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"Integrating the National Aerospace University ""KhAI"" into ERA"

Periodic Report Summary 2 - KHAI-ERA (Integrating the National Aerospace University "KhAI" into ERA)

Project Context and Objectives:
The overall aim of the KhAI-ERA project was to integrate the National Aerospace University (KhAI) into the European Research Area (ERA), by reinforcing its cooperation capacities and twinning with European research and innovation organisations in its three strongest aerospace and IT research topics, which are also highly relevant to the FP7 Transport, Space, ICT and Research for SMEs work programmes:

A) Composite materials
B) Advanced manufacturing for aircraft assembly
C) Dependable embedded systems.

KhAI is the only university in Ukraine providing the full cycle of higher education in aerospace science and engineering. It has over 1146 researchers, 700 teachers and 12,000 students. KhAI is also a major research centre with a high potential for integration into ERA as demonstrated by its participation in many national and international projects.

The KhAI-ERA project was built upon KhAI’s existing strengths as a high-quality research institution via knowledge exchange, setting up joint experiments, and training development with the following 4 excellent European research and innovation organizations: Institute of Aerospace Engineering, Brno University of Technology (IAE-BUT), Fraunhofer Institute for Factory Operation and Automation (Fraunhofer-IFF), Centre for Integrated Electronic Systems and Biomedical Engineering, Tallinn University of Technology (CEBE-TUT) and Intelligentsia Consultants (Intelligentsia).

Specific project objectives were:
-To develop KhAI’s research partnerships
-To increase KhAI’s scientific visibility
-To increase KhAI’s human potential
-To develop medium to long term KhAI Research Strategy

As a result of the KhAI-ERA project implementation both KhAI involvement into ERA (incl. EU R&D Programmes participation) and regional socio-economic impacts were increased.

Project Results:
During the KhAI-ERA project Period 2 the following results have been achieved:

WP2 – Twinning

In order to achieve a progress in KhAI twinning with EU partners within three Research Tropics, Ukrainian and European researchers held 11 bilateral short-term meetings and realized 5 long-term trainings of KhAI staff in EU partners’ institutions. As a result, 11 joint research articles are already published/submitted to internationally-recognized journals.

In order to establish new links with European research community beyond the KhAI-ERA project, Research Topics teams actively participated in thematic events. In total, during the Period 2 KhAI researchers took part in 13 valuable international conferences relevant to KhAI-ERA Research Topics. At the same time, to increase University international visibility and widen cooperation with European research community, the KhAI administrative staff took part in 6 relevant events dedicated to facilitation of international collaboration and actively participated in national, international and EU-organized networking and brokerage events.

Due to these activities, 9 proposals with KhAI participation were submitted to H2020 2014 and 2015 calls.

WP3 – Dissemination and Promotion

Activities under this WP were aimed on KhAI and KhAI-ERA project promotion in Europe and Ukraine. Results achieved in Period 2 were:
• KhAI-ERA project website regularly maintained in 3 languages (English, Ukrainian and Russian).
• Two issues of KhAI-ERA newsletter prepared and disseminated among EU and Ukrainian recipients.
• Promo Brochures “Aerospace Research and Education at KhAI” and “Ukrainian Aeronautics: Research and Technology Groups” were actively disseminated within Ukrainian and European research community.
• Regional Workshop “Advanced Manufacturing for Aircraft Assembly” was held in Ukraine in November 2013.
• Special Session related to KhAI-ERA research Topic B was held in the frame of XVIII International Congress of Propulsion Engineering
• KhAI-ERA Final Workshop for Ukrainian scientists, researchers and engineers was held in Kyiv (Ukraine) in May 2015.

WP4 – Training Development

During the Period 2 each of the KhAI-ERA Research Topic teams prepared Training Modules Collections for PhD and Master students, young and experienced researchers dedicate to composite materials, aircraft assembly processes and equipment, and dependable embedded systems. They are:

• Research Topic A:
o Technological aspects of composite structures manufacturing and bonding repair
o Advances in composite structures design and simulation (Volume 3)

• Research Topic B:
o Single-impact Self-Pierce Riveting
o Single-impact Mandrelling of Holes
o Single-impact Installation of Lock Bolts

• Research Topic C:
o Dependable embedded systems (Volume 2)

Also, one Training Modules Collection dedicated to H2020 issues was prepared for general Ukrainian research community.

All Collections are available at the project web-site.

WP5 – Strategy Development

Based on the KhAI Evaluation Report and taking into account EU experts recommendations, the University Research and Development Strategy for 2014-2020 was developed under the leadership Prof. Olexandr Gaydachuk, KhAI Vice-Rector on Science. Taking into account radical political, economic and social changes in Ukraine, the University Administration recognizes the necessity to modify developed KhAI R&D Strategy according to a new Ukrainian R&D&I landscape. It will be done as soon as new legislation, which is currently under development, come in force, thus long-term impact of KhAI-ERA project will be ensured

KhAI-ERA project efficiency assessment was performed by means of comparison of Research Topic teams results for 3-years period before KhAI-ERA project start (2009-2011) and 3-years period of KhAI-ERA project implementation (2012-2014). Analysis demonstrates positive project influence on research potential of all Research Topic A, B and C teams, which is quantitatively equivalent to 12%, 56% and 37% respectively.

Potential Impact:
• Contribution to RTD capacity building in Ukraine due to KhAI successful twinning with European excellent R&D organizations, University human potential increasing and KhAI Research Strategy preparation for the next 5+ years.
• Enhanced participation of the Ukrainian researchers in the 7th Framework Programme and HORIZON 2020 resulted from: KhAI active networking with EU research centres; promotion of KhAI and other Ukrainian organizations as potential partners for H2020 and raising Ukrainian researchers awareness on H2020, as a result of Ukrainian Transport NCP activities supported by the project.
• Enhanced scope of the KhAI research activities with increased linkage with economic and social environment: due to KhAI location in a specific aerospace cluster of Ukraine, the KhAI-ERA activities created positive socio-economic impact via increasing local community awareness in EU research activities and programs (through the specialized FP7/H2020 and thematic trainings), introducing KhAI and EU joint research results to local RTD companies (incl. SMEs), and cooperation with local authorities for widening cooperation with EU.
• Networking with other research centres in Member States or Associated Countries, provided by participation in key European conferences/workshops related to the project research areas and use of other significant European opportunities for networking and contacts establishing (e.g. EU InfoDays, EASN events, ETNA brokerage sessions, and others).
• Increased job opportunities in the country for young scientists: Young KhAI researchers were closely involved in scientific knowledge exchange and joint experiments setting up, and participated in the training development in collaboration with EU partners. University Strategy was also aimed on KhAI sustainability, which would involve determining ways to attract, train and retain young scientists.

List of Websites:
http://khai-era.khai.edu/