The Fourth and Final Report (2014-´18)
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UNIVERSITY OF COPENH AGEN Final Report UCPH LOM 2017-2018 Last annual report and executive summary December 2018 UNIVERSITY OF COPENHAGEN’S STRATEGIC PLATFORM FOR LIFESTYLE, OBESITY AND META- BOLIC RESEARCH (UCPH LOM) Annual report 2017-2018 and executive summary Executive Board Professor Bente Stallknecht, Head of LOM Professor Thue W. Schwartz Professor Arne Astrup Associate Professor Astrid Pernille Jespersen Professor Erik Richter Associate Professor Johanne Stubbe Teglbjærg Kristensen Professor Karsten Vrangbæk Professor Mette Hartlev Editing UCPH LOM research support office Panum Building Blegdamsvej 3b 2200 Copenhagen N Contact: Professor Bente Stallknecht, Head of UCPH LOM 2015-2018 2 Table of contents PREFACE ............................................................................................................................ 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: THE UCPH LOM INITIATIVE – FOUR YEARS OF SUPPORTING INTERNAL COLLABORATION AND SHARED IDENTITY ........................ 6 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 10 TOPIC 1: STRENGTHENING THE SCIENTIFIC ENVIRONMENTS, COLLABORATIONS, AND SHARED IDENTITY .................................................................................................. 10 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................... 10 Activities and results for 2017-2018 .............................................................................................................................. 11 The LOM conference in June 2018 – bringing researchers together across UCPH ..................................................... 11 LOM Invited Meetings ................................................................................................................................................ 13 Other scientific seminars, meetings and matchmaking ................................................................................................ 14 Strengthening the ties with European and Danish initiatives, networks and alliances ................................................. 15 Collaboration with research support staff and contributions to best practices ............................................................. 17 UCPH strategy towards 2023 ....................................................................................................................................... 18 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................................... 18 TOPIC 2: SUPPORTING NETWORKS AND CAREER PATHS FOR YOUNG RESEARCHERS ............................................................................................................... 20 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Activities and results for 2017-2018 .............................................................................................................................. 20 The ‘growth layer’ of young talented associate professors .......................................................................................... 20 Initiative to attract Marie Skłodowska Curie Action (MSCA) fellows to UCPH ........................................................ 21 Engaging and inspiring students and recruiting young researchers ............................................................................. 21 Young Investigators’ Networks ................................................................................................................................... 22 PhD Course in relation to the UCPH LOM conference 2018 ...................................................................................... 23 Transferable skills ........................................................................................................................................................ 24 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................................... 24 TOPIC 3: FUNDRAISING AND LOBBY ............................................................................ 25 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................... 25 3 Activities and results for 2017-2018 .............................................................................................................................. 26 Supporting researchers in the application process ....................................................................................................... 26 Focusing the funding support ....................................................................................................................................... 28 Positioning lifestyle, obesity and metabolic health as important areas for research investments ................................ 28 Applications for Horizon 2020 societal challenges ...................................................................................................... 31 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................................... 31 TOPIC 4: COMMUNICATION AND OUTREACH ............................................................. 33 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................... 33 Activities and results for 2017-2018 .............................................................................................................................. 33 Internal communication via newsletters and website ................................................................................................... 33 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................................................... 34 TOPIC 5: AD HOC STRATEGIC ACTIONS ...................................................................... 35 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................................... 35 THE ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF UCPH LOM ................................................. 37 UCPH LOM executive board 2017-2018 ...................................................................................................................... 37 UCPH LOM research support office 2014-2018 .......................................................................................................... 38 4 Preface With this final report, we proudly close the door on a unique chapter in the history of the University of Copenhagen (UCPH). From 2014 to 2018, the UCPH’s strategic platform for Lifestyle, Obesity and Metabolic research (UCPH LOM) has supported collaboration and helped develop a shared identity across a fast-growing and highly diverse university. We have supported networks and helped young researchers find a career path, and we have helped the university attract external funding by providing bespoke services at every step of the value chain. The office has had a hand in everything from input to Horizon 2020 topics and Horizon Europe missions to the last frantic changes in a grant proposal in the closing seconds before deadline. The UCPH LOM support office has had the great privilege to be able to roam freely, and to provide whatever assistance was called for throughout the organisation, and to serve as a supplement to the other research support offices at departmental, faculty and university levels. We have been allowed to develop and test new methods and tools, and to learn from our mistakes, and have tried to share ours and others’ best practices across the university. On behalf of the LOM executive board Professor Bente Stallknecht Head of UCPH LOM December 2018 5 Executive Summary: The UCPH LOM Initiative – Four years of supporting internal collaboration and shared identity The University of Copenhagen’s Strategic Platform for Lifestyle, Obesity and Metabolic Research (UCPH LOM) has supported networks across and within the biomedical and natural sciences, and social sciences and humanities (SSH) areas. The UCPH LOM research support office has been a first mover in taking research support out of the academic silos and faculties to address a specific societal challenge by promoting and facilitating networks and collaborations, nurturing the next generation of researchers, and attracting external funding. The strategic focus and the resources dedicated to supporting interdisciplinary collaboration in the LOM area have helped and motivated researchers, and the activities of the support office have been guided by the interests of, and requests from, the researchers within the LOM area. Background for the initiation of UCPH LOM UCPH LOM was established in September 2014 to build on the success from the UNIK ‘Food, Fitness & Pharma’-initiative, and to strengthen internal collaboration and shared identity within the research areas across the