E-GNSS Knowledge Triangle

Project Information

E-KnoT

Grant agreement ID: 641529

DOI

10.3030/641529

Project closed

EC signature date 4 December 2014

Start date 1 January 2015

End date 31 May 2018

Funded under

• INDUSTRIAL LEADERSHIP - Leadership in enabling and industrial technologies – Space

Total cost

€ 1 674 323,75

EU contribution

€ 1 674 323,75

Coordinated by

POLITECNICO DI TORINO
Italy

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - E-KnoT (E-GNSS Knowledge Triangle)

Reporting period: 2016-07-01 to 2018-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Several studies and surveys highlighted how one of the main obstacles for the development and sustainability of the European space industry (and the delivery of cutting-edge scientific achievements) is the lack of scientists, engineers and technicians with specific interest in the area of space research and development.
Galileo, EGNOS and the satellite navigation field at large, are as well affected by this lack of skills and competence, and looking at the topic from an end-users perspective, space is only a part of a more complex knowledge system, needed to exploit the satellite navigation opportunities. Communications, applications development skills, creativity, and business competences are as relevant and essential to leverage on the Galileo and EGNOS initiative to make Europe a credible player in the international context, and satellite navigation a concrete asset for the European economy in terms of innovation, market development resulting in job creations. With respect to the growing competition and resource optimization the sustainable success of industry is crucially linked to effective identification and transfer of knowledge, innovative technologies and solutions available.
The project acted to strengthen the interaction between the areas of education-research-industry in Europe, leveraging on past activities already undertaken in this field, in order to consolidate a strong EGNSS knowledge triangle, a solid network for the creation of a critical mass involving the relevant actors in the three areas with the final objective of supporting the European economy development.

The e-KnoT project started to address each of these areas by implementing activities aiming at strengthening the link in the European framework on a long-term basis.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The scholarships foreseen in WP2 have all been issued, and the only minor problem was due to the lack of students with proper background WP3 and WP4 successfully implement the Professional Training program. 14 tutorial sessions were implemented with 440 participants in total.
The internships grants for the specializing Master in GNSS in WP5 have struggled to find the required co-funding by the companies, so this activity was stopped and the budget reallocated to internships in companies. Part of the unused budget was used to implement travel grants for students, to attend the Munich Satellite Navigation Summit 2018 event. As a result of the call 28 applications from PhDs and Master students were received and 12 travel grants were issued
WP6 has been fully successful, funding 9 scholarships for internships in EU companies on GNSS in 2017. WP7 successfully implemented the workshops with students to promote the development of downstream applications, inviting them to submit proposals to the European Satellite Navigation Competition for the University Challenge prize. In 2017 workshops have been organized, at Politecnico di Torino, ENAC, UPC, UniBwM, and AstriPolska.
WP9 implemented the PhD training events (previsouly designed in WP8). The PhD training foreseen the first event was organised in Warsaw in October 2016 and a second PhD training was implemented in Munich, in July 2017 in cooperation with SaPPART COST action.
WP10 successfully planned the 3 “Excellence Weeks”. at UPC, Barcelona, Spain in January, 2016, at ENAC, Toulouse , France in November 2016 andat POLITO, Turin, Italy in May 2018
WP11 defined a scheme for the Industry consultancy vouchers with the objective of one call every 4 months WP12 implemented this action had very limited success among the companies, well below the consortium’s expectations.
WP13 defined a concept for the “Technology Road Show” (TRS) and WP14 implemented 4 events to be organised in Warsaw, Munich, Bucharest and Toulouse.
WP15 implemented the “Seminar on GNSS patents and intellectual property rights” on 18-19 July 2016 in Herrsching, Germany. The free-of-charge two-day e-KnoT seminar is organized by bavAIRia e.V. in co-operation with BHO Legal and supported by the European Patent Office.
WP16 revisited the results of the previous project- ERIG (Education-Research and Innovation in GNSS) and updated the benchmarking with North-America and Asia.
The analysis of Academia-Industry joint PhDs, in WP17, started from an assessment of Higher Education at National level in Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Poland and Czech Republic. A specific working group has been promoted also in the Satellite navigation University Network.
WP18 initiated 2 PhDs based on a co-funding between the eKnoT project and an industry partner (eKnoT providing 50% funding). The co-funded PhDs were both associated to ENAC.
WP19 designed the event “Business meets research dialogue”. Two Business-Research Dialogue events were organized in 2016 and 2017, as originally foreseen in the proposal. However, due to the good success of the events, and the budget still available, a third event was organized in 2018, during the extension of the project.
In WP20 to ensure broad promotion, wide visibility, awareness and identification of the project in new European countries, translation of the dissemination of information (web page, brochures, leaflets) to the national languages (Polish, Lithuanian, Czech, Romanian), has been implemented as well as identification of relevant Points of Contact in the Central/Eastern Europe countries. it was counted the presence with leafleats, posters and promotional material at more than 50 events in new European countries.
WP21 set up a plan for the dissemination activities in the Satellite Navigation University Network (www.gnss-sun.eu).
WP22 took care of the dissemination activities to reach a different and heterogeneous audience for the project. preparing promotional material and being present in social media: Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin. Dissemination has been performed at major events in the GNSS fields worldwide (e.g. ION GNSS+ conference). Two special sessions addressing the e-Knot topics at the Munich Satellite Navigation Summit in 2016 and 2017.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The relation between Education and Industry in the GNSS field is one of the critical “knots” addressed by the project. Actions were implemented to facilitate the technology transfer of the latest advancements in the GNSS technology in the companies working in the field. This was implemented according to two main strategies: through the placement of students and young researchers and by providing specialized training to professionals, filling the gap between the education (students) and industry (companies) sides.
The actions implemented by the the project eased networking between industries and universities/research centers. The professional training programme, the technology roadshow, student’s internships and industrial PhDs are successful concrete actions that created links that aim at lasting beyond the specific event or the project duration.
Improved competitiveness is fostered by promoting innovation in the industrial world. International activities aim at creating links with new markets, also promoting European knowledge as well as industrial skills.
Linking education and research with industry aims at supporting the development of innovative applications based on Galileo and EGNOS. This task is also addressing students, by supporting their creativity as an opportunity for business, by means of the workshops organized at the universities.

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