Newcastle University

Work Package Leaders: Newcastle University, United Kingdom (UNEW)

Objectives

The scientific co-ordination of the project (WP8) work package is responsible for the technical management of the project. This WP will be the overall responsibility of UNEW with the Project Coordinator having final responsibility for the delivery of the scientific elements of the project. This will be facilitated by the participation of UNEW in all the work packages across the project, in conjunction with continuous dialogue with the Work package Leaders (WPL). A strategic advisory committee will be established to provide advice and guidance to the project with a subgroup focused on dissemination.

Description of work

The main tasks of WP8 are:

• coordination and monitoring of scientific work within the consortium and work-packages
• overall coordination and communication with the Commission
• the supervision of project progress milestones and project global critical path;
• contacts and meetings with the project Strategic Advisory Committee
• the scientific review of the work performed by the partners including scientific monitoring of deliverables and milestones and the work plan, including the verification of the quality, consistency and respect of deadlines
• conflict resolving relating to technical and organisational issues

Each of the WPL will be responsible for the coordination of activities in their work packages. Each WPL will be supported by a Co-leader. All the WPLs are known experts in their fields. The scientific coordination within the project will be supported by management meetings, organised once a year and teleconferencing when deemed necessary by the Project Coordination Unit. Liaison between the participants will be maintained by email, videoconference and skype or elluminate. A password protected website will also be developed to ensure that communication flows securely between the coordinator and the partners. This will be accompanied by short bullet point progress reports every three months.

Progress consortium meetings will be held 3 times during the project, 1 in the UK, 1 in Italy and 1 in South Africa. Each meeting will serve to establish the trajectory for the following year in the project. Since each year corresponds to a distinct phase, 3 meetings will be necessary. The first meeting will take place in the first month of the project in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. This meeting will be used to establish the general framework and management of the project including the rules of the FP7 programme such as partners’ responsibilities and reporting requirements, deliverable sign-off procedure and templates for all project documentation, etc. The second meeting will coincide with the conference to launch the toolkit and establish the methodology for the second phase of the project this is in Freiburg, Germany. The third consortium meeting will take place in Cape Town, South Africa, at the start of the third phase (month 24). This meeting will serve to discuss the preliminary key findings of WPs 2-5 and to consolidate the dissemination activities of WP7. It will enable participants to experience the South African context in order to support the SA colleagues in their development of their version of the toolkit and analysis of the project outcomes.

Description of deliverables

D8.1 Inception meeting: As soon as possible after the start of the project

D8.2 Phase two launch (toolkit): All participants will join a together at the launch of the toolkit at Turin University

D8.3 Phase three launch: A meeting in Cape Town for the work package leaders to report on the outcomes of the interventions, experience the South African context and prepare for the final year of evaluation and dissemination.

D8.4 Final meeting: Final meeting in Maynooth, Ireland to round off the project, ensure all work has been completed and to share outcomes and plans for further research.