Periodic Reporting for period 2 - TUNTWIN (TWINNING TOWARDS ADVANCED ANALYTICAL STRATEGIES FOR CAPACITY BUILDING AND INNOVATION FOR THE TUNISIAN ECONOMY: APPLICATION TO THREE INDUSTRIAL KEY SECTORS IN TUNISIA)
Reporting period: 2022-04-01 to 2024-06-30
The TUNTWIN project, funded by the European Commission under the GA 952306, aimed to strengthen INRAP’s scientific and research capacities by enhancing expertise in advanced analytical techniques, particularly mass spectrometry and synchrotron applications, and fostering collaboration between Tunisian and European research institutions. It focused on technology transfer and research excellence, ensuring alignment with Tunisia’s socio-economic priorities, particularly in the environment, food safety, and pharmaceutical sectors.
To achieve this, TUNTWIN established a framework for transnational cooperation, reinforcing research capacity, management, finance, administration, and international networking. By promoting scientific excellence and sustainable expertise development, the project supported Tunisian researchers and stakeholders while fostering economic growth in the targeted sectors.
By addressing key challenges such as brain drain, researcher unemployment, and the misalignment of PhD training with national needs, TUNTWIN has strengthened INRAP’s position as a leading research institution in Tunisia, aligning it more closely with European standards. The project also increased INRAP’s visibility in Europe, fostering stronger industrial and academic partnerships. Ultimately, TUNTWIN has established a sustainable framework for transnational research cooperation, ensuring long-term innovation and impact in mass spectrometry.
Key Achievements
✔ Capacity Building & Training
• 19 Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs) trained (50 months of mobility).
• 21 specialized trainings for senior researchers and technical staff.
• 6 MOOCs, 4 Summer Schools, 4 Expert Workshops.
✔ Scientific & Public Engagement
• 16 published papers, 1 international patent, 1 national invention application.
• 2 Open Days, 2 Researcher’s Nights, 1 Stakeholder’s Event.
• SPECTROMED Congress (135 participants from 9 countries).
✔ Strategic Growth & Collaboration
• 9 agreements signed (industry, research centers, organizations).
• Strengthening of INRAP’s Project Management Office (PMO).
• 15 national & international projects submitted.
To achieve this, TUNTWIN established a framework for transnational cooperation, reinforcing research capacity, management, finance, administration, and international networking. By promoting scientific excellence and sustainable expertise development, the project supported Tunisian researchers and stakeholders while fostering economic growth in the targeted sectors.
By addressing key challenges such as brain drain, researcher unemployment, and the misalignment of PhD training with national needs, TUNTWIN has strengthened INRAP’s position as a leading research institution in Tunisia, aligning it more closely with European standards. The project also increased INRAP’s visibility in Europe, fostering stronger industrial and academic partnerships. Ultimately, TUNTWIN has established a sustainable framework for transnational research cooperation, ensuring long-term innovation and impact in mass spectrometry.
Key Achievements
✔ Capacity Building & Training
• 19 Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs) trained (50 months of mobility).
• 21 specialized trainings for senior researchers and technical staff.
• 6 MOOCs, 4 Summer Schools, 4 Expert Workshops.
✔ Scientific & Public Engagement
• 16 published papers, 1 international patent, 1 national invention application.
• 2 Open Days, 2 Researcher’s Nights, 1 Stakeholder’s Event.
• SPECTROMED Congress (135 participants from 9 countries).
✔ Strategic Growth & Collaboration
• 9 agreements signed (industry, research centers, organizations).
• Strengthening of INRAP’s Project Management Office (PMO).
• 15 national & international projects submitted.
TUNTWIN's goal to create an environment for transnational cooperation and develop a sustainable framework for capacity building in research.
The strengthening of INRAP's staff (senior researchers, ESR and technical staff) is developed by EU partners experts in the field of mass spectrometry, Synchrotron, administrative and financial management of projects, through a series of activities that have already been successfully achieved for the pariod : M16 to M42:
- 1 Awareness visits to 1 primary schools : (M29)
- 2 Open Days : OP (M19 and M42),
- 2 Researcher's night : RN (M23, M34)
- 1 Stakeholder's event : SE (M35)
- 4 EW : (2 in M16, M25 and M42)
- 6 MOOCS
- 4 (MB and BT Meeting) (M18, M28, M35 and M40)
- 4 Summer Schools : SS (M23-M24, M26, M27 and M28).
