Presentation of the FIT FORTHEM research project recommendations for university management
ISABEL HINAREJOS// Last March 11th, the FIT FORTHEM project work team met with Carlos Hermenegildo Caudevilla, vice-rector for Research at the University of Valencia (UV), to present the book “FIT FORTHEM. Recommendations for institutional change “. The proposed recommendations focus on five specific areas: internationalization, open science, co-creation and the quadruple helix, knowledge transfer and scientific communication.
María Dolores Pitarch, professor of Geography, delegate of the rector for University-Society programs and leader of the research team, presented this book during the meeting, describing the results obtained during the last three years of work in collaboration with the teams from the seven original FORTHEM Alliance universities: Dijon (France), Jyväskylä (Finland), Mainz (Germany), Opole (Poland), Palermo (Italy), Riga (Latvia), Valencia (Spain) and Sibiu (Romania).
Among the recommendations, it is remarkable the need to establish incentive structures that recognize international research by universities, as well as specific training and personalized assistance to understand access to European Union (EU) research funds. As for the student body, specific actions are recommended to inform them about their internationalization opportunities and offer them a global perspective.
The FIT FORTHEM project
The FIT FORTHEM project, funded by the EU Horizon 2020 programme, is presented as a catalyst for the development and implementation of various methodologies. Its main objective is to model a quadruple helix transformation approach in cooperation with academia, industry, governance and citizens, trying to break down barriers for institutions, researchers and students, promote the exchange of infrastructure, resources and services, and strengthen inter-institutional cooperation.
The FORTHEM Alliance, of which the UV is a member, has played a fundamental role in the exchange of knowledge and experiences between partner institutions. At the meeting on March 11th, the team members present (Maria Dolores Pitarch, principal investigator (PI) of FIT FORTHEM; Esteban Sanchís, PI of FORTHEM at the UV and Isabel Mendoza, Feliz Fajardo, Jose Javier Serrano, Lola Garzón and Jose Manuel Barrueco) expressed their gratitude for the opportunity to share their recommendations and analyze their implementation at the UV, strengthening the quality of research.
The proposed recommendations can be consulted here.
