Cutting Edge Training - Cutting Edge Technology

Project Information

EDGE

Grant agreement ID: 713567

DOI

10.3030/713567

Project closed

EC signature date 22 April 2016

Start date 1 June 2016

End date 31 May 2022

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 12 177 600,00

EU contribution

€ 6 088 800,00

Coordinated by

THE PROVOST, FELLOWS, FOUNDATION SCHOLARS & THE OTHER MEMBERS OF BOARD, OF THE COLLEGE OF THE HOLY & UNDIVIDED TRINITY OF QUEEN ELIZABETH NEAR DUBLIN
Ireland

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - EDGE (Cutting Edge Training - Cutting Edge Technology)

Reporting period: 2020-08-01 to 2022-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

EDGE was a training and development programme of scientific excellence for postdoctoral researchers that offered a unique combination of disciplines and industry engagement to the 57 fellows who eventually participated on the programme. Leveraging the strengths and assets of three Irish National Research Centres, AMBER, CONNECT and ADAPT, headquartered in TCD, EDGE has formed a future generation of thought leaders in ICT. AMBER offered expertise in advanced materials that will play a pivotal role in future systems and devices. CONNECT’s focus is on future communication networks towards 6G communications, that will underpin the services the world needs, and ADAPT brings cutting-edge expertise in digital content. EDGE researchers worked at the interface between these Centres and generated highly interdisciplinary projects, adding value to all centres. Most importantly, industry had a primary role in defining, running and supporting the projects, and will take an active part in developing the scientists, through secondments, industry events and specialised training.

Applying the principles of the Charter and Code throughout the programme, the EDGE selection process was guided by the principles of Excellence, Transparency, Fairness and Impartiality. Candidates submitted proposals and fellows were selected following an open, transparent, merit-based, impartial and equitable selection procedure, based on international peer review. EDGE has built skills that addressed a clearly identified skills shortage across Ireland and Europe.

EDGE has impacted Europe through the development of a unique cohort of 57 excellent, cross-disciplinary fellows who will have the capability of managing multidisciplinary, industrial research problems. On completion of their fellowship they had the skillset to enter the European workforce to deliver innovation and enhance European Industrial Competitiveness across the entire spectrum from materials to content. Many of the fellows have already progressed beyond the programme and are either showing signs of becoming leading faculty. In one case, a former EDGE fellow has already reached research area director level in an Irish technological university.

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

EDGE will impact Europe through the development of a unique cohort of excellent, cross-disciplinary fellows who will have the capability of managing multidisciplinary, industrial research problems. On completion of their fellowship they will have the skillset to enter the European workforce to deliver innovation and enhance European Industrial Competitiveness across the entire spectrum from materials to content.

In line with Annex 1 the EDGE COFUND Programme successfully advertised, recruited and trained 57 of the 71 Fellows over four calls. The details of the evaluation and selection process are clearly outlined in deliverables D2.1 and D2.2. The EDGE Programme actually recruited a total of 61 Fellows on 62 Fellowships (one candidate was trained in two member institutions each requiring a separate Fellowship), but four fellows did not come to take up their fellowships, primarily due to the difficulties of the Covid pandemic. Applying the principles of the Charter and Code throughout the programme, the EDGE selection process was guided by the principles of Excellence, Transparency, Fairness and Impartiality. Candidates submitted proposals and fellows were selected following an open, transparent, merit-based, impartial and equitable selection procedure, based on international peer review. EDGE would have liked to have recruited a greater number of fellows, up to the original plan of 71 fellows, but primacy was given to the quality of applicants, and only excellent research fellows candidates and programmes as determined by an international review panel were offered fellowships.

The programme recruited an experienced senior project manager who was located in CONNECT (PM) up to the end of July 2020. The PM was responsible for the day-to-day implementation of the programme up to the completion of the fourth and final round of recruitment. Following that round, and given that Covid pandemic restrictions were in place in Ireland until approximately eight weeks before the end of the programme, the CONNECT Centre Executive Director, an Executive Officer and his Finance Officer managed out the remainder of the programme and its no-cost extension, primarily on a remote online basis given that no alternative was available.

To ensure that the fellows benefit to the maximum extent possible from their research period within the centres, a specific support scheme was set up – a full research training career and development programme. In line with Annex 1 a learning and development officer was recruited to implement the programme’s training and career development activities.

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)

At its core, the EDGE programme aimed to enhance human resources at regional, national and international level. At regional and national level EDGE has already seen 57 Experienced Researchers of the highest quality join three collaborating national research centres based in 10 locations across Ireland. These 57 Experienced Researchers focused on areas deemed of great strategic importance to Ireland and internationally (Advanced Materials, Future Communications Networks and Digital Content). The opportunity to work closely with world leaders in their respective fields, as well as the excellent research environment, combined with attractive remuneration and training packages has ensured we have attracted quality candidates (more than 240 applicants over 4 calls). Aside from the sheer number of fellows and the significant research outputs and outcomes associated with them, the EDGE fellows’ interaction with each other and the non-EDGE researchers created a non-linear impact for the Centres in terms of collaboration, communication, creative interdisciplinarity, and innovation. EDGE Training and Career Development programme is already an exemplar for the Irish Higher Education system on matters relating to researcher careers, training and human resources. The quality of the research outputs, and the impact produced by the EDGE fellows will convince all actors within the Irish system of the benefits of rewarding high quality researchers with excellent conditions, training, and career prospects. EDGE is proving to be an influence in the Irish system towards a greater future use of cohort training programmes for both postdoctoral and PhD students.

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