Astra

Objectives of the Project

The specific objectives of the proposed project evolve around the main target group of the project: academic staff, researchers and administrative personnel working in the participating HEIs in the 2 Partner Countries:

1. To inform and build the capacities of the HEIs in the Partner Countries about the available donour-funded Programmes for Research & Development in the ICT sector and Social Sciences and how to take advantage of them.
2. To better equip academic staff, researchers and administrative personnel of the participating HEIs in the 2 Partner Countries with the necessary skills and competences for designing and delivering consulting support Research & Development services in order to serve the specific needs of private clients and NGOs / CSOs in Laos and Thailand.
3. To enhance the service portfolio of HEIs in the Partner Countries by introducing new, modern Research & Development services.
4. To establish the necessary structures for providing those services in a professional and comprehensive way in the form of the 4 Research & Development Innovation Centers that will be set up (one in each participating university).
5. To introduce an innovative, comprehensive mechanism to the higher education systems of Laos and Thailand, introducing additional and sustainable revenue streams for Research & Development activities, in line with European good practices and standards.

Expected Main Results

The results described below derive from all project activities.

1. Increased skills of HEI staff, researchers and senior students in the 4 target HEIs to identify and pursue/ exploit institutional and private R&D funds;
2. Increased readiness of HEIs in Thailand and Laos to exploit institutional and private funds in the ICT and social science field;
3. Increased regional cooperation and interaction in institutional fundraising activities in the ICT and social science field; and
4. Stronger links between tertiary education and the local industry in the ICT and social science field.
5. Capacity building at 2 levels:
   • at macro level, on how to develop their fundraising strategies and Action Plans for exploiting funding from international donours and the private sector
   • at micro level, on how to develop successful applications for funding and on how to promote the research and development expertise of their HEIs to the private sector and NGOs / CSOs.
6. Improved governance and fundraising models among HEIs in Thailand and Laos and by extension in Southeast Asia;
7. Improved competence of HEI senior management staff for strategic planning on the basis of a more business oriented model of work;
8. Increased regional cooperation and interaction in institutional fundraising activities in the ICT and social science field; and Increased participation of HEIs in Southeast Asia in competitive bid management processes.

Project Activities

The project Includes Activities that have been divided in 7 Working Packages, as follows:

• WP1: Needs and resource mapping and assessment
• WP2: Design phase
• WP3: Capacity building phase
• WP4: Set-up and pilot operation of the Hubs
• WP5: Quality assurance and evaluation
• WP6: Dissemination & exploitation
• WP7: Project management & coordination

Additionally, 5 physical PSC meetings are planned to take place (M1, M8, M16, M26, Μ36), each of them lasting for 2 days