A recap on Twinn4MicroUp’s Year 1 Knowledge Transfer Activities
From training schools and online seminars to expert-led talks and workshops, TwInn4MicroUp Year 1 was all about building connections, learning together, and sharing the necessary tools in order to create a more sustainable future through research and innovation. Our knowledge transfer activities brought together researchers, project managers, and students to explore what it really takes to deliver impactful, collaborative, and well-managed EU-funded projects — all linked to the TwInn4MicroUp mission on advancing microbial technologies for plastic waste upcycling.
Seminars
Throughout Year 1 of our project, we ran a packed seminar series focused on common challenges in project administration. Each session featured expert trainers, combining useful guidance as well as interactive discussions, providing participants with a valuable opportunity to develop new skills and improve existing ones.
April 30th 2025 | Financial Management in Project Administration
The seminar, organized in collaboration with the European Training Academy, focused on the financial management in project administration within Horizon Europe. Delivered by Marija Šola Spasić, Project Manager at the University of Belgrade and National Contact Point for EU programme finance, the training provided practical insights into budget planning and implementation. Participants explored funding rates, eligible cost types, and key budget categories such as personnel costs, subcontracting, and purchases. A workshop guided attendees through cost calculations, while further sessions addressed financial reporting, audits, and the Certificate on the Financial Statements. The event concluded with an open discussion, offering participants valuable tools for managing Horizon Europe projects effectively.
June 11th 2025 | Effective Team Collaboration and Management
The seminar “Effective Team Collaboration and Leadership”, organized with the European Training Academy was delivered by Milena Micevski (Copenhagen Business School), focused on building leadership capacity and fostering strong teamwork. Participants explored the distinction between managing and leading, practiced adaptive leadership strategies, and engaged in interactive exercises such as the “Leadership Coat of Arms” and “Leadership Challenge”. The training also covered motivation, trust, goal alignment, conflict resolution, and effective communication skills. The event concluded with a wrap-up that revisited the key takeaways from each session and provided space for reflection, questions, and feedback. Through a blend of theory, discussion, and hands-on exercises, the seminar equipped participants with essential tools to lead confidently and cultivate strong, collaborative teams.
July 7th 2025 | Effective Project Planning and Execution
This online seminar was led by Dr. Máire Brophy, expert in research funding and proposal development. Focusing on the pre-award phase of Horizon Europe projects, the training covered project types, roles of coordinators and managers, consortium building, and partner identification. A practical group exercise, based on Horizon Europe calls, guided participants in mapping expertise, infrastructures, and stakeholder engagement strategies. Further sessions addressed organizational structures, risk management, Gantt charts, budgeting, and defining deliverables, milestones, and impact pathways. Additionally, guest speakers Dr. Kieran Dowd, Dr. Noel Gately, and Dr. Nikolaos Fokialakis enriched the programme by sharing hands-on experiences in EU project coordination. The seminar concluded with an interactive Q&A and complemented a follow-up session on the post-award phase of project implementation.
July 24th 2025 | Advanced Administrative Skills for Project Managers
The Advanced Administrative Skills for Project Managers seminar, organized by TUS in collaboration with NuaFund, focused on strengthening post-award competencies for EU-funded projects, building on a previous pre-award session. It provided practical guidance on project governance, financial management, communication, and strategic planning to ensure effective project execution. Key topics included Project Set-Up and Governance, risk management, Horizon Europe financial oversight, and strategies for communication, dissemination, open science, intellectual property, and data management. Through interactive discussions and real-world examples, participants gained essential tools to manage post-award activities efficiently. Through practical recommendations and interactive discussions, the seminar equipped participants with essential tools to manage post-award activities efficiently and enhance the strategic value of their EU-funded projects.
September 22nd 2025 | Seminar on Proposal Writing and Funds Acquisition
adjacent to the joint conference of the MikroBioKosmos Society & the Central and East Europe Symposium of Microbial Ecology 2025 (MBKCEESME 2025), Thessaloniki, Greece
On Monday, 22nd September 2025, a satellite symposium adjacent to the MBKCEESME 2025 conference was organized to support young scientists, focusing on career development and funding acquisition. The satellite symposium event featured two sessions with a total of five talks covering topics such as lab culture, innovative teaching, ERC grants, career transitions, and applying research in industry. Speakers included Kyriaki Kalaitzidou, Mary Allen, Eleni Zika, Michael Sauer, and Kalliopi Chalkou, sharing insights from academia and industry. The symposium provided practical guidance, inspiration, and strategies to help early-career researchers navigate career paths and funding opportunities. Through interactive discussions and expert presentations, participants gained tools to enhance professional growth and scientific impact.
Workshop
October 14–15th 2024 | Fundamental Project Management Skills
A total of 12 talented individuals from NTUA, IMGGE, UNIBA, and TUS had the opportunity to participate in this two-day event. The workshop was led by Dr. Deasún Ó Conchúir, a highly experienced Project Management Consultant and Academic with decades of global experience. He has worked with major clients such as Airbus, Volvo, GE, Ericsson, Zurich Insurance, HP, and numerous SMEs. As the author of “Overview of the PMBOK® Guide” and a former Head of School of Engineering at WIT, Dr. Ó Conchúir provided invaluable insights into effective project management, using the EU’s PM2 methodology as the guiding framework.
Training School
June 28th 2025 | Advancing Green Bio/Mechano/Chemical Technologies for Plastic Waste Valorization
adjacent to the 7th International Summer School on Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Development (ISSCBSD), Thessaloniki, Greece
During the 7th International Summer School on Circular Bioeconomy and Sustainable Development (ISSCBSD), Twinn4MicroUp led a full-day training session focused on green, bio-based technologies for plastic waste upcycling. Speakers from across our consortium, including NTUA, IMGGE, UNIBA, TUS and distinguished guests from UCD and PAN, shared cutting-edge research and explored future directions. We also supported the participation of three PhD students from our partner institutions, helping them connect with a broader network of young scientists.
What made this year truly special wasn’t just the knowledge shared, but it was everyone who supported and actively attended our knowledge transfer events. The questions asked, the ideas exchanged, the willingness to learn from one another added value to those sessions.
As we look ahead to Year 2, we’re excited to continue building a vibrant, collaborative community, where knowledge flows freely and innovation is always within reach. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who has been part of our journey so far.
