During the first months of the project, we focused primarily on creating the COLOSSE Human Resources Strategy. It has two main sections - the Recruitment and Onboarding Strategy and the Training Strategy. To provide a practical testing ground, we opened six new positions of postdoctoral researchers with a requirement of international mobility. We have run a joint recruitment in line with the OTM-R best practice identified in the HR Strategy. Also, the first training was organized based on a training needs questionnaire survey.
Next, we aimed at creating Internationalization strategy. Visits to introduce the opportunities for collaboration and discuss mutual R&I priorities with counterparts at the leading institutions (Kiel University (DE), Linkoping University, Uppsala University (SE), Ghent University, Mons University (BE), Leoben (AT), RWTH Aachen (DE)) were organized. It also resulted in the plan of young researchers´ secondments.
The preparation of the Technology Offer followed to highlight the possibilities of translating research into industrial applications and opened up avenues for collaborative R&D. The project established direct contact through visits or online presentations with companies in various sectors - surface engineering, biomedical, optics, and electronics - inviting them to contribute to project development.
To develop the competences needed to prepare winning proposals, three training sessions focusing on grant-writing skills were held. These sessions covered the areas of proposal writing; identifying and capitalising on funding opportunities; and mastering the MSCA-PF application.
