EUCERMATEUropean CERamic MATerialsStrategic Partnership

Newsletter n°3 – December 2016

TABLE OF CONTENTSEUCERMAT NEWSLETTER N°3 – DECEMBER 2016

THE INTEGRATION WEEK (P. 3-5)

An example of the bridge between teachings, students and industries – p. 3

Students feedback on the Integration week – p. 4

Photo contest: a cultural and unifying activity in the field of ceramics – p. 5

THE INDUSTRIAL NETWORK (P. 6-8)

The goal – p. 6

The actions – p. 7

The results – p. 8

The current members – p. 8

Next steps – p. 8

THE INTEGRATION WEEK N°1NOVEMBER 2016, LIMOGES, FRANCE

AN EXAMPLE OF THE BRIDGE BETWEEN TEACHINGS, STUDENTS AND INDUSTRIES

From 14th to 18th November 2016, the first Integration Week of the educational program

EUCERMAT was held in Limoges (FR).

This week allowed the first cohort of EUCERMAT students to meet each other, but also to

meet and to exchange with the industrials, teachers and researchers involved in the program.

The whole week had been organized around the existing bridge between teachings,

students and industries: general overview of the project (objective, expected results, target

groups, etc.), visits in the field of ceramic materials, introduction to the e-learning training,

interviews with industrials in order to be selected for a Master thesis in a foreign company, etc.

14/11/2016 Welcoming event

International office of the University of Limoges

THE INTEGRATION WEEK N°1NOVEMBER 2016, LIMOGES, FRANCE

STUDENTS FEEDBACK ON THE INTEGRATION WEEK

The satisfaction enquiry results bring to light that the students enjoyed the week, which

met their expectations. Nevertheless, some improvements need to be done next year.

E-learning training: The EUCERMAT students were already aware of the e-learning system

and the Moodle platform. They appreciated the quality, the relevance and the clarity of the

content but this might have been shorter.

Visits in the field of ceramic science: They

especially appreciated the laboratory (SPCTS)

and companies’ visits

(CERRINOV/CERADROP). The visit of the

ceramic factory museum had also a huge

success. The students would have liked more

cultural activities in the field of ceramic

materials.

Master Thesis: Most of the interviews

between students and the companies from the

Industrial Network have been organized by

videoconference, but they had the possibility

to meet some of them through face to face

interviews. The students declared that the

organization was sufficient but they would like

to meet more companies during this week.

The integration week reached the expected results creating a collegial cohesive through the

illustration of the link between each actors of the knowledge triangle.

THE INTEGRATION WEEK N°1NOVEMBER 2016, LIMOGES, FRANCE

PHOTO CONTEST: A CULTURAL AND UNIFYING ACTIVITY IN THE FIELD OF CERAMICS

During the integration week, the students have taken part in a photo contest. The contest

allowed them to express their vision of the ceramic science by a collaborative activity

combining art and science.

By small groups they had to submit one photo

for 3 of the following topics:

Topic n°1: Ceramics in daily life

Topic n°2: How ceramic could be unusual?

Topic n°3: Ceramic as technical objects

Topic n°4: Culture and ceramic

Topic n°5: Ceramic in Europe

At the end of the week, the students and the project team from

Limoges voted directly on the Moodle platform to elect the

winning photo within each topic. Awards have been given to each

winning team during a closing ceremony, which also made

possible a feedback on the week. The photos will be used for the

project communication.

The photos will be used for the project communication.

Topic 1

Topic 4

Topic 3 Topic 2 Topic 5

THE INDUSTRIAL NETWORK

What does make EUCERMAT different?

EUCERMAT companies have been involved since the

beginning

EUCERMAT companies participate concretely in the

daily work of the project

Towards the creation of a long term research

partnership with 15-20 industries, which will be

extended past the EUCERMAT project duration.

THE GOAL

One of the objectives of EUCERMAT is the creation of a network of industries operating in

the ceramic field or interested in ceramic topics. Industries work together with the universities

and the research organizations that are partners of the project to answer actual, current and

strategic industrial needs.

A second objective, tightly connected with the first one, is the strengthening of the

knowledge triangle, that is the interaction among research, education and innovation, like in

most of the European projects.

Indeed, the knowledge triangle is commonly used in Higher Education, like lectures given by

entrepreneurs to students or meetings among student and entrepreneurs, although they rarely

involve considerable participation of the industries.

Which activities will be implemented with the Industrial Network?

Co-design University courses together with the Industry,

Create a multinational European Joint Master in ceramic science and technology,

Promote ceramics as area of industrial interest not only for the ceramic industry but for all

industrial sector

Send students to do their Master Thesis in the industry, on research program suggested by

the companies.

THE INDUSTRIAL NETWORK

THE ACTIONS

Action n°1: Involvement of new network members

A member is really involved when he takes advantage of what the network provides. Therefore,

one of the first activity we started was the analysis of advantages and benefits that being part

of the Industrial Network would provide to the members.

Action n°2: : Adoption of the approach to enlarge the Industrial Network

Limited number of members : the network has to be manageable and governable, the

relationships among the network members have to be sustainable.

Existing active cells as starting point : tight existing connections between academy and

company at local (regional, national) or international level. Those strong interactions occur,

for instance, in common laboratories and research contracts, but remain isolated. The idea is

to exploit these synergies and put them together.

High amount of flexibility : necessary to overcome daily barriers and obstacles.

The member selection goes through a multi-stage nomination and selection process :

Candidates are presented by EUCERMAT academic partners.

The nominations are supported by data on :

company profile

established cooperation of the company with the presenting partner

ability of working with foreign universities on challenging research projects

(international Master Thesis projects or EU project consortia).

Action n°3: : Establishment of criteria for the IN

member selection.

well known industries working in the Ceramic sector

or involved in ceramic applications;

based in an European member state;

keeping as far as possible balance of country, size,

markets, if possible;

strongly applying the criteria of the active cells.

THE INDUSTRIAL NETWORK

SAFRAN

STRYKER

OERLIKON

ARCELORMITTAL

INNOVNANO

INDUSTRIE BITOSSI

FIN-CERAMICA

MERCK

COSTA VERDE

SYSTEM

INSERTEC

CERAMTECADP

CEA

THE RESULTS

The network should count with 15 -20 companies. Fourteen companies are currently involved

in the Industrial Network after fifteen months of activity. Four of them are taking part of the

consortium from the beginning and ten companies have been selected through the chosen

process.

In addition, a documented process of nomination and selection of candidates has been set up

and the discussion on the Network governing document has started.

THE CURRENT MEMBERS

NEXT STEPS

Engage more companies

Adopt a formal Industrial Network governing document (General terms and conditions)

Innovation?…think Ceramics!

Strategic PartnershipSeptember 2015 – August 2018

This Newsletter has been built thanks to a conjoint work of the EUCERMAT partners

IN THE COMING NEWSLETTER WILL BE REPORTED THE FOLLOWING ITEMS :

• Feedback on the EUCERMAT students blended mobility

• Presentation of the outreach activities to promote ceramic science in

Europe