UL Notes for Coordinators of Marie Curie ITNs in 2018-19

As a UL coordinator, you will be provided with an ITN Handbook (separate document) and some sample text and guidelines such those below from previous proposals to assist you with writing your proposal.Staff from UL Research Support Services will assist you with most sections of the proposal, given adequate notice and preparation time. Please contact mariecurie@ul.ie to set up an appointment.

Gather PICs for each member, contact info,

Part A: Administrative Forms

Find your call in the Participant Portal, login and setup

Click on the topic, scroll down to Submission Service and Click on the blue box “Start Submission” followed by “Confirm” This will bring you to the Login page where you will need the following:

Frequently required data for UL

UL PIC Number: 999809071 Input the proposal info required, accept the terms and this will create the draft proposal. Add the partners by entering the PIC of each organisation, click “Use” This sets up the Parts A and B of the proposal

Part A

Enter proposal information and complete your Declarations Choose your Descriptors (Keywords) very carefully and in the right order You can ask each partner to enter their own contact info and researcher IDs or do it yourself Complete the secondments tables and ethics and other declarations

Finally ensure there are no errors when you “validate forms” but the Research Office personnel will help with these and the budget table. When uploading the various versions of the proposal onto the system, however, do not press submit as this would trigger a big round of emails to the partners (unnecessary in the early stages).

Part B: Template is provided

Page Limits: are usually on page 1

Font: as per Handbook, some people in UL use Arial 11 or Arial Narrow 11

Footnotes: Use endnote for references, don’t use footnotes

Structure: Follow the section headings, tables etc exactly as in the template.

List of participants as per template (you can add an introductory diagram if you really wish here) and some applicants add a List of abbreviations for technical and other terms under this, eg

Abbreviation Description Abbreviation Description

1.1 Excellence

Remember that the abstract is already read by the reviewer in Part B1 so while there is no need to repeat it here, you can provide a short intro with the essential information on the project here.

Consider a graphic on page 1 – gives the reviewer a broad sense of the expertise of the partners, the kernel of the research and the sectors involved. One example is below

1.2.1 Overview and content structure of the training (ETN) or doctoral programme (EID/EJD)

The ITN… Network brings together an international team of leaders in …………….. to tackle an ambitious fundamental problem in ….. XX ESRs will be recruited to the Network (Table 1.2a) to work with partners from Y countries, comprising Z universities, .. public research institute, …companies and … governmental agency (Fig 1.3). They will receive training in high-quality fundamental and translational science, supervised by highly experienced leaders of research in academia and industry. The ITN.. Network will produce a cohort of trained scientists that we expect to become the innovative research leaders of the EU within a decade of the project completion date. The training that each ESR receives will be tailored to their individual needs, both in terms of their research projects and the complementary skills that they need to develop. This will be achieved through the use of a Personal Career Development Plan (PCDP), developed with the ESR during the early months of their project and updated and reviewed throughout. The implementation and management of the PCDPs is outlined in greater detail in section 1.3.2. The training elements in the ITN.. Network will be delivered using 5 complementary approaches. 1. Training through Individual Research Projects: The central pillar of training for all ESRs will be their individual research projects, which are designed to be innovative and state-of-the-art and have the potential to deliver high impact outputs (Table 3.1d). These projects combined with excellent supervision and mentoring will develop a range of high level skills in the ESRs, including excellent verbal and oral communication skills, strong problem solving abilities, critical thinking, team working, effective time management and willingness to innovate.

In addition the specific projects will each develop specific research skills in a wide range of cutting-edge research techniques related to ………………………………………. This combination of high level skills will make the graduates from the Network highly attractive to EU employers in both the academic and industrial sectors. 2. Structured Local Training Programmes: A very strong training infrastructure is already in place within the Network. This infrastructure comprises specific training courses in research-related skills (e.g. ………………) and well as training in complementary skills (e.g. presentation skills, IT training, writing and language skills). The extensive training available at each participating organisation is outlined in detail in Table 1.4a. The training needs of each ESR will be assessed within the first months of the project and PCDP will be implemented to meet these specific needs (see section 1.3.2 for details). 3. Open Learning: Acquiring the discipline of self-directed learning is central to enabling a life-long approach to learning. For this reason we will incorporate a strong element of Open Learning in the training programme. There are excellent cloud-based resources available at each institution that will be made available to all ESRs via a cloud-based portal, which will provide exclusive access to ITN… members. These modules will incorporate elements of collaborative project-based learning, and will focus on areas such entrepreneurship, R&D innovation, as well as leadership and management skills. This innovative approach to the training of doctoral students is thus expected to have an impact at several levels: greater access to more contextualised learning; new opportunities for supervisors to be innovative in their training strategies; and importantly a socio-economic impact by increasing the chances of research results reaching the market place. 4. Network-wide training: The Network will incorporate a programme of Workshops, Summer Schools and Conferences into its training schedule (details in Table 1.2b). The Consortium has agreed that each workshop and summer school will be recognised by all participants as 2 ECTS, giving each student a total of 20 ECTS from the Network-wide training events. A series of X Workshops (WS) will harness the existing skills of the Network to deliver 1-2 day training sessions on specific skills that ESRs will benefit from, ranging from entrepreneurship (WS1), outreach (WS2), ethics (WS3), career planning (WS7), grant-writing (WS8), to research-related (WS4,5,6). These will be intensive activity-based sessions with Network PIs leading each of the discussions and presentations. The Network will run 2 Summer Schools (SS1&2) the goal of which will be to focus on the latest research and make new research links with leading scientists external to the Network. These summer schools will invite leading researchers in their fields to give research talks and lead discussion groups with the ESRs. SS1 will focus on how the latest advances in (….) can be exploited by…….scientists to develop innovative strategies to enhance ………... SS2 will examine the overlaps that exist between …… and .… in ………. Thus the summer schools will enable the Network to broaden its horizons and interact with leading researchers from outside the EU and communication skills, as well as helping them to develop the bigger-picture view of their research areas. The ESRs in the ITN… Network will have an opportunity to attend and present at many national and international symposia. However two of these will be integrated into the training programme for the Network and all ESRs will attend. The first is a ….. Research Conference on ………, a small scale meeting (<200 delegates) that attracts world-leading researchers in this field, which is directly relevant to the research focus of the Network (event #7, Table 1.2b). Towards the end of the project the research output from the individual ESR projects will be showcased at a conference organised by the Network (event #13, Table 1.2b). This 3 day conference will be a fantastic opportunity for the ESRs to present their science to the leaders in the field, extend their personal networks, and explore future career opportunities. 5. Training through secondments: Each ESR will have at least x (number of) scheduled secondments to laboratories within the Network, each of which will last for between x and x months (Table 1.4b). Additional shorter secondments will also be included where they are deemed helpful to the ESRs specific training needs. Many of these secondments will be inter-sectoral (see Table 1.4b), giving as many of the ESRs as possible the opportunity to experience both academic and non-academic working environments. Crucially all of the secondments will allow the students to develop new research skills, further extend their personal networks and improve their communication and team-working skills. The impact of mobility on the personal development of the ESRs cannot be overstated and it will have significant positive impact on their subsequently employability.

