The recent EGT-TWINN review meeting brought together key figures from the EU Horizon, including Nikolina Mijolovic and Francoise Dradin, along with external reviewer Professor Thomas Blaschke, to assess the project's progress and future directions. Heikki Bauert from the EGT, the Project Head, opened the session with an introduction to the project's objectives and a review of the work packages (WPs).
Project Overview and Participation
The EGT-TWINN project has engaged a total of 145 participants, with EGT staff contributing significantly. This high level of engagement underscores the project's collaborative spirit and commitment to its goals. Detailed tables showcasing completed and upcoming activities were presented, highlighting significant milestones achieved in 2023 and 2024, with plans extending into 2025.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and Deliverables
Of the 14 KPIs set for the project, 9 have been successfully achieved by the halfway mark, with the remaining 5 in progress. The deliverables are also on track, with 9 out of 18 already fulfilled. Notably, long-term institutional exchanges and new EU Horizon projects are in the pipeline, promising sustained impact beyond the project's immediate timeline.
Work Package Highlights
WP1 (Project Management): Heikki Bauert emphasised the successful coordination and management facilitated by Teamwork.com software, which has streamlined project activities and communication. Key achievements include two major project meetings in January 2023 and January 2024, which set the agenda for upcoming actions.
WP2 (Workshops, Fieldtrips, and Training): Led by Tim Kearsey from the BGS and aided significantly by Florian Smit from the GEUS and Bertti Sarala from the University of Oulu Mining School, WP2 is the project's largest component. Activities have included comprehensive training on 3D geological mapping, data integration, and advanced geological surveying techniques. These initiatives have significantly enhanced EGT's capabilities, particularly in digital systems and data management. There were also a number of activities related to geothermal energy exploration and exploitation (GEUS part) and mineral processing techniques (Oulu Uni part).
WP3 (Networking of Excellence): Florian Smit outlined the efforts to secure knowledge transfer through conferences and secondments. Upcoming conferences in 2024 and 2025 will focus on critical topics such as urban geochemical baseline surveys and geothermal exploration, with hybrid formats enabling broader participation. See further information about these here: https://egt-twinn.voog.com/conferences
WP4 (Project Management Skills): Juha Kaija from the GTK reported on the extensive workshops conducted to improve project management, financial management, and scientific writing skills among EGT staff. These sessions have fostered cross-departmental collaboration and enhanced the team's overall expertise.
WP5 (General Project Activities): Kairi Põldsaar from the EGT highlighted the progress and future plans for WP5, emphasising the project's resilience and adaptability in overcoming challenges.
Expert Feedback and Future Directions
The review concluded with very positive feedback from both the EU Horizon experts and Professor Blaschke. They commended the project's management, high participation rates, and effective communication strategies. Nikolina Mijolovic specifically praised also the project's attention to gender balance and inclusivity.
The meeting underscored the project's solid progress and the team's readiness to tackle future challenges. With international conferences and continued collaborative efforts on the horizon, the EGT-TWINN project is well-positioned to achieve its ambitious goals and make a lasting impact on the field of geology.