Periodic Reporting for period 1 - IMPACT (A dedicated postdoctoral research and training programme fostering impact development and entrepreneurship)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2021-06-01 al 2023-05-31
BROADER CHALLENGE
Europe is currently facing several challenges in its R&I landscape. Studies have shown that the European Union is struggling to keep up in the global race for innovation, and that stronger collaborations between academia, business and civil society are needed to counter this trend. Consequently, the future of innovation leadership in the EU goes hand in hand with knowledge and technology transfer. In addition to this observation, research focusing on the practices of TTOs has identified an underexplored opportunity in knowledge and technology transfer, i.e. the inclusion of postdoctoral researchers in the process. Postdocs can have tremendous potential in triggering economic and social impact, while training in knowledge and technology transfer can significantly expand their career development.
OVERALL OBJECTIVE
With imπACT, VUB wants to address these challenges on a local scale, by deploying a postdoctoral research and training programme fostering impact development and entrepreneurship. We will deliver 20 postdoctoral researchers equipped with the necessary knowledge and technology transfer skills to take up leadership positions in academia, business and civil society and to deploy intersectoral solutions the European R&I landscape so much needs. This overall objective will be met through a set of specific objectives focusing on the development and implementation of the imπACT structure, more specifically on:
- The recruitment of postdoctoral fellows
- The impact- and entrepreneurship-driven research
- The dedicated training programme fostering impact development and entrepreneurship
- The dissemination, exploitation and communication activities
Europe is currently facing several challenges in its R&I landscape. Studies have shown that the European Union is struggling to keep up in the global race for innovation, and that stronger collaborations between academia, business and civil society are needed to counter this trend. Consequently, the future of innovation leadership in the EU goes hand in hand with knowledge and technology transfer. In addition to this observation, research focusing on the practices of TTOs has identified an underexplored opportunity in knowledge and technology transfer, i.e. the inclusion of postdoctoral researchers in the process. Postdocs can have tremendous potential in triggering economic and social impact, while training in knowledge and technology transfer can significantly expand their career development.
OVERALL OBJECTIVE
With imπACT, VUB wants to address these challenges on a local scale, by deploying a postdoctoral research and training programme fostering impact development and entrepreneurship. We will deliver 20 postdoctoral researchers equipped with the necessary knowledge and technology transfer skills to take up leadership positions in academia, business and civil society and to deploy intersectoral solutions the European R&I landscape so much needs. This overall objective will be met through a set of specific objectives focusing on the development and implementation of the imπACT structure, more specifically on:
- The recruitment of postdoctoral fellows
- The impact- and entrepreneurship-driven research
- The dedicated training programme fostering impact development and entrepreneurship
- The dissemination, exploitation and communication activities
Setting up the programme and the first call. The programme launch was initiated through an IMPACT website, supported by social media communication tools at the start of the programme and the first call for proposals was launched through all communication means. All required documents to support the call were developed, including proposal application template, guide for applicants, guide for expert-evaluators, template of the evaluation form and agreement for evaluators. A pool of international expert-evaluators was established for evaluating the proposals, invited and engaged through a contract. Also, with the opening of the call, an online submission tool through the IMPACT website was developed and activated.
Organizing the first Call for applicants. The call was launched on EURAXESS, VUB, TechTransfer and Impact websites; TechTransfer, ERIS and IMPACT LinkedIn, through twitter and physical/online presentations in and outside VUB. Support was given to potential applicants in terms of a preliminary eligibility check based on their CV and support in finding a suitable PI at VUB. At the deadline of the call over 70 proposals were submitted and the proposals were grouped in 3 panels: Sci&Eng, LifeSci and SSH. To each panel 2 positions were allocated and the left over 4 positions were distributed as a function of amount of submissions in each panel. This resulted in total 4 positions for Sci&Eng, 4 positions for SSH and 2 positions for LifeSci. Each application was again checked for its eligibility, 3 experts were allocated to each application and they executed an individual assessment. After submission of the 3 individual reports, a draft consensus report was prepared on which the experts could discuss to come to consensus on the comments and the scores for Excellence, Impact and Implementation. From these scores we calculated the overall score as the basis for the ranking list in each panel. The top 4 candidates in Sci&Eng and in SSH and the top 2 candidates in LifeSci were invited while also a reserve list was established. Finally not all fellows invited also accepted the offer, for different reasons, but we could fill all 10 positions by activating the reserve lists. The selected fellows went through the admin process (for some VISA application was required) with the support of the IMPACT project management team and VUB admin staff and 3 fellows started on 01.02.2022 2 fellows on 01.03.2022 3 fellows on 01.04.2022 and 2 fellows on 01.07.2022.
The IMPACT programme itself. At project level, each fellow started to execute its research project according to the plan discussed in the submitted proposal. At programme level, we organized a kick-off meeting with an IMPACT presentation, presentations of the projects by the fellows and plenary presentations by invited speakers. A fully developed training programme is offered to the fellows condensed in 5 so called training weeks. Within the reporting period we organized the first 3 training weeks, which cover topics in transferable skills, dedicated training in business/impact case development and training in (social) entrepreneurship. For each training topic offered we also made a survey among the fellows to learn about how they experienced the training and if not very positive, to allow us to mitigate for the next CALL.
