Looking Back at Learning Lab Day 0

Living Labs are best understood by doing. Two weeks after the OpenLivingLab Days 2026, we’re looking back at Learning Lab Day 0, where participants explored new approaches, tested ideas and shared experiences across two parallel learning tracks. 

Building strong foundations in the Basic Track 

The morning began with Understanding Living Lab Basics and Core Principles, exploring with Isabelle Couture and Romane Caparros what Living Labs are (and aren’t), their key building blocks, governance models and ways to engage quadruple helix stakeholders. Participants then put theory into practice in Design the Foundations of a Living Lab, using case studies and group work to explore how to build or strengthen their own Living Labs for long-term sustainability.  

In the afternoon, the focus shifted to participation, inclusion and impact. Drawing on the experience of Clara Collett & Dotty Baker-Hassan from Knowle West Media Centre, participants explored how Living Labs can foster fairer, more meaningful citizen participation by recognising the creativity and innovation already thriving in communities. Another session with Marta Martorell i Camps and Viviana Pérez Clausen from i2CAT then examined how values such as openness, inclusion and trust can be translated into evidence and made visible through approaches such as Key Value Indicators. 

Taking practice further in the Intermediate Track  

For more experienced practitioners, the Intermediate Track offered fresh perspectives and hands-on exercises to deepen their Living Lab practice. With contributions from Áine Macken-Walsh, Raija Kalijunen, Dr. Abdolrasoul Habibipour and Prof. Dr. Dimitri Schuurman, participants explored developmental evaluation to strengthen Living Lab processes and impact as they unfold, participatory foresight to shape more inclusive futures, ethical practice and safeguards for real-life experimentation, and how value and impact are created across the three layers of a Living Lab. 

Inspiration from across the Living Lab community 

The day also showcased practical experiences from several projects: ALTHEA, ClimaGen, CORESPACES, ENFORCE, EVOLVE2CARE, FARCLIMATE, Go LI.EU, LDT4SSC, MICAD, oPEN Lab, RAISESuite, ROTATES, SOILL and WINN-Organic, bringing real-world examples into the learning experience.  

For all the trainers, it was a pleasure to learn and exchange ideas with such an engaged group of participants. We left Day 0 inspired by their creativity, enriched by their perspectives and optimistic about the innovative ways Living Labs can help tackle tomorrow’s challenges. 

Thank you to everyone who made the day so valuable. See you next year! 

While waiting for registrations to open, please don’t hesitate to check our available offers on our ENoLL Academy.

Are you interested to attend Learning Lab Day 0 next year, in Vilnus, Lithuania during OpenLivingLabs 2027. If yes, you can register your interest here!