Work Packages 2

Project coordination will be supported by a robust decision-making structure to ensure integrity, compliance with project objectives, efficient day-to-day management and up-to-date evaluations of results and performance. It will consist of:

Il Project Coordinator (CP) (UNIPA), will be responsible for ensuring the achievement of the project objectives. His tasks will be:

• Have a general overview of the project, direct contact with the MA and guarantee of the delivery of administrative, financial and technical documents;
• The CP following actions and decisions, based on the decisions of the PSC (Project Steering Committee) and the FGC (Full Group Committee) recommendations, will manage the changes in the grant and partnership agreements with the support of the Administrative Office and legal services of the University of Palermo;
• Follow and update project indicators and reports with the support of all WP leaders and project partners at their different levels of commitment.

Administrative office (UA) (UNIPA), supported by an assistant and a manager to ensure the completion of the project with the approved budget. To control expenditure, the partnership will follow the lines of the Italy-Malta program in consultation with the managing authority. Such activities include:

• Monitoring of cost trends to detect deviations from the plan with the support of shared electronic means and common models;
• Preparation of financial reports to the Managing Authority via CP, uploading the data into the MA's IT monitoring and control system, ensuring that appropriate changes are recorded in the cost baseline;
• Control of incorrect, inappropriate or unauthorized budget costs by informing the Managing Authority via the CP.

Full Group Committee (FGC), chaired by the CP, co-responsible for UM and composed of all representatives of the partners and the UA. They will meet periodically in the project and provide feedback to the PSC. Furthermore, it will provide the avenue for consultations and monitor progress at the level of the full partnership, promoting a responsibility-sharing approach for the benefit of common objectives. Although unanimous decisions will be sought, in the event of disputes or differing opinions, the final decision will be made by maximum consensus.

Project Steering Committee (PSC), chaired by the CP, co-responsible for UM, and composed of the WP leaders and selected managers (at least one member for each partner). The PSC will meet periodically to ensure effective cooperation and harmonized procedures between partners. The PSC will be responsible for planning administrative, technical and scientific tasks; will propose/approve any changes to the methods or times; will support the project organization, protocols and quality assurance reports; and will provide advice on the overall strategy to improve the functioning and sustainability of the system. It will be the definitive route to decisions at the full partnership level.

Communication within the partnership

From the experience gained in previous projects, the successful implementation of a project depends on 4 essential aspects: (i) a sound management framework that gives voice to all partners and ensures a coherent approach; (ii) a Project Coordinator (CP) supported by experienced partnership officials who ensure the quality of project activities and evaluate progress; (iii) a common framework and means to share information and support reporting and updating, both technically and financially, and (iv) a detailed plan of actions in which partners are fully aware of commitments and obligations.

By its nature, the Beyond CALYPSO project necessarily requires full mutual working commitment between all partners. The key tasks of the project can only be achieved through a combination of efforts and field actions that combine expertise and structures in a single framework.

The management structure of CALYPSO SOUTH ensures these qualities by involving partners who have already worked together and have experience through participation in previous projects, such as  CALYPSO and CALYPSO FO. The CP (Prof. Giuseppe Ciraolo) has already led numerous international projects. Key cross-border stakeholders will be directly involved in the project to ensure maximum benefits in applications with activities within the project itself. To ensure full coverage of the technical, scientific and networking aspects, researchers belonging to the partnership will be involved. Greater use will be made of the extensive links that the CP has, with other research groups in the Mediterranean and in Italy. All these roles will be supported by dedicated staff committed specifically to the project.

The main management structures are intentionally co-chaired by Maltese and Sicilian partners. Task leadership is diligently chosen based on partner expertise, with a balance of responsibilities between cross-border partners. The Beyond CALYPSO Secretariat (at Unipa and direct support from UM) will act as a focal point to promote the flow of communication between partners. The Secretariat will be a permanent point of contact for partners and an open point to assist in the flow of information between all partners and coordinate dissemination activities.