Identification and analysis of Champion Copernicus Relays

The Copernicus Relays’ activities and their impact has been analysed through interviews, a questionnaire, and online surveys developed by the University of Leicester. The online surveys were distributed to all Copernicus Relays by the Copernicus Support Office. A total of 23 responses from Copernicus Relays were received, including CoRdiNet partners and partner organisations. The methodology of the analysis is described in detail in Section 5 of the Report.

In Sections 3 and 4 of the Report, our activities and their impact are presented, as well as discussing the user groups we engage with. All Copernicus Relays hold one-to-one meetings with stakeholders. The majority (more than 70%) also run workshops for LRAs and SMEs, coordinate Copernicus activities at local or regional level, host stands at national and regional exhibitions, develop new tools, products or services, maintain a hotline or information point, raise awareness using social media and newsletters, and organise Copernicus training. Those who are developing new tools, products or services, have one-to-one meetings with stakeholders, or/and deliver Copernicus training and themed events (especially at national/international level) consider these activities to be of the greatest benefit in terms of producing new Copernicus users (impact scores above 7 out of 10). Hosting workshops with LRAs and SMEs, themed events at local and regional level, and maintaining a contact point were seen as next most useful (average score of 6–7). Individual Relays carry out other activities, in addition to their core functions, and we identified several specific initiatives such as studies of the use of Copernicus by local administrations, training on particular themes, field visits, school infodays and so on.

Relays commented on the challenges they have faced and the main barriers to successful engagement with different user groups. The easiest to engage with are research centres and universities. However, the potential for new user cases from these engagements is relatively low. They survey demonstrates that local, regional and public authorities and SMEs are the target groups that have most potential for new user cases.

In Sections 6 and 7 we present criteria of identification of Champion relays and the list of Champions, with whom we will be in further contact, helping them to develop their success stories as part of WP3 of the CoRdiNet project.