1.3 Quality of the supervision

1.3.1 Qualifications and supervision experience of supervisorsThe ITN… Network features supervisors with world-leading qualifications and scientific track records. Collectively, the supervisors – both from academia and industry – have supervised 278 PhDs and 295 Masters to completion, published more than 1,500 journal articles and 1,650 conference papers, (accruing over 40k

citations) and secured 200 patents. Scientists-in-Charge publish regularly in the top journals in their fields (see Section 5 for details), and have Hirsch (h) indices predominantly in the range of 15 to 57. Supervisors have extensive experience of supervision: to date, they have mentored over 680 ESRs, many of whom are now leading academics and researchers across the world: e.g. Dr. Alexandra Rakovich, Kings College London; Prof. Stephen Lynch, U. Cardiff; Prof. Wei-Hua Guo (1000 Talented Youth) Huazhong UST; and T. De Keulenaer, founder of start-up BiFAST. Network members also have extensive experience in the leadership of research projects, having secured over €80m in competitive research funding. Over 70% of the academic beneficiaries are within the top 125 universities in the QS or Times Higher rankings, while CEA-Leti was noted by Reuters to be the World’s Most Innovative Research Institution in 2016.

ITN… participants are prestigious research and training institutions. All the academic institutions and over half of the non-academics have already successfully participated in ITNs (70 networks in total). A strong pedagogic base will ensure that the training will achieve the learning outcomes set by the Network: i.e. research excellence, strong critical thinking, matched by tailored programmes in innovation, leadership and advanced communications, in order to enable the ESRs to compete at the highest level for opportunities in the employment market.

1.3.2 Quality of the joint supervision arrangementsEach ESR will be associated with at least two participating institutions within the Network, one from academia and one from industry (see Table 1.2a for details). Each ESR will be assigned to a Supervisory Committee (SC) comprising a primary supervisor, a co-supervisor (or mentor) from the industry / academic participant where the candidate will spend secondments, and a Research Programme leader (WP1-4 or CCT1-2) who is an expert in the field (see also Section 3.2.4). If the WP/CCT leader is a primary or co-supervisor, an alternate third supervisor will be nominated (see the profiles of the participating organisations in Section 5 for the details of the supervisors). The primary supervisor will reside in the beneficiary institution where the ESR spends most time, and will be ultimately responsible for the research training of the candidate, and in guiding the development and training of the ESR, as outlined in the European Charter and Code for Researchers1.

All ITN.. non-academic supervisors have extensive research experience at senior level: they all hold higher degrees (11 PhDs and 5 Masters on aggregate), and collectively they have mentored a total of 114 ESRs – see also Section 5 for evidence of their research capability in the form of high-impact publications, patents or products. Moreover, the industrial beneficiaries in ITN… span different aspects of the Network’s technical focus (photonics, thermoelectrics, microfluidics, and integration & packaging), and also are drawn from different countries (IE, FR, DE) – thus ensuring that a range of the best European practices in research supervision will be introduced to the Network. All industrial participants play the role of supervisor or mentor on the SCs, and also sit on the Supervisory Board (see Section 3.2).

Personal Career Development Plan (PCDP) – based on the Vitae Researcher Development Framework2

In addition to the provision of academic supervision and industrial mentorship, the SC will advise each ESR on their PCDP. The purpose of the PCDP is to ensure that the ESR’s work is focused on achieving their research and broader professional goals. The PCDP will formally identify short-, medium- and long-term training requirements and goals for each ESR in terms of their research capabilities and transferable skills. It will: map the professional development needs of the ESR following a self analysis and career objectives exercise list the local, online and network-wide training courses to be undertaken, including any ECTS credit requirements; include a timeline and objectives for the research project, including all secondments; and list the dissemination and communication activities, including the key journal articles and conference papers that will

underpin the ESR’s PhD, and their public engagement activities (see Section 2.4.1).All PCDPs will follow the same model. The SC and the ESR will create the PCDP on enrolment, and review it biannually,

1 European Charter for Researchers and Code of Conduct for their Recruitment: https://www.euraxess.ie/jobs/charter [accessed 18/12/16].2 https://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers-professional-development/about-the-vitae-researcher-development-framework [accessed 18/12/17].

submitting a progress report to the ITN… Training Subcommittee (see Section 3.2). Each ESR will be equipped with a Researcher ID or an ORCID upon their recruitment (if they do not already have one).

Section 2 Impact

Please refer to handbook for guidance on all EU policies here

2.1 Enhancing the career perspectives and employability of researchers and contribution to their skills development

The (ITN) Network will graduate a highly skilled cohort of xx engineers and scientists who will ultimately drive the creation and exploitation of ………….. The Network comprises leading European industrial and academic players in the area of ………, with complementary scientific expertise and infrastructure in ………………, and deep knowledge of the application area and business environment. (ITN) will represent an excellent broad training ground and provide a solid basis for research careers both in industry and academia. The collaborative participation of key European companies and international centres in the Network will contribute significant added value for training and research, as follows: The training offers unique leading-edge infrastructure and expertise (see Section 5), which is not

available at a single location. International mobility for training will greatly simplify access to expertise, and each ESR will receive tailored training suited to their needs and perform their research in an appropriate environment.

In assuming responsibilities for their individual research projects, and through participation in network-wide events (see Section 1.2.1 above), the ESRs will be trained in key aspects of scientific, entrepreneurial and administrative leadership within a large international collaborative effort, opening career prospects at managerial levels in companies.

