LEIBNIZ-INSTITUT FUR RAUMBEZOGENE SOZIALFORSCHUNG (IRS) EV

Their core work

IRS is a Leibniz Association research institute specializing in spatial social research — studying how communities, economies, and social structures develop in specific geographic contexts. Their H2020 work focuses squarely on rural development challenges: understanding why some rural regions decline while others find new vitality through social entrepreneurship, coworking spaces, and creative hubs. They bring a social science lens to territorial development, asking how bottom-up innovation can revitalize structurally weak areas across Europe's periphery.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

IRS began its H2020 activity (2016) focused on social entrepreneurship as a driver for rural development — studying how individual "troubleshooters" spark innovation in declining regions (RurInno, RURACTION). By 2021, their focus shifted toward the physical and digital infrastructure of rural innovation: coworking spaces, creative hubs, and collaborative workspaces (Coral). This evolution reflects a move from studying WHO drives rural innovation to studying WHERE and HOW innovation happens in peripheral places.

IRS is moving from analyzing individual social entrepreneurs toward understanding the spatial infrastructure (coworking, creative hubs) that enables distributed innovation in peripheral regions — a topic gaining relevance as remote work reshapes rural economies.

How they like to work

IRS leans toward leadership: they coordinated 2 of their 3 H2020 projects, demonstrating confidence in project design and management. With 19 unique partners across 9 countries, they build moderately sized, geographically diverse consortia rather than relying on a fixed circle. Their exclusive use of MSCA schemes suggests they prioritize research training and knowledge exchange over technology development.

IRS has built a network of 19 partners across 9 countries, suggesting broad European reach for a relatively small project portfolio. Their partnerships likely span universities and research institutes across both Western and Eastern/peripheral Europe, consistent with their focus on EU periphery.

What sets them apart

IRS occupies a distinctive niche at the intersection of spatial research and social innovation — they don't just study rural decline, they investigate the mechanisms that reverse it. As a Leibniz institute, they carry the credibility and long-term research infrastructure of Germany's non-university research sector. For consortium builders, they offer deep expertise in the social dimensions of territorial development that complements technical or economic partners.

Highlights from their portfolio

• RURACTION
  Largest project (EUR 498K, coordinated), running 5 years to study social entrepreneurs as rural troubleshooters across Europe — their flagship H2020 effort.
• Coral
  Most recent and best-funded project (EUR 505K), signaling their pivot toward collaborative workspace research in rural/peripheral EU areas, running until 2025.