Organizational Structure
Representatives of the EULiST organization structure at Universidad Rey Juan Carlos
María Luisa Humanes Humanes
Vice-Rector for International Relations
EULiST Management Board
Leader of WP5 EULiST Outreach,Engagement and Transfer
Pablo T. Salvadores Alonso
Director of Projects and International Relations
EULiST Management Board
Leader Task 5.3 EULiSTBeyond Europe
Juan Manuel García Camús
EULiST
EULiST Local Coordinator
Leader Task 5.5 ExternalCommunication and Dissemination
EULiST is an alliance of European universities working together closely on different levels in strategic, educational, research and outreach activities and intense mobility of students and staff. The current structure of the Work Packages presented in this proposal stems from the areas in which EULiST Members have actively collaborated since 2019. EULiST was formally established in 2020 as an alliance of HEIs across Europe with a clear focus on the technological disciplines, but with a broad range of faculties and also a keen interest in the Social Sciences and Humanities. While it was clear from the outset that an application for funding in the European Universities Initiative was one of the mid-range aims of the Alliance, we first wanted to seek broader and deeper cooperation. In particular, we wanted to explore if the core idea of reconciling the growing divide between technological development and societal needs and acceptance could be addressed in a meaningful way.
This was successfully done by four work groups, interrelated by the common goal of working out joint solutions for educating young and lifelong learners for linking society and technology and to exploit the potentials of this connection for research and regional development. More than 100 representatives of the founding HEIs met on a monthly to bi-monthly schedule to discuss needs, solutions, and activities relating to the four pillars of EULiST joint activities: Campus, Studying & Teaching, Research, and Outreach, Engagement & Transfer. These working groups were translated into the work packages of this proposal and are thoughtfully interlocked to enable the objectives of the proposal and the Alliance to be met.
Management structure of the project, incorporated in the overall organisation of the Alliance
The planning and control structure of EULiST aims at high quality and smooth fulfilment of the project obligations. An integrated approach will be used to execute, monitor, and evaluate the progress in and beyond the WPs and Tasks. Each Work Package has clearly specified deliverables and milestones, usually to be fulfilled by one specific Task Group. The WP Leads are responsible for the planning and control of progress of Tasks within their WP. The Management Board, assisted by the Coordination Office, will provide planning and control procedures, including specific guidelines to evaluate Task progress. All Tasks will be evaluated regularly and annual progress reports will be collected by the WPL and presented to the governing bodies such as MB, PB and GA. The quality of deliverables will be guaranteed by a formal deliverables acceptance procedure. The respective guidelines will be defined by the Management Board. The Student Council will have an active and important role in the monitoring of the project by the right to get reports from WP Leads as well as the substantial role of Student Council delegates in the General Assembly.
The EULiST Presidents’ Board is the highest executive body of EULiST, consisting of all presidents of the EULiST Members. They take decisions on matters of high importance as suggested and prepared by the lower executive bodies, such as MB and CO, or matters brought to any one president of one of the Members, if said president deems the issue to be of such importance. The Presidents’ Board will meet twice a year, if possible in person; one such meeting shall be organised in connection to the General Assembly. It will be informed on the progress of the project and included by the project management in all decisions of relevance.
Work in the project is organised into five Work Packages. Each Work Package is headed by a Work Package Lead and Co-Lead (WPL) from two different EULiST Members. The WPLs are responsible for the coordination of the work within the respective Work Package on a day-to-day basis. They are also in charge of budgeting and deliverables in the Work Package. Work Package leadership is assigned to different EULiST Members according to the expertise required. A WP Co-Lead from another EULiST Member with equal expertise supports the WP Lead. Together with the Project Coordinator, who will be hired at the start of the project phase, the WP Leads also coordinate the interaction between the Work Packages.
The Project Coordination is supported by the EULiST Coordination Office, which of the local EULIST Coordinators, the budget office of the Coordinating University (LUH), and the EULiST Coordinator, who took office in January 2023. The EULiST Coordination Office will assist with the project work plan, day-to-day organisational coordination, and can act as the intermediary between the Alliance and the European Commission and national agencies, if needed. The EULiST Coordination Office can assist with the project administration; respond to important changes during the life of the project, and coordinate any necessary adaptation to meet the requirements of the Grant Agreement.
The EULiST Management Board (MB) will be in charge of the guidance of the EULiST project during the overall funding period. It will be the main body responsible for overseeing project management, to ensure coherence of different WPs and effective day-to-day coordination of the project. MB comprises one senior representative from each EULiST Member (usually Vice Presidents with expertise in international affairs or teaching/learning), the Work Package Leads and Co-Leads, as well as two representatives from the Student Council. All persons delegated to the Management will have the necessary authority within their home institution to make decisions and warrant commitment of staff and other resources as required by the project.
The EULiST General Assembly will be established in the first year of the funding period. It will be the highest governing body in the Alliance and will meet once a year. This event will be organised together with a Presidents’ and Management Board Meeting. Annual progress reports will be presented to the General Assembly and suggestions regarding project implementation will also be considered.
The Student Council will be established in the first year of the funding period. It will organise student participation in the project period and beyond by taking part or sending delegates to Knowledge-Creating Teams and Work Packages, where students will actively participate in shaping the development of innovative challenge-based teaching and learning approaches and campus transformation. The Student Council will also send delegates to the General Assembly. Work Package Leads will regularly consult with the Student Council. As the students will be part of the General Assembly, they will be included in the project monitoring and controlling system.
The EULiST Advisory Board serves as an advisory body for the Alliance and will also consult on the project and its progress. The members of the Advisory Board are experts on higher education and representatives from stakeholders at the national level and with European stature. The Advisory Board will follow the ongoing work and contribute to the project, based on their practical experience of societal needs and policy implementation. The Advisory Board will control the progress of the project and ensure that the task of formulating policy recommendations is included in the main work steps of the project.
The involvement of regional and national policymakers, NGOs and other societal stakeholders is another transversal element of the project. These stakeholders will in some cases be associated with EULiST by formal agreements, in other cases be partners of EULiST Members who will then get acquainted with the entire Alliance. These stakeholders will be informed about the developments of EULiST and are welcome to join EULiST events and conferences or be involved in other ways in the work of EULiST.
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