ESRs will have many opportunities to interact with prominent international scientists and industrial leaders through frequent network-wide events. These will allow ESRs to access further workshops, conferences and labs early in their career, enabling them to gain international recognition and further networking opportunities for enduring research and career development.

The involvement of ESRs in a range of scientific and technological activities will enhance intersectoral interaction and transfer of methodologies, preparing the researchers to work in many different professional environments linked to …… technologies. ESRs will have the option to pursue commercial exploitation of the results of their own research projects through new start-ups, or through joining prestigious international research labs such as ….institutes, multinationals such as ….., and SMEs such as ……...

Mentoring by internationally recognised engineers and scientists, augmented by training in generic and transferable skills, is an attractive bonus for careers in industry and academia. During dissemination activities (see Section 2.3 below), the Network will seek to develop strategic links with potential employers who can provide opportunities such as internships, sponsorships of awards, postdoctoral positions and other fulltime employment for the ESRs on graduation.

The combination of the attributes detailed above will allow ESRs to realise their potential and significantly improve their career prospects. Europe will gain a cohort of entrepreneurial researchers capable of contributing effectively to the knowledge based economy envisaged in the EU’s Agenda for New Skills and Jobs3 and Youth on the Move4 initiative. It will allow (ITN) to deliver highly qualified researchers, imbued with innovative approaches to their projects and comfortable in intercultural, international and interdisciplinary environments. The expertise gained by the ESRs can be directly transferred and exploited in sectors which employ …….. technologies, specifically: ………………(list applications) – sectors with total revenues of over €xx bn in 201x29. In this regard, there is strong evidence of demand for capable talent from the industrial participants in (ITN) – in recent years, these five companies have hired over xx doctoral researchers, and hosted another xx+ graduate interns for placements. Extensive exposure to the industrial participants – through secondments,

3 European Commission, 2010, “An Agenda for New Skills and Jobs: A European Contribution towards Full Employment”, COM(2010) 682, Nov.

4 European Commission, 2010, “Youth on the Move”, COM(2010) 477, Sep.

mentoring, research reviews and events – will provide the ESRs with support and guidance for their personal and professional development, thus motivating them and contributing to enhanced career prospects in line with the objectives of the European “Charter and Code”23.

2.2 Contribution to structuring doctoral/early-stage research training at the European level and to strengthening European innovation capacity:

BIOSYN directly follows the Salzburg II recommendations5; it responds to well identified needs in defined research areas, with appropriate references to inter- and multidisciplinary fields (as per the MSCA Work Programme 2018-20) and will encompass the seven Principles of Innovative Doctoral Training (PIDT) in the following ways: research excellence: project responding to the need for technologies to enable the

development of modular biocatalytic reactors applicable to the pharmaceutical sector attractive environment and employment conditions: all ESRs will be issued an

employment contract that will adhere to the Code of Conduct for European Researchers

interdisciplinary research: encompassing pharmaceutical materials, enzyme engineering, electrochemical techniques including bipolar electrochemistry; design and characterisation of support materials for enzymes; and flow systems

industry exposure: extensive industrial involvement (large and small enterprises) international networking: ESRs will present research at high-level international

conferences and workshops; transferable skills training: a comprehensive programme of discipline specific, generic

and transferable skills across 12 participants available to ESRs, and a suite of communication and public engagement activities; and

quality assurance: formally overseen by the Executive Board and the Science and Technology Board.

Section 3 ImplementationTable 3.1a Description of Work PackagesTwo examples of a WP are given below with typical content and structure. The generic WPs (Training Dissemination and Management) are listed beneath that, they should all be merged into one table saving space.

WP № x Start Month 6 – End Month 42WP Title MicrofluidicsLead Beneficiary Partner X – Dr. ……..Objectives: This WP will address ….. technologies for heat removal within PIC packages – specifically, zero-ingress quick couplers (both for single- and two-phase flows), and a package-integrated heat exchanger for dissipation to ambient. One task also will tackle a high resolution fluidic sensor to enable energy-efficient flow control. A combination of simulation and experimental characterisation on prototypes fabricated using additive manufacturing techniques (with features down to ~100 um scale) will be used to achieve optimum performance.

Description of Work and Role of Participants (primary supervisor in bold, secondment hosts in plain text):Task 3.1: Zero-ingress quick couplers: ESR-10 (Partners X, Y and Z) will design, fabricate, characterise and demonstrate a self-sealing quick coupler suitable for both single- and two-phase fluidic loops with flow rates of order ~10-100 mL/min. Additive manufacturing techniques (stereolithography / laser sintering) will be employed to create a range of coupler structures, in order to record their pressure-flow characteristics and to determine their leakage (spill and ingress) characteristics for water and water-steam flows. The geometry of

5 European University Association, 2010, “Salzburg II Recommendations European Universities’ Achievements Since 2005”, www.eua.be.

the couplers will be designed to suit standard package form factors, and to be compatible with the secondary heat exchanger to be developed by ESR-11. ESR-11 (Partners X, Y and Z) will utilise additive manufacturing techniques to realise a liquid-to-air heat exchanger of resistance <0.1°C/W, ‘package-integrated’ to the form factor of typical CFP packages for communications (~50 cm3). Fluidic simulation and thermal-hydraulic characterisation, conducted on liquid-side and air-side structures, will be used as a basis for an optimum configuration. An optimised exchanger will then be rapid-prototyped in order to perform thermal and hydrodynamic characterisation, and PIV for imaging of the liquid- and air-side flows. The coupler and exchanger designs, available in M14, will be used to inform the packaging efforts in WP4.Task 3.2: High resolution microfluidic flow sensing: In this task, ESR-12 (ELV, Partner X) will develop, optimise and characterise a new generation of microfluidic flow sensors based on a first TRL3 proof-of-concept recently achieved by ELV’s R&D team. The flow sensor technology is based on the use of differential microfluidic pressure sensor measurement. Using this approach, preliminary results show that flow measurement can be conducted with 0.005% stability and 1 ms response time, overcoming the performance of existing microfluidic flow sensors (Coriolis or thermal) by more than an order of magnitude. The sensors, coupled with a flow actuator through a feedback loop, will enable to maintain optoelectronic elements in the appropriate temperature range. The ESR will test the flow sensors both for mainstream microfluidics applications and for the thermal management of optoelectronic systems.

