The project seeks to train university students to become future research managers and administrators (RMAs) through acquiring professional & practical skills and to be acquainted in programmes financed by the European Union (e.g. H2020, Erasmus+). Besides, foRMAtion is also committed to enhance the visibility and recognition of the research management profession that is essential, as high-quality scientific work requires excellent support and management. To achieve these aims, the project will realize complex and interlinked activities during its 3 years.

The project will start with the elaboration of a methodological guide & good practice collection to collect and analyse the existing practices and consider the transfer of existing know how, lessons learnt, possible failures in the field of training RMAs. Based on this & on the background study prepared by HÉTFA to analyse the necessity of an educational programme for RMAs, an innovative module will be developed to empower potential research administrators & improve their competences in project- and programme management. It will primarily target students from the programmes of international and/or European studies, however, bearing in mind the diversity of the RMAs with regard to their background, the module will be open for any students from any fields or even to early stage RMAs. The module and the related teaching material will be tested for 2 semesters at partner universities.

Moreover, foRMAtion will provide an internship opportunity and also an intensive study programme for selected students which will also contribute to their professional development. In the framework of the project, a blended-learning platform will also be developed offering the opportunity for participants to deepen & test the acquired knowledge, get effective support and gain practical experiences through tests, webinars, vlog, educational videos and situational games.

foRMAtion will be implemented under Erasmus+ programme KA2: Strategic partnership in the field of Higher Education. It will start in this September with a kick-off meeting in Budapest gathering all project partners, namely

• HÉTFA Research Institute (HU),
• Universidade NOVA de Lisboa (PT),
• Corvinus University of Budapest (HU),
• Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania (RO),
• APRE – Agenzia per la Promozione della Ricerca Europea (IT/BE),
• Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovação (PT),
• Slovenian Forestry Institute (SI) and
• Institute of Studies for the Integration of Systems (IT).

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iFEMPOWER seeks to empower female university students to get engaged in self-employment and entrepreneurship especially. The project is starting with an in-depth research on female entrepreneurs in each partner country based on personal interviews and focus groups. This will analyse the current situation and challenges faced by female entrepreneurs coordinated by HETFA.

Then an international curriculum for a complex module will be developed by partners gathered from three pillars of the knowledge triangle, i.e. businesses, business support organizations, the academia and universities.

The module will support university students from any fields to broaden their knowledge on entrepreneurship related topics with a special regard to work life balance. It will also provide hands-on training improving both hard and soft skills. Partner universities will test the curriculum, namely the Corvinus University of Budapest (HU), Sigmund Freud Privatuniversität Wien (AT), Bifröst University (IS) and Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania (RO).

The project represents and innovative and participatory approach by providing mentorship programme for students by connecting them to entrepreneurs. iFEMPOWER will also launch personal consultancy to provide further support for their engagement through the female entrepreneurship counselling points launched at each partner institution. Moreover, through an online toolkit all developed materials and necessary information will be accessible.

iFEMPOWER is starting in these days: the kick-off meeting is being held in Vienna on 13-14 September 2018 in order to agree on the main tasks and responsibilities and start the main work.   The official website and the social media channels of the project will start in due time. Till then, for further details stay tuned on www.hetfa.eu!

The partnership of iFEMPOWER consists of the following organisations: HÉTFA (HU), Andalucía Emprende (ES), Oneco Consulting S.L. (ES), Sigmund Freud Privatuniversität Wien (AT), Sociedade Portuguesa de Inovaçao (PT), Bifröst University (IS), Corvinus University of Budapest (HU), Sapientia Hungarian University of Transylvania (RO), Steinbeis GmbH & Co.KG für Technologietransfer (DE).

Moreover, the following associated partners contribute to the project:

• Lean in Femspace (AT),
• PONT Group (RO),
• Icelandic Directorate of Labour (IS).