TWIN4MERIT Project: Twinning for Excellence in Management and Economics of Research and Innovation
An opportunity to improve the research landscape of Cyprus in interdisciplinary field of Management and Economics of Research and Innovation.
Report on existing situation.
The TWIN4MERIT project extends its scope further than producing excellent research to carry out a capacity building process with two leaders in the fields Maastricht University and the University of Carlos III of Madrid to render Cyprus a key player in the EMMENA region and the SInnoPSis research unit a true centre of excellence in the field in the forthcoming years. Also, a key role of the project is to enable the advancement of the Research Management in Cyprus by engaging the academic and research actors of Cyprus into a self-reflection and improvement process in key skills and capacities such as research grant writing, research project management, open science, research assessment, innovation management and other relevant areas of interest and importance.
The Deliverable 4.1., the Report on existing situation is a vital report that provides a thorough overview of the current state in the field of Research and Innovation Management and Support, with a focus on Cypriot Institutions. The deliveranle is the result of extensive analysis, desk research and data examination aimed at understanding the current situtation, identifying strenghts and weaknesses, spotting opportunities and laying the groundwork for fututre strategics actions to enhance R&I Management and Support. The report offers a detailed look into the existing policies, practices and trends within R&I, highlighting the main factors that shapes the research ecosystem, particularly in the MERIT domain.
As a key part of the TWIN4MERIT project, the report is essential for directing specific actions to improve R&I Management and Support, thereby boosting the capacity of the participating organisations and Cyprus as a whole to respond the challenges such as securing funding from Horizon Europe and implementing important ERA priorities and actions such as open science, gender equality, research assessment and knowledge valorisation.
The methodology behind the report included both desk research and the creation of a questionnaire consisting of 36 questions on various R&I aspects. The responses were analysed to identify the strengths and potential for improvement in R&I management and support within the participating organisations. Following the analysis, fact sheets were prepared for each organisation to aid in the benchmarking process of the next deliverable (D.4.2.), where comparison with the project advanced partners, the EU average, and the CY average to identify significant gaps will be carried out. Using the findings from Deliverable 4.1., along with efforts from Task 4.2. and input from advanced partners, a practical action plan will be developed in Deliverable 4.3. to enhance R&I support mechanisms for the University of Cyprus and all involved institutions after the project’s completion.
The European Office of Cyprus leads Work Package 4: Research and Innovation Management and Support Mechanisms, overseeing the development of the Report on the Existing Situation, coordinating by the University of Cyprus. If you are interested in participating in the activities of the TWIN4MERIT Project, please reach out to us at christou.p.elpida@ucy.ac.cy.