Research cooperations:
7 steps to success

Until an idea becomes a successful finalised research project, several stations must be passed. The TIMed Center of the University of Applied Sciences Upper Austria cooperates with companies and partners from economic and social research areas. Together, fascinating research projects are successfully realised. In the following, a typical process of a research project is outlined.

1. Idea

Your research question or research topic is the basis for a research project in cooperation with the TIMed Center. Companies and Scientific Institutions (e.g. universities, non-university research facilities) as well as Societal Institutions (e.g. hospitals, doctors) can engage in projects with the TIMed Center.

 

2. Approach

As soon as organisations get in contact with the TIMed Center, they get more information about the process of a research project and the possible forms of a cooperation. Also the problem / the research idea will be discussed in more detail. Additionally the objectives of the research project will be outlined and the next appointment with the relevant contact people will be fixed. There, the future research partners scrutinise the topic in detail and flesh out the further cooperation possibilities.

 

3. Application

In addition to the content, the financial circumstances must be clarified. A research project, for example, can be co-financed with third-party funding and together with the research partners the right support program needs to be selected. A funding application is drawn up in accordance with the program guidelines, which contains the following points

  • Definition of project goals
  • Research questions
  • Working plan with working packages
  • Schedule with Milestones
  • Project Plan
  • Budget Plan

After the preparation the funding application is submitted and checked by the funding agency. After the pledge for funding a conveying contract is issued.

Further information on subsidies:

 

4. Agreements

If funding is granted, there are usually two contracts created: the funding agreement between the funding agency and the project consortium (all research partners) and a consortium agreement between the research partners. They contain the following aspects:

Funding agreement

  • Partner
  • Roles
  • Amount of funding
  • Conditions and rights
  • Payment rates

Consortium agreement

  • Use of existing results
  • Tasks and responsibilities
  • Rights and duties
  • Benefit and utilization of project results

 

5. Cooperative Research

In a cooperative kick-off meeting all research partners get to know each other. Additionally the objectives will be defined and project arrangements like the exchange of information will be defined. After that people start to work on their work packagesThere will be regular follow-up meetings to discuss the project progress, interim results and possible changes of the project plan. In this regard the documentation and the reporting for the sponsor, co-produced by all members of the entire consortium, is of particular importance.

 

6. Project Closure

After research had been carried out with the cooperation partners all parties can dispose of the research results as previously agreed. A final project report is compiled and examined by the sponsor. After that the final funding rate will be paid out and the project will be finalized.

 

7. Benefit

For both, research partners and the TIMed Center the benefit of the research results has great meaning. The results  can be used by the research partners for economic or scientific purposes as agreed in the consortium agreement. Economically usable results can be further developed to products or be protected by patents. Scientifically relevant results are published together in specialist journals or at specialist conferences. New technological insights are integrated into teaching programs.

Long-term cooperations are useful for all research partners. They enable an iterative further development, extension of research topics and allow for subsequent research questions to unfold.