- 11 new research avenues
- ESR carrying out their PHD thesis within the framework of TUNTWIN (11 ESR directly involved and 8 ESR indirectly involved, with a total mobility of 50 months in the partners' laboratories)
- Specialised individual training (IT) for senior researchers and technical staff (21 placements)
- On-site training (OT) (2 OT: to improve analytical capabilities and operational and maintenance procedures)
- SPECTROMED Congress (1 congress with 135 participants from : France, Bulgaria, Spain, United Kingdom, Algeria, Morocco, Slovenia, Mauritania)
- 02 signed agreement with industry
- 05 signed agreement with research centres and institutes
- 02 signed agreement with organizations (ATIC and ASHO)
Publications :
- 16 punlished papers
- 06 papers under-review
-13 in preparation
Patents:
-1 international patent
-1 National invention application filed
- 24 deliverables have been defined in the TUNTWIN work description.
Two types of deliverables were categorized in terms of their importance in the QA level:
- Important Deliverable (QA1),
- Regular and Operational Deliverables (QA2).
For the INRAP's PMO strengthening (WP3, with the support of UAB)
- Structuring of the former PMO of INRAP into three units:
- Technology transfer,
- Information and Promotion,
- National and international cooperation,
- Establishment of a new program to consolidate the PMOs of INRAP.
- 15 National, Internationnal and european projects submitted by INRAP over the 3 past years.
The strengthening of INRAP's staff (senior researchers, ESR and technical staff) is developed by EU partners experts in the field of mass spectrometry, Synchrotron, administrative and financial management of projects, through a series of activities that have already been successfully achieved for the pariod : M16 to M42:
- 1 Awareness visits to 1 primary schools : (M29)
- 2 Open Days : OP (M19 and M42),
- 2 Researcher's night : RN (M23, M34)
- 1 Stakeholder's event : SE (M35)
- 4 EW : (2 in M16, M25 and M42)
- 6 MOOCS
- 4 (MB and BT Meeting) (M18, M28, M35 and M40)
- 4 Summer Schools : SS (M23-M24, M26, M27 and M28).
- 11 new research avenues
- ESR carrying out their PHD thesis within the framework of TUNTWIN (11 ESR directly involved and 8 ESR indirectly involved, with a total mobility of 50 months in the partners' laboratories)
- Specialised individual training (IT) for senior researchers and technical staff (21 placements)
- On-site training (OT) (2 OT: to improve analytical capabilities and operational and maintenance procedures)
- SPECTROMED Congress (1 congress with 135 participants from : France, Bulgaria, Spain, United Kingdom, Algeria, Morocco, Slovenia, Mauritania)
- 02 signed agreement with industry
- 05 signed agreement with research centres and institutes
- 02 signed agreement with organizations (ATIC and ASHO)
Publications :
- 16 punlished papers
- 06 papers under-review
-13 in preparation
Patents:
-1 international patent
-1 National invention application filed
- 24 deliverables have been defined in the TUNTWIN work description.
Two types of deliverables were categorized in terms of their importance in the QA level:
- Important Deliverable (QA1),
- Regular and Operational Deliverables (QA2).
For the INRAP's PMO strengthening (WP3, with the support of UAB)
- Structuring of the former PMO of INRAP into three units:
- Technology transfer,
- Information and Promotion,
- National and international cooperation,
- Establishment of a new program to consolidate the PMOs of INRAP.
- 15 National, Internationnal and european projects submitted by INRAP over the 3 past years.
The TUNTWIN project will have a significant socio-economic impact by enhancing the employability of newly graduated PhDs through a well-defined placement strategy. By facilitating their professional integration, the project will help reduce researcher unemployment and better utilize their skills in the job market. By improving the management of environmental risks and proposing sustainable solutions, the TUNTWIN project is helping to protect the environment, with positive repercussions for public health and the well-being of local communities. Additionally, TUNTWIN will increase INRAP’s visibility in Europe and Tunisia, enabling the institute to attract more industrial, academic, and research partnerships. This boost in visibility and collaboration could lead to increased funding opportunities, innovative research projects, and better integration of INRAP into international networks, thereby advancing research and fostering transnational cooperation.