Main Findings So Far

WP3 – Interaction Between HEIs and SMEs

GIENAHS partners, in the context of WP3, worked together in order to define the most effective ways to stimulate HEIs / SMEs interactions. Specific data collection tools were developed as well as interview guidelines. An overview about the tools can be found here. The analysis was then carried out from both perspectives (HEIs / SMEs). A first report was drawn up, at each country level, highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of the interaction by HEIs perspective. Main findings from HEIs perspective can be found here. Furthermore, the second analysis, aiming to record the SMEs views on interaction and collaboration status with HEIs, took place subsequently and the main results can be found here. Finally, a technical meeting was organized in London for sharing all the results and for working on the integrated data in order to detect an improved model of interaction HEIs / SMEs with EU relevance for enhancing R&D processes in European SMEs. Τhe press release of the WP3 Second Joint Technical Meeting in London, UK, can be found here.

 

WP4 – Map of Key Processes and Competences for Innovation in SMEs 

Through WP4, GIENAHS Project aimed to detect the key processes and competences for innovation in SMEs in order to define the key skills to equip industrial researchers and company staff to more effectively support innovation in Small and medium-sized enterprises. For the analysis of the current state of the art, a database of SME samples was created in each country and a specific questionnaire was elaborated. The data emerged were reported, then, in an elaborative Technical Assessment Report (T.A.R.) for each country. A Joint Technical meeting was held at Warsaw University of Technology (Poland) the 19th – 20th September 2019 to share the results that emerged at the country level and start composing together a map of the key skills. The main findings of the meeting can be found here. The final report on key competences to be trained through the new Industrial PhD path for SMEs and the guidelines to be adopted in the next WP (6_The method and the path for an Industrial PhD SMEs oriented) are under development.

 

WP5 – Legal Frameworks for the Development of the New Industrial PhD Path for SMEs

The first main GIENAHS objective in this WP5 was to identify the different rules applied for the regulation of industrial PhDs at national level in the six partner countries, in order to define the legal framework for the implementation of the new joint Industrial PhD path SMEs oriented. Six National Reports were prepared on the legislation status in the participating countries recording the existing situation on Industrial PhD regulations. According to the related findings, a compared analysis is under development with the aim of elaborating a proposal for harmonization to bring to the attention of the European Commission.
In addition, three studies were conducted on:

  • the legislation of six countries in terms of labour disciplines that rule the participation of employees in industrial doctorate paths;
  • the procedures adopted by universities in each partner country to implement joint path with foreign partners;
  • the EU procedure for the recognition of the new Industrial PhD path for SMEs.

The integrated reports, which report the results with respect to these three studies, are under review and will be available on the project website by March 2020.