We are pleased to inform you that the applications for TOP STARS 2019 Summer School (3^rd edition, July 8-17, 2019 –https://topstars2019.weebly.com/) are now open and we would like to give you the opportunity to apply to (application form: https://bit.ly/2TwL0Kx).

The Summer school will introduce students to entrepreneurial thinking and behaviour, business and innovation processes, high-tech ventures marketing, and business model generation techniques.

The school comprehensively face the various challenges in the EIT RawMaterials found e.g. in primary resources, substitution and recycling. PhD candidates usually act as individuals on tasks that have already a well-defined research line but are not necessary connected to the challenges and opportunities of the market. The value of new ideas is not fully perceived and the interdependence of market needs with research focus is still missing. Our aim is to educate the students leveraging on this. Technical skills, know-how and personal creativity will have to be shared in a team competition to propose innovative solutions to real problems in the Raw Materials field. After a technical re-fresher used as levelling stage, tutoring and mentoring in the I&E component will help to provide students with a different perspective: from spectators to actors, ready to present their ideas in a quick and effective way to capture the business opportunities hidden in the real world.

TOP STARS is an opportunity for PhD students, young researchers and Master students on the last years of their course of study to grasp a clear understanding of how to turn their research into a potential business chance. So the bottom line is to orient research towards market and social needs. Beyond building technical competences and offering potential solutions to societal challenges, in the ten days, the students will learn how to work in teams, how to prepare a business plan, how to be effective in passing key information and how to be successful in pitching. They will transform the way they interact with the job market and they will create opportunities for their future.

In the school multi-disciplinarity is emphasized and students are confronted with participating stakeholders (companies and start-ups) to consider the sustainability and relevance of their ideas. Throughout the Summer school, students will work in teams of 5-7 participants to craft and develop into project-ideas the solutions they have identified to address the technical problems presented to them. A selection of initial use-cases is planned to be provided in cooperation with partner companies participating in the Summer school.

The whole initiative is valued 10 ECTS.

The school is free of charge for selected students. Moreover, a grant covering travel expenses (up to 300 Euros) and accommodation (managed and paid by the school), will be available to all selected students that meet the reimbursement criteria of the EU H2020 programme.

Deadlines

March 11, 2019: call for applications opens

April 30, 2019: deadline for application submission

May 11, 2019: confirmation to selected participants

May 18, 2019: confirmation of participation by selected students

For more information please contact rishubgreece@metal.ntua.gr or the organisers:

Dr. Vanessa M. Caleca
Project Manager
TOP STARS – EIT RawMaterials Project
Department of Industrial Engineering
University of Trento
tel. +39 0461 28 3978
vanessamaria.caleca@unitn.it

More information on the TOP STARS project of EIT RawMaterials and the previous editions are available on the official website of EIT RawMaterials and EIT RawMaterials Hub – RIS Hub Greece.