Description of Deliverables: D3.1 Combined bibliography & competition analysis for WP3 (M12); D3.2 Report on designs of coupler and heat exchanger, including manufacturing process (M14); D3.3 Report on thermal setup with flow sensor feedback (M28); D3.4 Report on optimised coupler and heat exchanger prototypes (M30); D3.5 PhD theses (M42).

WP Number x Start Month 6 – End Month 42

WP Title Preparation of enzymatic and chemical catalysts

Lead Beneficiary Partners X (involved partner z and y)

Objectives. Genetic engineering of enzymes and synthesis of inorganic catalysts for selective oxygenation reactions

Description of work

WP3T1: Directed evolution of UPO towards the selective hydroxylation of human drug metabolites (HDMs) of propranolol, acetanilide, diclophenac, ibuprophen, tamoxiphen. Directed evolution of UPO to increase its resilience against organic solvents. Engineering of UPO variants for direct unique-point covalent immobilization on electrodes by site-direct mutagenesis introduction of a Cys residue (CSIC). WP3T2: Synthesis and characterisation of Mn salen complexes for chiral epoxidation of styrene (UL, GLN). WP3T3: Purification and engineering of MCOs (laccase and bilirubin oxidase) for oriented immobilization on electrodes for the electroenzymatic generation of H2O2. (CSIC):

Deliverables: WP3D1: Mn salen complexes – M18 (report). WP3D2: Engineered UPO variants (1st generation) – M18 (samples to partners). WP3D3: Engineered MCOs – M24 (report). WP3D4: Engineered UPO variants (2nd generation) – M36 (samples to partners).

WP № x Start Month 6 – End Month 42WP Title Training and Career DevelopmentLead Beneficiary (Partner x) – Prof. ………..Objectives: For local and online training: (a) to ensure that all ESRs have an appropriate local training plan; (b) to monitor each ESR’s scientific / technical / transferable skills training; (c) to ensure that all ESRs successfully defend their theses and are conferred with their degree; and for network training: (d) to host three summer schools and three blocks of transferable skills training; (e) to organise an international conference; and (f) to facilitate and manage secondments.

Description of Work and Role of Participants: Partner x will lead, and all participants will contribute.WP5 underpins all activities to ensure high quality doctoral training and career development in the ….. Network. The ESRs will receive local and network-wide training, with a detailed description given in Section 1.2. Tasks are as follows:Task 5.1: Establish a tailored structure for all ESR training at project start-up (Partner x, with assistance from Partner y).Task 5.2: Compile PCDPs for all ESRs to include transferable skills training to completion (Partner x).Task 5.3: Organisation and delivery of network-wide Summer Schools and transferable skills training (Partners x and y).Task 5.4: Organisation, delivery and reporting on all secondments (Project & Training Manager, Partner x)

Task 5.5: Organisation and delivery of International Conference (Partner x, with assistance from Partner y).

Description of Deliverables: D5.1 Report on training portfolios developed for each ESR (M7); D5.2 Register of secondments (M7); D5.3 Annual reports on network-wide training events (M12, 24…48).

WP № x Start Month 1 – End Month 48WP Title Exploitation, Dissemination & Public EngagementLead Beneficiary Partner x – Dr. ……………Objectives: To facilitate the exploitation of (ITN….)’ research outcomes by the participants and external stakeholders; to disseminate the research findings to the scientific community, European industry and stakeholders using Open Science principles; to undertake public engagement activities that promote scientific careers to school children and the general public; and to maintain website and social media with dissemination and public engagement activities.

Description of Work and Role of Participants: Partner x is the lead, but this WP involves all participants and ESRs.ITN… has planned IPR exploitation, scientific dissemination and outreach activities targeting the general public, school children, students, graduates, researchers and industry, as detailed in Sections .. and …. Tasks are as follows:Task 6.1: Establish, maintain and update the ITN,,, website and social media platforms (Partner x).Task 6.2: Development of ITN… PEDR; compile and implement IPR management procedures for consortium agreement; and ensure adherence to IPR protocols as agreed by the consortium in accordance with Section 3.2.6 (Project & Training Manager, Partner x and y).Task 6.3: Encourage publications throughout the programme – conference, journal, reviews, public articles (Partner x).Task 6.4: Promote and schedule public engagement, outreach and Schools Ambassador activities across the Network (Partner x).

Description of Deliverables: D6.1 Annual reports on exploitation, dissemination & public engagement activity, including ITN… biannual newsletter (M6 onwards) and Outreach Pack in M45 (M12, 24…48); D6.2 Proceedings publication of Summer Schools (M12, 30, 36); D6.3 Proceedings publication of the ITN… Conference (M45).

WP № 7 Start Month 1 – End Month 48WP Title ManagementLead Beneficiary Partner x – Dr. ….Objectives: to ensure effective management and progression of the ITN.. research and training agendas, and public engagement activities; to ensure fair and transparent selection and recruitment processes, timely delivery of commitments, and effective financial and operational management. Delivery of the project on-time and within budget.

Description of Work and Role of Participants: ULIM is the lead, but this WP involves all participants.WP7 deals with the management, governance, recruitment and mobility of the programme. The Project Coordinator will be responsible for the overall management of the Network, including research and training activities, with subcommittees to govern research, training, exploitation, dissemination & public engagement, and ESR issues. Day-to-day management of the Network and internal communications will be conducted by the Coordinator in conjunction with the Project & Training Manager. See Section 3.2 for a detailed description of the management structure and procedures. The main tasks for WP7 are outlined below:Task 7.1: Complying with the legal, contractual, reporting and financial requirements (overseen by Partner x).Task 7.2: Organising the timely completion of tasks, and the implementation of a project management system with an effective risk management and contingency strategy (WP leaders, led by Partner x).Task 7.3: Formulation of a Data Management Plan (Partner x) (Project & Training Manager, Partner x).Task 7.4: Ensuring that the recruitment strategy is in line with the principles set out in Section 3.2.3 (Partner x).

3.1.2 List of major deliverablesDeliverables are listed in Table 3.1b for scientific / technical tasks, and management, recruitment, training and dissemination. Each ESR will be responsible for their own ESR reports and PhD thesis (DX.0 and X.5, X = 1-4) under the direction of their Supervisory Committee, and their research will also contribute to other scientific deliverables listed in the table below (for details, see the ESR projects, Table 3.1d, in Section 3.1.4 below).

