The EU FOCAS project is rated as Excellent at its final review in Brussels
The FOCAS project was rated as Excellent at its final review, after running for three years. The project coordinator was Emma Hart, with Jennifer Willies as Project Manager.
Some particular highlights from the report are given below:
The main achievements of the project concern the innovative approaches to engagement with the community. This has resulted in a comprehensive multi-media website that captures the current and future directions of this area. The methodology adopted has led to a manifesto for the future of collective adaptive systems. International proactivity has been strong and led to exposure and networking on three different continents. A useful online tool has been developed which allows key groups contributing to collective adaptive systems to be geo-located.
The quality of the results is very strong. There is evidence of engagement at different levels, with considerable community interaction through the website and high profile bonding and relay missions. The heavy use of multi- media captures participant’s views in a way which is engaging to the community. There are some innovative and effective approaches that the consortium has developed and refined, such as book and video sprints. Synthesis of the manifesto through community interaction has been effective, and changes to the wider technological landscape during the course of the project have reaffirmed the importance of collective adaptive systems.
Impact of the project is reflected in the reach through the website and considerable community interaction with the content. Growth measures are particularly strong. There is qualitative evidence of international impact through interaction with world leading groups (e.g., MIT) and international agencies (e.g., NSF).