The aim of the project is to enhance Selcuk University’s scientific excellence and innovation capacity in engineered surfaces and films for emerging technologies to the European level, by working with leading European institutes: AMBER, an international organization conducting research in materials science through collaboration with partners in industry and FBK, an applied research center that combines scientific excellence with the ability to transfer the results to the business world and operates materials and interfaces, nano-devices and microsystems, nano-technologies, biotech, integrated systems, renewable energy and environmental monitoring
To enhance Selcuk University’s research capacity and to improve the academic staff’s research profile in the trans-disciplinary area of EngSurf-Twin, the partners will implement a strategy defined in 4 pillars providing a base to enhance the research excellence and innovation at the SU.
• Science &Technology pillar will develop international leading research in surface science and technologies to create a versatile platform for onward development and innovation. These measures will establish opportunities for long-term science and innovation strategy provided by twinning partners to SU (WP2) and the areas building on existing research thrusts (Engineered surfaces and films for emerging technologies, Functionalised nanostructured materials for device fabrication, Functional metal oxide films and surfaces and Engineered surfaces for sensing).
• Research & Education pillar will provide measures to enhance the SU staff’s research expertise, promoting scientific excellence and sustainable capacity-building activities for future research excellence particularly at PhD level. These measures will be established through networking, mentoring and jointly writing papers, research management and administration (WP3), increasing the soft skills of the ESR’s via increasing project proposal development and project management skills (WP2). This will ensure SU’s regional leadership as a leading academic institute and provide a platform for ESRs to undergo a well-rounded PhD education.
• Enhancing academy industry engagement pillar will provide an active and proactive program to promoting the exchange of know-how between industry and the University. In order to do so, the leading partners have well-established university-industry collaborations with high-tech industry and will locally implement the best practices to improve the SU’s industry engagement and will help to promote technology innovation in engineered surfaces and thin films for practical applications for the industry (WP4).
• Society pillar will help to stimulate the visibility, reputation and dissemination capacity of SU. This will be developed through public lectures, websites, social media, public outreach and entertainment channels. Networking activities will promote through extensive visits to stakeholders, participation to industry fairs, innovation management training workshop (WP4).
The overall aim of the Twinning project will be then achieved through following twinning activities:
• Staff exchange (min 2 weeks and max 2 months) activities between SU and twinning partners,
• Experts visits (at least 1 week) from twinning partners,
• Short-term on-site trainings (at least 2 week) in the twinning partners,
• Workshops organisation- 3 workshops on following topics will be organised, New Frontiers in Engineered Surfaces and Thin Films: Approaches & Application; Opportunities for Innovative Materials, Surfaces and Nanosystems for Industrial applications and Nanoarray Chemical Sensor Design, and Fabrication Methods.
• International/Advanced schools organisation – 3 schools will be organized together with twinning partners,
• Innovation management training activities- 2 activity will be organized
• Dissemination and outreach activities to academics, industry, SMEs and public.
• Joint EU and international projects preparation.
