MILESTONE attempts to establish strong collaboration links among three widening academic institutes from Greece (UPAT), Slovenia (KI), and the Czech Republic (MU), as well as with an advanced partner (AMU, FR), to overcome locked-in institutional effects, build synergies, and create a pathway to excellence, producing new knowledge in antiviral research and pandemic preparedness. UPAT, KI, and CEITEC, all acknowledged national/regional research actors funded by ERDF, share common interests in biosciences and will collaborate with a world-class expert in biochemistry, virology, and infrastructure management, the AMU.
The MILESTONE strategy seeks to internationalize widening partners to boost their access to EU R&I consortia in joint applications under Pillars I & II, as well as to unlock, reinforce, and improve the utilization of existing R&I capacity. A key project module is training, knowledge sharing, and the acquisition of transferable skills for R&I personnel to increase performance in research, research management, fund raising, and communication.
MILESTONE’s implementation is based on well-designed WPs with specific tasks and roles for each partner, to have a large impact at the scientific, societal, and economic/technological levels, and to increase the competitiveness and reputation of all partners in the direction of future sustainable development.
Furthermore, MILESTONE is guided by the principles of gender equality and open research, data management. Project progress will be communicated to all prospective stakeholders as well as the public through e-communication channels and live events.
Overall, MILESTONE aims to establish an effective collaborative network among participating partners to pave the way for excellence and to address several global sustainability challenges, such as health and well-being, gender equality, decent jobs and growth, and reduced inequalities in science, and is built on the project's partnership to accomplish these goals.
The main objectives of the MILESTONE are the following:
O1: Diagnosis of individual and common barriers, gaps, and locked-in policies in EU-widening beneficiaries and preparation of a Roadmap to Internationalization and Sustainability,
O2: Enhance the research and scientific potential, and establish synergies among partners, producing high-impact scientific outcomes.
O3: Improve the soft skills and the research management capacity of the human resources.
O4: Increase synergies among consortium partners for the successful participation in new HE calls (see WP5 & WP6), build links with private sector, and increase fund raising
O5: Establish an internationalisation strategy based on an effective Dissemination, Exploitation, Communication, and Mobility plan to allow networking with EU, regional or National consortia or scientific communities.
