NORBAS 10/26/12 University of Banja Luka NORBAS Progress Report Period 2 (May – August 2012) Activities per work packages WP 1: Project Management • Consortium agreement finalization and signatures gathering -­‐ completed • Project Governing Board representative nomination • Preparing progress and financial report for period one (January – April 2012) • Reporting procedures setup • Administration of financial transactions system set up -­‐ establishing procedures for payments with UBL financial services. • Due to changes in project financing procedures at UBL related to staff compensations, administrative procedure for realization of first installment towards project personnel was done twice, and change in names and payment methods had to be adjusted accordingly, this caused a delay in realization of first project installment, which was finally completed in August, but adjustment of the already submitted financial report had to be made (due to the changes in nature of the contracts and methods of payments for administrative personnel previously employed at UBL, which will now be realized through overhead). • Resolving problems with financial service on issuing an invoice for NTNU • Resolving problems with legal services on contracts for project personnel • Resolving financial and other issues with NTNU o Discussions among project coordinating team on resolving situation with pre-­‐financing or reimbursement method for financial transactions o Issue document development and discussion with NTNU on items o Skype meeting with Tore and Anders o Meeting with Hege Eiklid HERD ICT Board chairperson o Providing explanations and inputs on UBL financial constraints, procedures and issues • Participation in working group at UBL Rectorate by giving proposals for solutions and adjustment of the procedures, organizational set up and financial and administrative handling of projects ad UBL level • Making arrangements for changes in the overhead percentage for UBL • Project proposal translated in Serbian and distributed to Rectorate departments • Preparations for NORBAS project meeting in September • Continuous communication with NTNU and NIS, and professors WP2: PhD program - Selection process for PhD candidates completed 1 NORBAS -
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10/26/12 Continued research related to legislation, legal acts of UBL and NTNU, rules of third cycle of studies organization on both universities, best practices and issues identification etc. Developed document Framework for establishing cotuttele agreement (in Serbian and English) – as an overview of the concept, guidelines for administrative details to be determined, pedagogical details and contract content explanation and implications – document was distributed to department for international relations, department for courses and students, department for research and development, financial services, legal affairs department Meeting with Vice Rector for international cooperation to inform her about the program and involve her in further activities. WP3: Curriculum development and cooperation with industry • Student projects and internships program – realization of pilot project with Lanaco -­‐ first group of students from ETFBL participated in the program and created a software for future internship/student projects program implementation • Participation in program “Partnership in innovation” with USAID (ICBL activity) – SIBL student internship programs in ICT; cooperation with additional companies by getting students from ETF to participate and administering internship program with selected ICT companies (Ultimax and Mtel) • Girls in ICT day – promotion of career in ICT for girls from primary school; UBL (UPC and ETFBL organized open days for girls to motivate them to choose careers in ICT) • Promotional text about the project and invitation for companies to participate was created WP4: Center for technology transfer, lifelong learning and cooperation with ICBL • Instruction for contract creation for affiliated partner developed (doc) and distributed to ICBL staff • Coordinator for ICBL project activities – call for applicants, gathering applications, creation of selection panel, applicants selection process, notification of relevant stakeholders on selected candidate • Introductory meeting with Dana Koruga on project activities • Continuous monitoring of the ICBL Foundation sustainability issue • NORBAS Project progress report prepared for ICBL Governing board • Framework for ICBL terms of reference -­‐ drafted WP 5: Joint research projects -­‐ initiated communication on FP7 ICT applications preparations Miscellaneous • Prepared and submitted application for co-­‐financing to Ministry of civil affairs of BiH (August 5th), upgrading the academic technology transfer component of the project at UBL; total application budget 15 000 BAM; -­‐ current status pending for approval from the Ministry 2