What is the EU Polar Cluster?

What is the EU Polar Cluster?

The EU Polar Cluster is a network of collaborative polar projects, which are funded by the European Commission, and four permanent members: the EPB, APECS, SIOS and EuroGOOS. We have a range of Arctic, Antarctic and Polar projects. Projects that have ended still provide input to the Cluster, and we include them here to support the legacy of these projects.

How do our Members benefit from the cooperation within the Cluster?

The benefits and added values that the cluster members gain from working together within the cluster are:

  • Collective efforts lead to higher impacts than the output of single projects
  • More exchange of knowledge and the maintenance of the legacy of finished projects
  • Joint activities e.g related to communication, stakeholder engagement, policy advice lead to more targeted activities and avoid stakeholder fatigue
  • Creating synergies between already planned activities to maximise impact and visibility of European polar research
  • A bundeling of efforts (human, financial, in kind…) leads to a better use of financial resources

In addition to the collaborative outreach events and sessions, and activities such as the website and training courses, the benefit of working together has been apparent in the identification and engagement of stakeholders. This led to the EU-PolarNet 2 deliverable D2.2 “Mapping all stakeholder activities from relevant Polar projects including EU Polar Cluster projects”.

A chart with circles linking rectangles to show how groups are related.
Figure from EU-PolarNet 2 deliverable D2.2 “Mapping all stakeholder activities from relevant Polar projects including EU Polar Cluster projects”. The figure displays the cooperation between the EU Polar Cluster projects based on a Horizon Dissemination Booster questionnaire in late 2020 . The results are based on 15 projects responses and a question on synergies with other EU Polar Cluster projects. Solid circle shows the projects with which EU-PolarNet cooperates, dashed circles other cooperation clusters.