Dissemination and communication. Covering the first reporting period, 8 open access papers were published which is on track to reach the 40 open access publications by the end of the project. Also 16 conference contributions are reported which is very positive given the 40 targets during the full programme. For each fellow we offered the making of a 3 minute you tube movie with an external professional company. For 9 fellows the movies are online and successful (over 1000 views to these 9 movies). Only for 1 fellow it was not possible due to confidentiality reasons. We published less newsletters than expected but this will be compensated in reporting period 2 because of many more items to fill a newsletter. Our activity on LinkedIn and twitter is very efficient and have realized a community close to 300 members, which was the target to reach at the end of the programme, therefore, we are well ahead for this target. With all fellows we plan to participate in the 2023 MSCA-Researchers Night programme FREETOACT in France.
Overall impression. After 2 years of IMPACT we are convinced that the programme is running well, is creating impact and the fellows are very positive about the support they receive and the challenging training programme offered.
Organizing the first Call for applicants. The call was launched on EURAXESS, VUB, TechTransfer and Impact websites; TechTransfer, ERIS and IMPACT LinkedIn, through twitter and physical/online presentations in and outside VUB. Support was given to potential applicants in terms of a preliminary eligibility check based on their CV and support in finding a suitable PI at VUB. At the deadline of the call over 70 proposals were submitted and the proposals were grouped in 3 panels: Sci&Eng, LifeSci and SSH. To each panel 2 positions were allocated and the left over 4 positions were distributed as a function of amount of submissions in each panel. This resulted in total 4 positions for Sci&Eng, 4 positions for SSH and 2 positions for LifeSci. Each application was again checked for its eligibility, 3 experts were allocated to each application and they executed an individual assessment. After submission of the 3 individual reports, a draft consensus report was prepared on which the experts could discuss to come to consensus on the comments and the scores for Excellence, Impact and Implementation. From these scores we calculated the overall score as the basis for the ranking list in each panel. The top 4 candidates in Sci&Eng and in SSH and the top 2 candidates in LifeSci were invited while also a reserve list was established. Finally not all fellows invited also accepted the offer, for different reasons, but we could fill all 10 positions by activating the reserve lists. The selected fellows went through the admin process (for some VISA application was required) with the support of the IMPACT project management team and VUB admin staff and 3 fellows started on 01.02.2022 2 fellows on 01.03.2022 3 fellows on 01.04.2022 and 2 fellows on 01.07.2022.
The IMPACT programme itself. At project level, each fellow started to execute its research project according to the plan discussed in the submitted proposal. At programme level, we organized a kick-off meeting with an IMPACT presentation, presentations of the projects by the fellows and plenary presentations by invited speakers. A fully developed training programme is offered to the fellows condensed in 5 so called training weeks. Within the reporting period we organized the first 3 training weeks, which cover topics in transferable skills, dedicated training in business/impact case development and training in (social) entrepreneurship. For each training topic offered we also made a survey among the fellows to learn about how they experienced the training and if not very positive, to allow us to mitigate for the next CALL.
Dissemination and communication. Covering the first reporting period, 8 open access papers were published which is on track to reach the 40 open access publications by the end of the project. Also 16 conference contributions are reported which is very positive given the 40 targets during the full programme. For each fellow we offered the making of a 3 minute you tube movie with an external professional company. For 9 fellows the movies are online and successful (over 1000 views to these 9 movies). Only for 1 fellow it was not possible due to confidentiality reasons. We published less newsletters than expected but this will be compensated in reporting period 2 because of many more items to fill a newsletter. Our activity on LinkedIn and twitter is very efficient and have realized a community close to 300 members, which was the target to reach at the end of the programme, therefore, we are well ahead for this target. With all fellows we plan to participate in the 2023 MSCA-Researchers Night programme FREETOACT in France.
Overall impression. After 2 years of IMPACT we are convinced that the programme is running well, is creating impact and the fellows are very positive about the support they receive and the challenging training programme offered.
The concept of pi-shaped researchers introduced in IMPACT will be successful and go beyond the state of the art. The training programme is developed in such a way that the researchers receive vertical training and horizontal training: training on the job at research level and research topic; training in entrepreneurship; training in social entrepreneurship; training in business case/impact case development and training in advanced transferable skills, which will lead to uniquely trained researchers with excellent career opportunities in the academic and non-academic sector, as employee or as entrepreneur. This has already been brought in practice by a number of researchers that applied for additional grants, for collaborative projects under Horizon Europe and that initiated effectively actions to become an entrepreneur. An important result of the programme is that VUB aims to continue the training programme after the end of IMPACT and integrate it in its overall training programme offered to both postdocs and PhD students. On almost all targets of the programme, we are on scheme and on track, which supports the unique and innovative result discussed above.