The Laboratory of Multifunctional Landscapes is open to collaboration with universities, research institutions, farmer organisations, NGOs, municipalities, SMEs, and Living Labs across Europe. We are particularly interested in joining consortia that seek to strengthen their profile in the following areas: 1. stakeholder involvement and empowerment; 2. the establishment of cooperation networks, agroecology Living Labs, and co-creation environments; 3. landscape-scale transformations (scaling and transfer) toward biodiversity-friendly systems, and across regions; 4. evidence-based, participatory governance and sustainable agri-food system innovation; and 5. citizen- and stakeholder-driven research and implementation.

The Laboratory of Multifunctional Landscapes at IRI THESys, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, led by Dr. Ina Säumel, brings long-standing expertise in stakeholder engagement, co-creation, participatory design, and inter-/transdisciplinary agroecology research. The group works at the interface of landscape ecology, sustainable agri-food systems, and socio-ecological transformation, on urban, peri-urban, and rural settings.
The laboratory serves as a hub for integrating socio-ecological, economic and governance perspectives to support transitions toward resilient, inclusive, productive, and climate-sensitive agroecological systems. It has a strong track record in designing and facilitating co-creation processes, where the user - farmer, communities, policymakers, SMEs, civil-society actors – plays a central role to innovation and transformation. It has actively contributed to European and global networks of Living Labs through initiatives such as EdiCitNet (H2020) and ecoFABULAnds (AE2025–2028). The lab actively contributes with policy-relevant evidence, supporting the reframing of the environmental policy. It also has extensive experience in adult education and capacity-building, supporting the scaling of agroecological practices, and is specialized in urban–rural connectivity, ecosystem services, and landscape multifunctionality.
Dr. Ina Säumel is an expert in urban and landscape ecology, multifunctional productive landscapes, food system governance, co-creation, and nature-based solutions. She has coordinated large-scale European initiatives that combine ecology, social sciences, planning, and governance, and has a recognized track record in transdisciplinary and community-based research. Her work includes designing and managing Living Labs and other multi-actor innovation spaces, developing conceptual and methodological frameworks for transforming agri-food systems through co-creation, and integrating natural and social science perspectives. She leads and contributes to projects such as HEBEDI (“Healthy and Biodiverse Edible Cities”), which addresses biodiversity, urban green planning, and community health. Her research output, beyond peer-reviewed scientific publications, also includes policy- and practice-oriented tools, and the on-the-ground implementation of solutions through Living Labs, demonstrating a strong capacity to translate research into real-world impact in the direction of enhancing the resilience of urban and regional agri-food systems.