Right from the beginning of the project, all the activities were targeted to the successful submission of the second stage TEAMING proposal. The work packages and the partial tasks were composed so that they cover all the aspects related to establishing, positioning, operation and sustainability period of the Centre of Excellence.
The project activities may be considered at 2 levels: scientific and activities related to management.
The scientific activities were performed within the WP 1 Long-term Science and Innovation Strategy with the final most significant output: D1.2 Final Science and Innovation Strategy and partly within the WP2 Regional and International Integration Strategy with the final deliverables: D2.2: Long-Term International Cooperation Strategy; D2.3: Concept for the integration of the Centre of Excellence for Nanomaterials into relevant market structures; D2.4: Synthesis report: framework conditions for effective and coordinated approaches to foster Centre of Excellence for Nanomaterials. In close cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research in Wurzburg, Germany, the comprehensive report on the scientific focus and activities of the CoE was prepared by the NANOMATCON scientific representative prof. Lubomir Spanhel. This report was a base for the second stage NANOMATCON proposal.
During the first project phase, four coordination meetings with both project partners – Fraunhofer Institutes (Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research in Wurzburg and Fraunhofer Center for International Management and Knowledge Economy IMW) and Czech-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce were organized. Next to these, more narrowly focused meetings were organized targeted on two crucial topics: scientific activities and organizational and management structure of the Centre.
Head of the TUL project team prof. Petr Tůma, director of the Institute for Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovation (CxI TUL) was responsible for the negotiations on the future organizational structure of the CoE and its integration into the Institute´s structure. Final draft of the CoE structure was due to different legal environment in partner country the most crucial point, which led to solution in late spring 2016. The proposed structure as presented in the second stage proposal was agreed by both project partners and the base was presented to the Scientific Board of CxI TUL.
Continuously, business trips to the premises of academic and especially industrial partners, where NANOMATCON idea and research topics were presented, took place. In total 27 letters of Intent were signed.
The web page of the project was established. In first project month, the press release was issued, also during the life time of the project the popularized publication were issued. The project team participated at several conferences (NANOMATCON, NANO ISRAEL, Nanomaterials for Industry), one was organized at the TUL premises – NART 2015, where NANOMATCON project was presented. In April 2016 workshop for Industry at the premises of Czech-German Chamber of Industry and Commerce was realized, where more than 20 representatives of industrial companies listened to the presented research topics.
Prof. Petr Tůma, director of CxI, and prof. Kůs, rector of TUL had the opportunities to speak with many politic representatives and acquainted them with the project idea.
In March 2016 the ESIF NANOMATCON project was submitted to Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MEYS). This project should ensure the infrastructural funding for the investment and devices.
