Second meeting of the Comillas EUPeace Societal Dialogue Group

Comillas hosted the second in‑person meeting of its EUPeace Societal Dialogue Group (SoDiG), aimed at strengthening collaboration between universities, companies, social organisations and public administrations to generate social impact projects.

On 19 March 2026, Comillas Pontifical University welcomed the members of the Societal Dialogue Group (SoDiG) to its second face‑to‑face meeting at its Rey Francisco Campus. The event included representatives from the Community of Madrid, the City Council of Madrid, NGOs and other organisations, bringing together a broad range of stakeholders involved in social innovation and sustainable development.

The SoDiG is the advisory body and driving force behind the Living Lab EUPeace initiatives, with a mission to promote dialogue between the university, civil society, the private sector and public administrations. Its work includes providing strategic guidance, evaluating projects and ensuring that initiatives are inclusive and generate tangible impact.

At the previous session, held in December, thematic lines were established for the call for Living Lab projects at Comillas. During this second meeting, the selected projects were able to present their projects to the group and receive direct feedback.

Audience members seated in a conference room, with one attendee in the foreground turning toward the camera.

Living Labs Presentations

Panel 1: Social Inclusion, Vulnerability and Rights

These projects address situations of social exclusion and aim to generate changes in well‑being, rights and public policies through participatory social innovation:

Sport‑Between (Eva Bajo Marcos & Laura Primo) – Promotes the social integration of migrant children through sport.
VINDICA (José Manuel Caperos & Ana Vucic) – A Living Lab focused on homelessness and dignity, centred on inclusive strategies.
ImpactABLE (Bárbara Calderón) – Evaluating systemic change in the inclusion of people with disabilities.

Barbara Calderón presenting in front of a large screen filled with text in Spanish, while audience members listen.

Eva Bajo Marcos and Laura Primo presenting in front of a projected slide showing a photo of two children sitting on a homemade toy vehicle.

Panel 2: Educational and Technological Innovation & Socio‑Ecological Transition

These projects explore new tools, organisational and educational models with the goal of transforming education systems, social innovation and sustainable economies:

Living R3D (Manuel Felipe Romero) – Development of assistive technologies through co‑creation and 3D printing.
All Aboard! (Lyndsay Renee Buckingham Reynolds & María Álvarez) – Promotes inclusion in bilingual education.
TRAMAS (Amparo Merino de Diego) – Promotes transformative economies and socio‑ecological transition strategies.

Ana Vucic presenting in front of a large screen displaying text.

Strategic Recommendations from SoDiG

In the final part of the session, SoDiG members shared strategic recommendations for the development of the Living Labs, focusing on:

Enhancing collaboration among diverse social actors.
Ensuring the sustainability and replicability of projects.
Promoting active community participation in designing and evaluating initiatives.

The results of the working groups were shared and systematised to serve as a guide for strengthening the projects.

Closing of the Meeting

The event concluded by reaffirming the importance of EUPeace Living Labs as spaces for social innovation, inclusion and sustainable transformation. The day ended with a networking cocktail, allowing attendees to exchange experiences and consolidate links between the university, the private sector and civil society.

In the coming months, the progress and results of the projects will be shared, and the next SoDiG session, planned for October, is eagerly anticipated to continue promoting collaboration and social impact through these initiatives.