Sample deliverables below - collated from several proposal examples. Some ITNs provide two tables (scientific and management) but this not necessary

Scientific Deliverables

№ Deliverable Title WP № Lead Beneficiary Type Dissemination

Level Due Date

D1.1 Combined bibliography & competition analysis for WP1 R CO M12

D1.2 Design report on ………. R PU M15

D1.3 State-of-the-art comparison of ……. R PU M26

D1.4 Characterisation of ……. structures R PU M36

D1.5…4.5 PhD theses for the xx ESRs (D1.5, D2.5, D3.5, D4.5) 1-4 R PU M42

Management, Training, Recruitment and Dissemination Deliverables

№ Deliverable Title WP № Lead Beneficiary Type Dissemination

Level Due Date

D1.0 – 4.0 Website and social media interface available 1-4 Coordinator R PU M9-39

D1.5…4.5 ESR theses (D1.5, D2.5, D3.5, D4.5) 1-4 WP leaders R PU M42

Personal Career Development Plans developed for each ESR and stored on internal webserver

5 ADM CO M7

Register of secondments 5 ADM CO M7

Annual reports on network-wide training events 5 Other CO M12-48

Exploitation, dissemination & engagement reports 6 PDE PU M12-48

Proceedings publication of ITN… Summer Schools 6 PDE PU M12-36

Proceedings publication of ITN… Conference 5 PDE PU M45

Consortium Agreement 7 ADM CO M1

Supervisory Board meeting minutes (annual) 7 ADM CO M1-48

Documented project management system 7 PDE CO M5

Documented DMP 7 PDE CO M5

Researcher Declaration, 20 days after each ESR’s recruitment 7 ADM CO M6

Progress reports (annual) and final report 7 R CO M12-48

Mid term review and Risk Assessment update 7 ADM PU M24

ITN… support material and presentations made available for school visits, outreach events

6 Coordinator PDE PU M30

Feedback collected from public lecture and discussion tables and included in remaining outreach planning

6 Coordinator Other PU M16

.

3.2.7 List of major milestonesTable 3.1c encompasses management, recruitment, training, dissemination and scientific / technical milestones.

Table 3.1c Milestones List№ Title WP № Lead

BeneficiaryDue Date Means of Verification

1 Published ESR job descriptions through all identified media and channels

WP6 Coordinator 1 EC

M7.2 Complete selection and enrolment of all ESRs in PhD programmes

WP7 Coordinator 5 Documented system, contracts in place

Personal Career Development Plans developed for each ESR conforming to MSCA rules and stored on internal webserver

Technical review of all

3.2 Appropriateness of the management structures and procedures

3.2.1 Network organisation and management structureThe management structure, summarised in Figure 5, is designed to guarantee transparent decision making and efficient lines of communication. It features three main organisational groupings – a Project Management Team, a Supervisory Board with four subcommittees, and an External Advisory Board. Details of the network management will be defined within the Consortium Agreement (CA) following the League of European Research

Universities (LERU) model. The governance of ITN.. is centred around the Supervisory Board which will meet on a biannual basis, and it will be constituted to feature representation from all of ITN…’ participants.

Fig : Management structure of the ITN… Network

The Project Management Team (PMT), led by ULIM, will comprise the Project Coordinator (PC), Dr. …, and a half-time senior level Project & Training Manager (P&TM) with experience in MSCA-ITNs, who will be appointed for the full duration of the project. The PMT will meet fortnightly to track progress across all projects, and to implement decisions agreed by the SB. It will coordinate the recruitment and selection process, communicate with applicants and ESRs, provide organisational support for the ITN… programme of training events, prepare financial and progress reports for the EU Project Officer, and liaise with the academic and industry participants regarding employment contracts, management of the website, and implementation of public engagement activities approved by the SB. The PMT will also ensure effective communication between all the beneficiaries, the hosting institutions, industry participants, support staff, and the ESRs. To this end, the ITN… website will feature project management and communication software as a vehicle for network-wide interaction.

The External Advisory Board comprises xx world-leading researchers, x academic (……….) and x industrialist (…..) who, at proposal preparation stage, have confirmed their willingness to act on the Board. It will provide top-level direction for the Network, particularly with regard to fostering innovation in the ESRs, and identifying possible exploitation opportunities for ITN… technologies. The Board will advise the SB on an annual basis, and its members will also be invited to address the ITN… Conference as visiting scientists.Financial Management: The coordinator, ULIM, has decades of experience in the management of H2020 and MSCA programmes6. A specialised HR unit will support the PC and P&TM with administration, in conjunction with the Finance Dept. and Research Office to ensure strict compliance with EC reporting standards, budget limits and Commission rules. The Finance Dept. will run all financial monitoring tools, and ULIM’s contracts team will provide legal and IP advice where required. Financial support to each beneficiary will be based on their number of ESRs, and management costs will be distributed in accordance with each beneficiary’s involvement in running the Network’s activities. An MSCA special needs allowance will be paid to those ESRs who require it.

If disputes or conflicts of interest arise, they will be formally documented, and a resolution acceptable to all parties will be sought by the SB, which will vote on the issue if consensus is not reached. The PC will deploy a casting vote in case of a tie. To ensure transparency, critical decisions (e.g. defaulting beneficiaries) will be discussed with all participants either at meetings or by telephone / video conferencing. These will be chaired by the PC. Should an issue of scientific misconduct arise (e.g. plagiarism, fabrication or falsification), a full investigation will take place and the outcomes dealt with through formal mechanisms within the ESR’s academic

6 ULIM has been involved in ~150 EU research & training programmes over the past 15 years: in FP7, 2 ERCs and in MSCA 7 ITN/IAPP/IRSES, 9 Fellowships, 1 COFUND; in H2020, 4 ITNs including “MIGRATE” (643095) & “ICONIC” (721256) and 2 COFUNDs “ALECS” (754489 – as coordinator) & “EDGE” (713567).

institution. ITN… will adopt the guidelines for good practice of The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity7, which will explicitly form part of the ESRs’ induction training (T.. in M..) on research integrity.

