Building-up Centre of Excellence for advanced materials application

Project Information

CEMEA

Grant agreement ID: 664337

DOI

10.3030/664337

Project closed

EC signature date 13 May 2015

Start date 1 June 2015

End date 31 May 2016

Funded under

• Teaming of excellent research institutions and low performing RDI regions

Total cost

€ 390 300,00

EU contribution

€ 390 300,00

Coordinated by

SLOVENSKA AKADEMIA VIED
Slovakia

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CEMEA (Building-up Centre of Excellence for advanced materials application)

Reporting period: 2015-06-01 to 2016-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

"The main objective of the project ""Building-up Centre of Excellence for advanced materials application"" (CEMEA) in the long run is to establish a joint Centre of Excellence for advanced materials application (CEMEA) based on long-term strategic cooperation between VTT (Technical Research Centre of Finland) and UH (University of Helsinki, Finland) on the one hand and Slovenska akademia vied (Slovak Academy of Sciences, SAS, Slovakia) on the other. Project specific objectives of the one-year action include:
- Elaboration of robust business plan for the new CEMEA Centre of Excellence in line with the long-term vision
- Market search among SMEs in Slovakia concerning plausible technology transfers and cooperation on applied research
- Enable networking CEMEA project with academic institutions in Slovakia, Finland and other countries to provide excellent education and training system (as a part of communication, dissemination and exploitation activities)
- Elaboration of detailed Financing plan of the CEMEA Centre of Excellence combining various sources – national funding (structural and state funds), private funding, other HORIZON 2020 instruments and other national/international grants in various combinations
- Elaboration of detailed Knowledge Management and Knowledge Transfer Plans concerning the system of communication and circulation of knowledge and expertise, including training and education system of the Centre
- Analysis and Evaluation of socio-economic impacts and risks related to development and use of advanced materials in Slovakia
Mission of the Centre is to ensure sustainable financing and quality of research in the field of advanced materials and related fields in Slovakia, bring and nurture the culture of scientific excellence in Slovakia and to leverage support under HORIZON 2020 and other available funding opportunities. CEMEA´s research focus aligns with Smart Specialization Strategy of the Slovak Republic (RIS3) by focusing on areas of specialisation based on best available scientific and research capacities (identified in RIS3). In particular, CEMEA´s focus is on advanced materials research in three application areas:
- nanotechnologies,
- biomedicine and biotechnology,
- sustainable energy.
Research findings of CEMEA will be applicable in areas of economic specialisation identified in RIS3 of the Slovak Republic.
Long term objectives of CEMEA comprise increasing human potential, strengthening of international cooperation, increasing quality of research, increased participation in Horizon 2020, improved intellectual property management and transfer of knowledge to industry with emphasis on collaboration with local end-users. The Centre will operate in three fields:
1. Basic (core) research;
2. Applied research (technology transfers) in cooperation with industrial partners;
3. Training and education program in cooperation with academic partners (PhD studies, post-doc studies, young scientists support and exchange, senior researchers fellowships program).
The aim of the 1st stage of the project with the duration of 1 year was elaboration of main documents necessary for successful operation of the CEMEA Centre of excellence and the composition of the relevant Business Plan."

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

Work on the project consisted in preparation of documents, describing establishment of new Centre of excellence for advanced materials application in the form of deliverables. Significant deliverables elaborated within the project include:
D2.2 Management Plan
D2.3 Knowledge Management Plan
D2.4 Financial Plan
D2.5 Long-term research strategy
D2.6 Market and SWOT analysis
D2.7 Knowledge Transfer Plan
D3.1 Plan of dissemination and exploitation of results
D3.2 Database of academic, research and industrial partners
D3.3 CEMEA Impact assessment study

Ideas and data elaborated in the deliverables were summarized in the main output of the project: Deliverable 2.1 Business Plan of the CEMEA Centre. CEMEA´s Business Plan is a throughout analysis of the local market, available human resource and the market demand (from the part of the local industry). The plan offers solutions and answers to identified weaknesses, threats and shortcomings of the research and innovation environment in Slovakia. CEMEA introduces new managerial approach, new concept and principles of operation and establishes a framework for successful implementation of the excellence culture and scientific integrity into Slovak research and innovation environment. To ensure seamless implementation of the Plan, we have elaborated a step-by-step Action Plan for the establishment phase (first 5 years).
Research of advanced materials within CEMEA Centre is foreseen in three major fields – nanotechnologies, biomedicine/biotechnology, and energy. CEMEA has the ambition to become a research and innovation hub of the country, forming public dialogue on various scientific topics and pioneering novel approach to cooperation among research and industry.
CEMEA Centre will operate based on the following principles:
1. Scientific excellence
2. Culture of excellence in training and education
3. Flexible service-oriented administration
4. Cross-disciplinary and multidimensional approach in research and education
5. Intensive knowledge transfers (cooperation with industry, technology transfers)
The first three of these principles are framework-related (how we do it), the other two are complementary and content-related (what we do) – they intertwine with framework principles at all levels. The following lines explain in more detail the implementation of framework principles in CEMEA; they also explain how the content-related principles will be used in practice.
Long-term research strategy of the CEMEA Centre will focus on advanced materials research as one of the Key Enabling Technologies (KET) area mentioned by European Horizon 2020 programme. Advanced materials research will be the core research area of the CEMEA Centre with focus areas Advanced materials and Nanotechnologies, Advanced materials for Biomedicine and Advanced materials for Sustainable energy.

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)

During the first stage of the project 12 local strategic industrial partners have signed Letter of Intent, Non-disclosure agreement or Memorandum of Understanding with Slovenska Akademia Vied. Potential area of cooperation includes nanomaterials, materials for extreme conditions, application of graphene, materials for energy storage, development of smart textiles, X-ray optics, developmenyt of final element mnodelling, development of solution for bearings operating with speed more than 110 00rpm, solid state lighting, development of techniques for glass surface protection, new materials and technologies for automotive industry. If the project of the CEMEA Centre is realised, these activities will certainly have strong impact on technology transfer, socio-economic situation with wider societal implications an presents progress beyond the state of the art in Slovak society.
In the second stage of the project (if applicable) CEMEA Centre of excellence should become a leading European research organization in advanced materials research and an innovation and technology hub at national level. To pursue the vision of the Centre of Excellence, unique in Slovakia, we have defined following four strategic goals within the Business Plan:
Goal 1: Scientific excellence
Goal 2: High scientific and innovation potential
Goal 3: Flexible training and education system
Goal 4: Effective cooperation with local industry.
Strategy describing way how to achieve these goals is described in details in Deliverable 2.1 Business Plan of the CEMEA Centre.

CEMEA Project partners are attending two workshops organised by VTT.