WP 5 Project management P1 (UMR)
Objectives:
This work package is concerned with governing the overall project including implementation of the deliverables and administrative procedures. Specifically, this WP is to ensure that the project meets all its objectives, on time and within the budget.
Hence, the objectives of this WP are:
The responsible party for achieving those objectives is the lead partner (UMR).
Description:
This WP will ensure that the project meets all its objectives, on time and within the budget. The main tasks include the organisational, financial and scientific management of the project and facilitation of communication among all parties and actors involved in the project, to ensure high scientific quality of the deliverables and to organize effective project coordination meetings. The tasks include coordination of bi-annual project coordination meetings with all project partners, monitoring progress of WP tasks, ensuring the correct reporting of all partners and connecting with other on-going research projects for added synergies. Advisory board members will be invited to the bi-annual Coordination meetings to provide feedback on the activities carried out and suggestions for future research activities in the project. The comments from the advisory members will be documented and reflected in the project plan of activities.
Task 5.1 Overall project management
Leading of administrative, financial, contractual and scientific management of the project.
• Development of the Consortium Agreement
• Detect bottlenecks and problems from early on and inform the Call Office about any event that might affect the implementation of the project
• Ensure that all work is carried to a high standard and meets contractually bound deliverables and milestones presented in the proposal
• Responsible for sharing all information with consortium partners and ensure efficient internal knowledge transfer and communication among all parties involved
• Responsible for monitoring data and timely delivery of project reports
• Participate at three mandatory joint network meetings
o Kick-off-meeting
o Mid-term-meeting
o Final meeting
• Act as the central contact point for the consortium during the full lifespan of the research projects
• Secretariat and prepare reports to ERA-NET SUSFOOD2 and CORE Organic Cofunds with the support of all partners
• Each project partner will deliver individual reports to their national funding body to document the project activities, implementation of deliverables and spending.
Task 5.2 Project governance
Management team: This is the overall team governing the project. It consists of the lead partner and all WP leaders and is tasked with project coordination, organization of the bi- annual meetings, organization of teleconferences, briefing all partners on administrative procedures, making sure that reporting processes are undertaken in due time and facilitation of communication between project partners.
Steering committee: The steering committee consists of one representative of each project partner and is concerned with managing project implementation and, as such, the timely development of all project deliverables within the given budget. Members of the steering committee coordinate permanently and will meet as a group during the bi-annual conference to present progress in their set of deliverables.
Advisory board: This is a board of academics and/or policy makers familiar with sustainable transitions and food systems who are invited to serve as advisors for the task implementation and publications which will be developed in the project. They will conduct analysis, provide feedback and review publication drafts for quality assurance. Three members of the advisory board will attend every second bi-annual meeting. They will be approached to support specific tasks based on their expertise. The advisory board will also provide guidance for viable future research. Project meetings: The project consortium will organise 2 annual meetings, including kick-off and final meeting.
Milestone 5.1 Partnership agreement
The Partnership agreement is part of the required administrative procedure in order to start project implementation and defines the terms and conditions between the lead partner and the project partners in terms of deliverables, financing and administrative procedures. This will be finalised at the beginning of the project.
Milestone 5.2 Recruitment of advisory board members
The advisory board shall consist of three members which are invited from the diverse institutions who serve as project partners and external institutions from the wider network of the project consortium. While it is anticipated that the advisory board membership will remain consistent over the duration of the whole project, it is also possible that advisors will engage temporarily to contribute to selected themes. They attend every second project meeting.
Deliverable 5.1 Project reporting
As part of the project management procedure UMR is tasked with overseeing the timely and correct delivery of project milestones and deliverables. UMR will be responsible to compile the project progress and report to SUSFOOD2 and CORE Organic whenever this is necessary. UMR will represent the project at program conferences. Each project partner will deliver individual reports to their national funding body to document the project activities, implementation of deliverables and spending.
Deliverable 5.2 Six bi-annual meetings
All project partners gather during two annual project meetings to present progress and discuss next steps.
Potential conflicts, progress and administrative issues shall be discussed within different workshops. This is also an opportunity for the project management group to coordinate in person on issues related to project governance, implementation and administration. Three members of the advisory board will attend every second meeting to provide guidance on the project related research.