3.1.1 Supervisory boardThe ITN… SB will consist of the PMT, the WP leaders, a nominee from each beneficiary and partner organisation, and a rotating representative of the ESRs. The SB will be responsible for each annual report and the overall management of the project, including research and training activities. The ~40% gender- and sector-balanced SB will contain expertise in the scientific, technical, industrial and educational domains addressed by ITN… with the active participation of researchers, educators, technologists and engineers. This will ensure the Network’s activities: i) remain grounded in the broader scientific and engineering questions motivating the research; ii) are tightly aligned with complementary scientific and private sector skills training; and iii) retain a focus on excellence in research, training, innovation and researcher mobility. The SB is the ultimate decision body for the Network, to be established at the kick-off meeting.

The terms of reference of the SB, to be agreed and documented in the CA, will reinforce the role and responsibilities of the board:

(a) the smooth running of the programme, including the implementation of all legal and contractual issues concerning conflict resolution, misconduct, contractual amendments, and non-compliance;

(b) the promotion and management of research integrity within the project consortium;(c) high quality and equitable supervision of the ESRs;(d) a balance between research and transferable skills, and between academic and industrial experience;(e) high quality training to produce highly skilled, innovation-focused graduates that are ‘industry-aware; and(f) efficient dissemination of the results (including IP management) and participation in outreach activities.

The SB will act as a forum for active communication and the exchange of experiences and best practices among the Network participants. It will meet (in person at plenary meetings, or at various events / sites) as necessary, but no less than twice a year. A quorum of two-thirds of board members will be required to convene meetings.

The subcommittees of the supervisory board – namely Research, Training, Exploitation, Dissemination & Public Engagement, and the ESR – will meet at least biannually immediately prior to a meeting of the SB. The chairs of all subcommittees will report to the SB at meetings and at other times, where necessary, by email or by phone.

The Research Subcommittee will feature the x technical WP Leaders (WP1-x) and …. who will be responsible for the smooth operation of their WPs and strong interlinkages across the WPs. With the help of the PMT, they will review WP progress biannually and will report to the SB about any issues that arise.

The Training Subcommittee will oversee the training activities – and monitor secondment periods – to ensure that they comply with ITN..’ training plan and ethos. Each ESR’s SC (see Section 3.2.4) will feed into this subcommittee, specifically via annual reports on each ESR’s PCDP (see Section 1.3.2).

An Exploitation, Dissemination & Public Engagement Subcommittee will provide oversight of the IPR exploitation, scientific dissemination, and public engagement / outreach activities of the Network, as embodied in the PEDR.

At the induction event, an ESR Subcommittee comprising all xx ESRs will be established. Its role is to give ESRs a voice, through its Chair, on the SB. This subcommittee will provide a forum through which ESRs can raise concerns about any aspect of ITN.., including training and individual research projects, at SB level.

3.1.2 Recruitment strategyRecruitment will be based on the principles set out in the European Charter for Researchers and the Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers and will follow fair, transparent and non-discriminatory practices. The coordinating institution, ULIM, has been awarded the HR Excellence in Research Logo by the EC. Recruitment procedures will be open, efficient, transparent and supportive. ULIM’s Access Policy8 has detailed actions to achieve greater equality of opportunity for those with disabilities, socio-economically disadvantaged learners, ethnic minorities, researchers at risk, or mature researchers. Although the policy is primarily for undergraduate enrollment, the ITN… Network will ensure that all involved in recruitment are

7 http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/other/hi/h2020-ethics_code-of-conduct_en.pdf [accessed 12/01/18].

8 http://www.ulsites.ul.ie/access/ [accessed 12/01/18].

cognisant of its relevance to the selection of ESRs. The Network will aim for a target of 50% gender balance in ESR recruitment. Advertising: For the purposes of integration and in order to ensure top quality male and female international

candidates, a single collective recruitment drive will be organised. All xx ESR positions will be advertised collectively, via a centralised application process overseen by the P&TM. Applicants will be will be requested to rank their top three project choices. Positions will be advertised on all participants’ websites and the EURAXESS portal. General sites such as findapostdoc.com, researchgate.com, and careers.edu, and specific sites such as careers.ieee.org, newscientistjobs.com, and naturejobs.com will be used, and t he professional networks of the participating PIs will be exploited. Existing Masters programmes associated with Network institutions will be targeted. ESR positions will also be promoted widely at conferences and workshops.

Selection: The P&TM will circulate all eligible applications to the relevant PIs. Each PI will shortlist 2-3 applicants, and the PMT will select 25-30 potential candidates for interview. The P&TM will correspond with all applicants. Interviews will be conducted at Month 4 in a central European location and panels with representatives from each beneficiary will be appointed for each WP. Interviews via video-link will be facilitated. Following an open discussion with all Network participants over the course of the interview day, the offers will be made to the highest ranked applicants and a reserve list kept for contingency.

Addressing female researchers: All participants in the Network are fully committed to the promotion of gender equality in accordance with the EC’s strategy in research, including gender representation in the recruitment committees. The P&TM will liaise with WiSER (the Centre for Women in Science & Engineering Research, at TCD) to discuss ways to promote ITN.. ESR positions. ITN… will also publicise open ESR positions on specific websites, such as Women in Technology & Science (witsireland.com/cms), the Association for Women in Science (awis.org), the European Platform of Women Scientists (epws.org), Women in Science & Engineering (wisecampaign.co.uk), and the European Association for Women in Science, Engineering & Technology (witec-eu.net). The ITN.. website will list information on family friendly work practices / allowances, and all beneficiaries’ policies regarding equality, mentoring, tutoring and career initiatives for female researchers.

Integration of refugees: As a University of Sanctuary, ULIM has committed to providing equal opportunities for researchers at risk or displaced by conflict, and to offer appropriate supports during application and award stages. The ESR positions will be advertised via the ITN… website in a highly accessible format (from PCs, Smartphones and Tablets), via Science4refugees on EURAXESS, through the Scholars at Risk network (www.scholarsatrisk.org, of which ULIM is a member), and via national bodies such as the Irish Refugee Council. The P&TM (ULIM) will be Champion for Researchers at Risk as a direct point of contact, and appropriate cross-cultural training will be provided for all ESRs on induction

3.2.5 Risk management at consortium levelThe consortium has identified a number of risks at programme level, with associated contingency plans (see Table 3.2a below). Risks will be identified by the P&TM and PC, but may also be brought to the attention of the PMT by the SB and WP leaders. The PC will ensure that all legal and contractual matters are adhered to, and that issues concerning conflict resolution, contract amendments, non-compliance, and financial auditing are followed through and resolved swiftly. Any new risks identified during the implementation of the (ITN) will be added to the table below. The P&TM will implement the contingency plans and report to the PC who will, in turn, report to the SB beneficiary’s involvement in running the Network’s activities. An MSCA special needs allowance will be paid to those ESRs who require it.

