns.
- European Dimension: Demonstrated strong interest in the European dimension of security and innovation. The expert should be well-versed in European policies and initiatives related to the project’s focus areas.
- Transnational Adaptability: Ability to adapt to sharing information in a transnational context. The expert should be adept at collaborating across borders and working with diverse stakeholders, demonstrating flexibility in navigating cultural and contextual differences.
- Pedagogical Approach: The expert should exhibit a strong ability to convey complex information in a pedagogical manner. This includes the capacity to communicate effectively with various audiences, translating technical concepts into accessible and understandable information for non-experts.
- Analytical and Written Skills: Strong analytical skills are essential for the expert to contribute meaningfully to the project. Additionally, excellent written communication skills are crucial for documenting findings, contributing to reports, and ensuring effective knowledge dissemination.
- Oral Presentation Skills: The expert must be comfortable giving oral presentations to a non-expert audience. This includes the ability to articulate key findings, insights, and recommendations in a clear and engaging manner, fostering effective communication and knowledge sharing.
- Funding and Duration
The mission entails a total duration of 20 days, to be distributed among two experts. The budget allocated for the mission, inclusive of travel expenses, amounts to €10,000. In consideration of the services rendered, Efus will remunerate the expert(s) upon completion of the assigned tasks. The lump sum payment of €10,000 is comprehensive of all taxes, as Efus is not subject to VAT.
The total effort over the 20 days will involve the collaboration of two experts or researchers. Efus will formulate a contract (terms of reference) specifying the start date, which will coincide with the date of the agreement between the involved parties (anticipated in early January 2024), and the concluding date of the pilot project (December 2024).
Upon the selection of the expert(s), an expertise contract will be provided, and remuneration will be based on the mutually agreed financial proposal submitted and approved by Efus.
- Intellectual property rights
If one – or several – of the documents/material produced in the context of this study are linked to intellectual property rights, the expert’s contract will stipulate the relevant modus operandi.
As a rule, it is to be known that the content generated by European Union co-funded projects are under joint ownership of the members of the consortium and the European Union. The precise conditions will thoroughly be explained in the contract of the expert in charge of this task.
The expert agrees that the products of these activities may be used by the European Forum for Urban Security.
- Selection Process
Efus invites those interested in this opportunity to send the following by email to Bamba Niang Programme Manager at Efus in charge of the Transcend project: niang@efus.eu, before February 1st 2024 .
- A detailed CV including recent publications
- A cover letter detailing your motivations for participating in this project
- A financial proposal based on the European Commission’s remuneration basis for experts
Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.
TRANSCEND project was funded by the European Union under the grant agreement N°101073913.
