The most important issues concerning project realisation were discuses during the project meetings but members of the consortium were in the constant contact through numerous video and teleconferences between the partners. During the project realisation 4 meetings was held – 2 in Poland and 2 at Germany: Kick-off meeting in Warsaw 23th June on , and 2 meetings at Łódź – 12th Januray and 23rd – 24rd May.
All the partners workout and signed Consortium Agreement in which all the tasks and responsibility for the work packages were evenly distributed between consortium members.
The activities related to the first stage of the project, were described in DoA and realised without any deviations from this document. Works were devided into 6 work packages:
Work Package 1 – Project Management and Coordination
The management and coordination of the ICRI-BioM project was arranged to ensure the smooth accomplishment of the project’s major goal - the elaboration of the detailed Business Plan ready for implementation in the second stage of the ‘Teaming’ action. Efficiency of the overall project management was achieved by a simple but effective management structure, clearly defined tasks and responsibilities of the partners, the reasonable use of resources and adequate allocation of the budget according the work plan and efficient and adequate reporting and communication with the EC.
To ensure effective menagment of the project, the Partners of Excellence, created a method of dividing responsibilities for the project realisation and include it in the consortium agreement. The fundamental deciding bodies were: the steering committee, project coordinator, project manager and work package leaders.
The Steering Committee was the main deciding body in the governance structure responsible for approving any changes to the project plan, both regarding the budget and merits. The members of the SC were the head representatives of all partners. All important changes and strategic decisions were discussed amongst the SC.
The Project Coordinator was responsible for the formal coordination of the project, communication with EC and submitting deliverables and reports. PC was responsible for the management structure and process, and the single point of contact with the European Commission, responding to the EC and any other external bodies regarding key decisions on all levels of the project realisation.
A crucial role in the project structure is the Project Manager – person responsible for the merits of the project, day to day monitoring of project progress, supervision over WP and deliverables preparation.
The Work Package Leaders were responsible for assuring successful and timely completion of work, preparing deliverables within each Work Package and coordinating work between task leaders assigned to each task.
The International Scientific Advisory Board (ISAB) as external, advisory committee consisting of leading researchers in the domain, industrial partners, representatives of local authorities and society as well as other stakeholders was appointed in month 3 to assess activities to improve the CoE once it is established.
This management structure ensure proper realisation of the project accordingly to the DoA. All deliverables were successfully submitted through Participant Portal and were accepted by the project officers in European Commission. Finally thanks to good management project has successfully finished phase one of the ToE competition PoE had created and submitted business plan that represents long-term vision of the new Centre of Excellence.
Work package 2 – Economic & Envirmoental Analysis; Research Plan & Innovation policy
In this Work Package PoE have analized potential socio-economic factors of establishing ICRI-BioM and their impact on the future strategy of the CoE, identified the Critical Research Issues which will be further developed in the ICRI-BioM and identified significant clusters and set out the rules of cooperation with them. One of the biggest deliverable in WP2 was the commercialization strategy, that was work out together with external company.
Work package 3 - Functional and Implementation concept of the NEW INSTITUTION
In this Work Package PoE have created the full concept for creation new CoE. It was decided that ICRI-BioM will operate as foundation under the Polish Act-Law on Foundation of April 6, 1984, based on the Max Planck Society experience and its best practices. The ICRI-BioM will be located in Lodz, and may establish branch offices and other organisation units, and if operating outside the borders of the Republic of Poland – representative offices. PoE in this WP have created complex scheme of governing and operational bodies including research structure. Consortium also work out regulation for staff recruitment & remuneration policy and assessed potential risks. As a last deliverable Logical Framework Matrix (LFM) was submitted.
Work package 4 - Legal & Administrative issues; Financial Analysis
In this Work Package PoE have described the basic procedures applied in the Max Planck Institutes that will be adopted in new CoE, they created statut of new institution, determined steps for legally establishing CoE, and created comprehensive financing plan that will provide long-term self-sustainability.
Work package 5 - Business Plan
Draft of the business plan allowed PoE to conduct comprehensive evaluation of the project realisation. Evaluation made by external company helped consortium members to improve final version of business plan.
Work package 6 - Communication & Dissemination
Dissemination activities took place, not directly, but by participation in other important actions:
1) 11.04.2016 Lodz- Head of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education in Poland on presentation of the project ICRI-BioM at Lodz Regional Science and Technology Park. The head of the Ministry of Science announced support for the creation in Lodz the International Research Center for Innovative Biomaterials ICRI BioM.
http://lodz.tvp.pl/24850941/wicepremier-gowin-deklaruje-wparcie-dla-technoparku(öffnet in neuem Fenster)2) 26.04.2016 Warsaw; Małgorzata Snarska-Świderska was invited to the presentation of the ICRI-BIOM project, as a good practice of the Call: H2020-WIDESPREAD-2014-1. It was also an opportunity to promote the project and dissemination results of Teaming Stage 1. The National Contact Point for Research Programme of EU was holding an Info Day on the Spreading excellence and Widening participation Calls in Horizon 2020. This Info Day was taking place in Warsaw on 26th April 2016, at the Institute of Fundamental Research Polish Academy of Sciences. The event was addressed primarily to research and development units, universities, science parks, technology and all stakeholders interested in the subject, as well as obtaining funding in future calls.
http://www.kpk.gov.pl/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Teaming_ICRI-BioM_M_Snarska.pdf(öffnet in neuem Fenster)3) 29.04.2106 Brussels - Dissemination activities took also place during the workshop organized by Committee of the Regions and the European Commission/DG RTD with the support of ERRIN (Lodzkie region is a member of ERRIN). The project ICRI-BioM was presented as a part of regional policy by Prof. Bielecki Rector of POLITECHNIKA ŁÓDZKA during Case Study session.