If disputes or conflicts of interest arise, they will be formally documented, and a resolution acceptable to all parties will be sought by the SB, which will vote on the issue if consensus is not reached. The PC will deploy a casting vote in case of a tie. To ensure transparency, critical decisions (e.g. defaulting beneficiaries) will be discussed with all participants either at meetings or by telephone / video conferencing. These will be chaired by the PC. Should an issue of scientific misconduct arise (e.g. plagiarism, fabrication or falsification), a full investigation will take place and the outcomes dealt with through formal mechanisms within the ESR’s academic institution. ITN…will adopt the guidelines for good practice of The European Code of Conduct for Research Integrity9, which will explicitly form part of the ESRs’ induction training (T1d in M7) on research integrity.

9 http://ec.europa.eu/research/participants/data/ref/h2020/other/hi/h2020-ethics_code-of-conduct_en.pdf [accessed 12/01/18].

Gender aspectsIn 2015, the coordinating university, ULIM, was the first Irish institution to be awarded an institutional Athena Swan Bronze Award, followed by .......These awards are a recognition of good practice in recruiting, retaining and promoting women in science in higher education. (List other institutions involved in ATHENA Swan or similar initiatives). The (ITN) participants recognise that the relative participation of women in the STEM sector is low, and will actively seek public engagement opportunities to inform women of the rewarding career opportunities available to them, and the policies that the (ITN) beneficiaries have in place to promote gender equality. Approximately x% of (ITN) supervisors (z) are female, and x of the ESRs (see Table 1.2a) will experience gender balanced supervision.

With reference to recruitment, the Network will implement Athena Swan principles to attract a target of at least x female ESRs, with appropriate gender representation on the selection panels who, in turn, will receive training to avoid unconscious gender bias (see also Section 3.2.3). The Network will ensure the progression of female ESRs through graduation and career preparation, and foster an organisational environment where all staff are valued, including those in support and technical roles. This will fulfil the aims listed in the Gender Equality in Horizon 202010 at all stages of recruitment, training, research and management.In addition, specific tutor and academic mentoring programs for female student progression is provided at several participant sites (e.g. ……….) to which all female ESRs will be invited. All academic, and most of the industrial beneficiaries, feature programmes to facilitate professional and career development for female staff and researchers. Training in gender topics will also be provided as part of the ESRs’ induction (see Table 1.2b; training event xx in M?).With reference to the management structure, it is recognized that a good gender balance strengthens the decision-making of senior management teams. The Network will seek to appoint females to roles such as the P&TM, and roles on the External Advisory Board and SB to meet H2020 guidelines. To this end, the SB will specifically seek advice on gender balance from two leading female academics (Prof. …….. , and Prof. . ….) at the outset. As an ESR will also sit on the SB on a rotating basis, along with a representative from each beneficiary, the SB will achieve a good gender balance. Both genders are represented as WP leaders on the SB, and the Exploitation, Dissemination & Engagement Subcommittee of the SB will in particular work to: (a) promote opportunities for public engagement among female ESRs; (b) identify prominent female participants for training and public engagement events at school and undergraduate levels. Finally, using the Gender Toolkit Checklist22 as a reference, no discriminatory impact of the research programme is anticipated

3.1 Coherence and effectiveness of the work plan

The WPs are strongly inter-related…. (explain) and consider if a diagram like example below is helpful here (diagram reproduced with permission)

10 European Commission, “Vademecum on Gender Equality in Horizon 2020”, RTD-B7 “Science with and for Society”, 26-02-2014, Rev. 21-03-2016.

Section 3.1.1

3.3 Appropriateness of the infrastructure of the participating organisationsThe ITN… Network mobilises x distinguished European universities, x prestigious research institutes and x businesses ranging in size from an innovation-based enterprise to prominent industrial research labs and one of the world’s leading communications companies. ITN… has built an exceptionally strong consortium that has the appropriate infrastructure in place (see Section 5 for details) to deliver all elements of the proposed research, training and dissemination.

Research expertise and facilities: Each participant’s expertise and know-how are detailed in Sections 1.3, 1.4 and 5. The track record of the participants includes over xxxx journal papers, xxk+ citations, over €xxM in competitive research funding, and xxx patents – all indicators of a highly productive research team. Moreover, the deep involvement of the non-academic sector will guarantee delivery of translational outcomes by the project: the industrial participants span the full application area for…………………….). Each participant’s contribution to the research elements are listed in the work plan (Table 3.1a) and each has all of the required facilities, laboratory space, equipment and expertise to achieve the Network’s research goals. Training: All participants have extensive experience in training ESRs (see Sections 1.3 and 5), and each has the appropriate expertise to facilitate the development of the ESRs at doctoral level. Structured training programmes covering both research and complementary skills are available locally at each beneficiary (see Table 1.2c). Each ESR will be registered for their doctoral degree at a university, and each will benefit from a three-person SC to imbue both academic and industrial mentorship. Working environment and administrative support: Each participant will provide a productive training and research environment for the ESRs, offering excellent working conditions with appropriate bench and office space and up-to-date research and IT infrastructure. All recruited ESRs will have full employment contracts and each beneficiary offers all of the necessary administrative and Human Resources (HR) supports to ensure a favourable work environment. The coordinator and several other beneficiaries are awardees of the HR Excellence in Research Logo (see Section 5) and all academic participants have endorsed the EU Charter and Code23. Special attention will be placed on welcoming and integrating the ESRs into their host country with supports in place for any mobility-related issues. All academic institutions are recognised as EURAXESS contact points and can provide support in all matters relating to professional and daily life, including information on legal issues, social security, health and taxes, everyday life as well as family support. Coordination: The coordinating institution, ULIM, is a research-led university that has an outstanding research and teaching infrastructure. ULIM is currently coordinating two MSCA COFUND awards for 52 researchers and partnering in 4 ITNs, several fellowships and its researchers are also partners and coordinators in over 30 H2020 projects of which 70% are in Excellent Science. The ITN… coordinator, Dr. ………., is

…………. at ULIM, with responsibility for ………………… His/her group has coordinated several MSCA FP7 host fellowship programmes and has been involved in x ITNs – …………………… – and s/he is a WP leader in ….., a Horizon 2020 ICT project led by …..

