What are Intellectual Outputs and what are their role?
According to the Erasmus+ Glossary summarizes, Intellectual Outputs are “an activity that results in tangible and meaningful outcomes such as publications and course materials, that are substantial in quality and quantity”. In short, they are the concrete products developed during a project.
Intellectual Outputs are an extra opportunity, as well as extra funding, for projects aiming at a certain impact on a larger scale. This means, if an applicant show in the application that intellectual outputs will be created, he/she will have a possibility to request for extra funding and the possibility to organise ‘multiplier events’. If this impact requires the creation of material then IOs should come in as “Project Outcomes”.
Intellectual Outputs play a significant role in the project application, especially for Higher Education. They often include tangible deliverables and elaborated materials related to the project, the element of innovation, and contribute to the general objective of the project. Other objectives might consist of IOs being available for general public and have an educational/policy/civil output.
Are they compulsory?
Intellectual outputs are not compulsory, it is a choice. Depending on the project target group(s) and the objectives of the project the project partners can choose to create intellectual outputs or not. Partnerships of smaller organisations (schools or smaller adult education organisations) with a limited range often choose projects without IOs; partnerships with bigger organisations that are striving to have an effect on a larger scale, should aim for IO production in their project.
What are the requirements of IOs?
Some specific requirements contribute to the quality of an intellectual output:
– They have to be the concrete, tangible products
– They have to be realistic, substantial in quantity and proportional to the funding
– They need to fulfil the needs of the target groups as well as align with the objectives of the project
– They should have high impact potential for the intended target groups (at the local, national and/or international level). Therefore, they need to be tailored to the target groups; thus, having a flexible applicability and potential for mainstreaming
– The sustainability of the products have to be taken into account
– They are innovative: new product, new service, research based – European (proof of multinational inputs)
– They are available & accessible as well as multi-media carried
What are some examples of IOs?
Identifying which Intellectual Outputs you want to have, or make, and assign them to the project’s partners. Please remember, these IOs should meet all the requirements from Eramus+. Moreover, the IOs' assignment needs to be agreed by the partners and they should be in the field of expertise of the partners to ensure the utmost outcomes.
Identifying which results you want to achieve from each Intellectual Output. Please identify them as specific and clear as possible.
List out all the activities and tasks needed to be done in each Intellectual Output in order to reach the results you proposed.