Integrating societal impact-orientation in research practice

 

​​​​17.12.2025

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ZALF actively contributes to advancing the societal impact of research

through projects such as LeNa Shape and FONA Impact, internal initiatives like ZALF Impact Pathways, and recent engagement in initiatives such as the GTPF and CoARA working groups on societal impact. 

The latter activities in the GTPF and CoARA have resulted in two working papers addressing how societal impact can be integrated across different levels of the research system. 

Within GTPF, the guideline developed by the product group “Impact-Oriented Research Management”—co-coordinated by ZALF researchers Lena Pfeifer and Emilia Nagy—provides accessible support for impact-oriented research management of projects and organizations. In parallel, the CoARA White Paper offers an in-depth analysis and overview of available methods for impact orientation, including ZALF’s expertise and methodologies.

Further Information:

• Materials developed at or in collaboration with ZALF on research impact are available via Handbooks & Study Material – ZALF: https://www.zalf.de/en/forschung_lehre/publikationen/Seiten/weitere_publikationen.aspx
• CoARA Working Group “Towards Transformation– Societal Impacts”: WG Towards Transformations: Transdisciplinarity, Applied/Practice-Based Research, and Impacts – CoARA
  https://www.coara.org/working-groups/wg-towards-transformations-transdisciplinarity-applied-practice-based-research-and-impacts/ 
  
• GTPF Working Group „Impact“ (German): AG Wirkung | GTPF
  https://www.gtpf.science/arbeitsgruppen/ag-wirkung.html​ 
• Contact (see ​on the left​):
  Lena Pfeifer (PB3, IMA – contribution to CoARA White paper and GTPF- Guideline);
  Emilia Nagy (PB2, CCI – contribution to GTPF- Guideline)

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