3.2 Competences, experience and complementarity of the participating organisations and their commitment to the programme

3.2.1 Consortium composition and exploitation of partners’ complementaritiesThe ITN… Network comprises leading European research-led universities, research institutes, and enterprises ranging in scale from SMEs to large multinational and a global communications operator. Tasks are distributed based on the unique skills and experience of each participant to ensure balanced commitment and to achieve the research goals and training expectations of the project (see Section 1.4.1). Complementarities exist between distinct disciplines in basic and applied research, training, and commercial exploitation.

Complementary research competencies: The ITN… research programme will rely on complementarities between distinct disciplines and specialities in the fields of ……………………… Training complementarities & commitment: All participants are fully committed to the training elements of the project (see Sections 1.2.1 and 1.4.1). ….. Existing collaborations: Collaborations already exist between some of the Network participants (provide details) Complementary translational competencies: Exploitation of the transferable elements of the research will for the most part be tasked to industrial beneficiaries (names). There is unequivocal evidence that the industrial participants are committed to high-level research and complementary translational training. With many years’ experience in European training programmes, ITN…’ x non-academic participants will engage in the transferrable elements of the research and training:- Partner 1 is highly committed to research training via x MSCA ITN and RISE projects. With several

innovation awards … will lead WP6 and help craft ITN…’ PEDR. Partner 1 will also deliver a workshop on Entrepreneurship & Valorisation, including Standardisation Requirements (T2g), hire one ESR and host a further two for secondments.

- Partner 2 is highly active in EU research training projects, with x MSCA ITNs funded in the last five years. They will hire two ESRs and provide secondments for a further five.

- Partner 3 has extensive experience in EU collaborations, including a H2020 ITN in H2020. Partner 3 will lead a workshop on ………. (T2f), and hire one ESR and host a further six.

- Partner 4 will present a workshop at a Summer School on . ….(S1c), hire one ESR and host three.- Partner 5 with host two short training visits for two ESRs on ……., and will contribute to a Summer School

workshop on ….. (S2a).

Additionally, all participants will contribute to the training courses, workshops and Summer schools (see Table 1.2b, Section 1.2).

Alternatively some coordinators provide a table of the scientific and management complementarities of the partners here

Section 4: Gannt chart

See the Handbook for template

Section 5: Capacity of the Participating Orgaisation

1. University of Limerick (ULIM)General description The University of Limerick (ULIM) with over 13,000 students and 1,449 staff is an

energetic and enterprising institution with a proud record of innovation and excellence in education, research and scholarship. ULIM has been awarded the HR Excellence in Research logo, and it has a five star rating for innovation and excellence from QS, the international ranking body. ULIM has also signed up to the ATHENA Swan charter for women in science and received a bronze award.The next paragraph should focus on the activity and main achievements of your host Dept or Institute egLaunched in July 2013, the Synthesis and Solid State Pharmaceutical Centre (SSPC), supporting 90 top-class researchers, is the largest research collaboration in Ireland, and one of the largest globally, within the pharmaceutical area. The SSPC represents a significant combined Science Foundation Ireland and industry investment of €42 million comprising 24 industry partners, 9 research performing organisations and 12 international academic collaborators. (Mention leading names, relevant to your proposal)

Role and commitment of key persons (incl supervisors)

Dr. ……. (male), 40%: Project Coordinator, Scientist-in-Charge, leader of WPx, presenter of Short Course y, and co-supervisor / host of ESR-x. Co-organiser of Training …….Dr ….has supervised xx PhDs to completion, published over xxx refereed publications and x patents. Citations xxx, h-index of xx. Published in (give top 3 journals)Dr. ……….. (female), 20%: leader of WPx, supervisor of ESR-x, co-supervisor of ESR-x and y. Dr. … has supervised xx PhD students to completion, in area x…Dr. … (female), 15%: co-supervisor of ESR-x, co-supervisor / host of ESR-x.Project & Training Manager (P&TM) (50%): a part-time project manager with experience of MSCA-ITN programmes, to be recruited by ULIM.

Key research facilities, infrastructures and equipment

Provide details of your depts./centre’s office space, technical support, peer support and library support. Give its mission, list its support units eg access to samples, equipment, facilities, software, patient cohorts, summer schools and workshops etc.For example:SSPC operations team are based in The Bernal Institute, an €86 million science and engineering research institute comprised of 20,000m2 of high quality, multi-purpose research space for 256 researchers in the new Science and Engineering Zone at ULAdd equipment and facilities

Status of research premisesPrevious involvement in research and training programmes

ULIM has been involved in ~150 EU research & training programmes over the past 15 years; in FP7 alone, 3 ITNs, 2 IAPPs, 1 IRSES, 9 Fellowships, 1 COFUND and 2 ERCs funded under MSCAs. Total FP7 projects: 11 coordinated and partnered in another 61. State if you Dept/Centre has been involved in x number of EU programmes, mentioning those of specific relevance:

Current involvement in research and training programmes

Horizon 2020: ULIM is involved in 30 projects so far of which 40% in the Excellent Science pillar including 2 ERC awards. UL is coordinating 2 major COFUND awards with 52 incoming fellowships as well as participating in 5 Innovative Training Networks (ITNs) and Individual and Global Fellowships

If your host dept is one of the following mention the School of Engineering (2 of these ITNs are in Aeronautical Engineering, projects nos: 643095 and 721256 and 1 ITN is in Electronic & Computer Engineering, project no 642682.

Please add other relevant major national training actions (eg SFI, IRC, etc) in which your Dept is active.OrTo date in H2020, ULIM is participating in 4 ITNs, including “AWESCO” (642682), “MIGRATE” (643095) and “ICONIC” (721256), and several COFUND projects EDGE

(713567) CAROLINE and CAREERFIT.ULIM is also coordinating 2 major COFUND awards “ALECS” (754489) and “PROCESS” (80116) with 52 incoming fellowships. Dept/Centre x… is participating in ….and a………., and also coordinating ……….and is also currently sponsoring xx PhDsAdd departmental/centre funded projects here

Relevant publications & research/innovation products

Update the 5 publications and/or other products most relevant to the project content and key persons involved.