MANAGEMENT STRUCTURES & PROCEDURES

The management and organisation of this Action will be set up in compliance with COST Rules. The Management Committee (MC), chaired by the Action Chair (AC) and a Vice-Chair (AVC), will steer and  oversee the activities, supervise the correct allocation and use of the budget, guarantee and promote proper gender balance and effective dissemination, decide on the participation of Working Group (WG) members and ad hoc participants (with emphasis in ECI, the under-represented gender and researchers from Inclusiveness Targeted Countries and Near Neighbour Countries), so that the Action is correctly implemented according to COST rules. The initial consortium combines all the necessary expertise to engage in this network but further partners with complementary skills are anticipated to join to maximize the results. MC will also prepare MC meetings, agendas and meetings. Overall, the MC will be milestone-driven and supervise the successful completion of Action Activities.

During the first MC meeting, a Core Group (CG) will be appointed, Working Group composition and work plans defined, to ensure successful networking. The CG will be composed by the Action Chair (AC) and the Vice-Action Chair (VAC), WG leaders (WGLs) and Vice-Leaders (WGVLs) who coordinate each WG and report progress to the MC. The CG will be supported by specific tasks coordinator: i) the Grant Holder Manager (GHM – responsible for the sound administrative management of the Action); ii) a Dissemination Coordinator (DC) and Vice Coordinator (DVC) (working on the coordination of dissemination activities - see section 2.2.2.); iii) Short Term Scientific Mission Manager (STSM) and a Training Coordinator (TC) coordinating the organization of training schools and training opportunities, especially involving the Early Career Investigators (ECIs), allowing them to obtain international research experience in other groups or nominating them as national delegates (whenever possible) and in leading roles; iv) two Industrial Representatives (IRS), who will discuss the needs of the industry and translate the information about potentially exploitable outcomes.

MC will include also an Advisory Board (AB) of observers and external experts - also from the industrial sector - to control the compliance of the work plan according to the milestones and deliverables foreseen, proposing adjustments of the Action scientific work plan or activities if necessary and help to re-orient the WGs towards research lines most appealing and profitable to present and future market scenarios for chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Moreover, individual MC members will be appointed as Coordinator of Gender Balance (CGB) and Vice Coordinator (VCGB), in charge to monitor an appropriate gender balance in all the activities. Special attention will be devoted to the gender balance in the management structures and in the participation in activities. There will be a strong cooperation between all the members of the CG. MC and CG will meet once a year to discuss progress, define and re-define operational guidelines and organize future activities, meanwhile maintaining fluent communication by e-mails, conference calls, videoconferences or similarly. Other management structures will be adapted if necessary by the MC during the lifetime of the Action.