Based on “Project Management life cycle” we divided the project in four phases: Start Up phase, the Planning phase, the Execution phase and the Closure phase.

We also establish four main stages of the working progress, described below.

In the first stage of the project, the efforts will be focused on asking the academics and business involved about their needs and expectations regarding the open innovation platform, and to create a European business case. By the end of this period, there will be an evaluation to assess the quality of the collected data. This stage will be between October 2013 and April 2014.

The second stage will be the technological development, based on the reports supplied by the previous stage. This activity will be closely monitored by the partners who will test and evaluate the platform every step of the way, so that we monitor all the work, overcome all obstacles and prevent possible errors. This stage will be between January and August 2014.

The third stage consists of the implementation and use of the platform by the professors in their classes, and companies use it to put challenges. This process involves professors, students and companies and is one of the most important phases of the project since it is the practical part of the entire project. At this stage we will give some training to a group of professors that will carry out the pilot study. After this activity there will be an evaluation of the results obtained in order to provide suggestions and make the necessary adjustments. This stage will be between April 2014 and February 2015.

The fourth stage will be used to evaluate the pilot study, to adjust and implement the professors training. During the 2nd semester, we will invite other HEIs and companies to join the platform and prepare the sustainability plan. This stage will be between September 2014 and June 2015.

This procedure aims to assess company’s ideas for the HEI’s platform. The companies involved in the project will be invited to participate at platform construction. We will increase the level of commitment throughout the project and help companies to better understand the advantages of being part of that job in terms of innovation. We will develop online questionnaires to be answered by the companies, to foster the knowledge of uses and benefits of the platform for them.

Therefore, we hope to be able to get an answer for the following issues:
- What kind services should the platform offer be attractive to companies;
- What do companies expect to find at this type of network;
- What benefits companies have from being closer to the HEI’s;
- What benefits HEI’s have from being closer to the companies;
- What could HEI’s do to shorten the distance between them and the companies, and vice versa;
- How much would be willing to contribute financially to be part of the platform;
- How can students develop HEI’s theses based on business’ real problems

Target Groups: Partners, companies, professors and students
Indicators: Number of questioners answered, Number of reports

With this activity we intend to involve specially the professors in the process of gathering relevant information to include at the platform. Professors are key factor for students’ academic process and HEI’s connection with business. We will meet the expectations and needs so that they will see it has a pedagogical tool to their classes. Finally, if professors fit the platform in HEI’s day-to-day work, students will also consider it important and, therefore, use it.

We will develop online questionnaires to be answered by the professors, to foster the knowledge of uses and benefits of the platform for them. If necessary we will schedule Skype meetings with the professors to clarify their answers. Therefore, we hope to be able to get a clear idea on aspects such as:

- What kind services should the platform offer that could be considered attractive to professors, students and HEI’s;
- What do they expect to find;
- What benefits they have from being closer to the companies;
- What kind of benefits could we give to professors in order to motivate their use.

Target Groups: Partners; Professors; Higher education institutions
Indicators: Number of questioners answered; Number of reports; European report

We pretend to collect the students’ opinions and identify in what way the platform will be useful for them. With this activity we intend to involve students by gathering relevant information process of to include at the platform.

In this sense, at least 25 students, in each university partner, will be selected and surveyed; in order to give us the information we need to undertake the WP6. We will develop online questionnaires to be answered by the students, to foster the knowledge of uses and benefits of the platform for them. If necessary we will schedule Skype meetings with the professors to clarify their answers. Therefore, we hope to be able to get a clear idea on aspects such as:

- What do they expect to find this type of platform;
- What benefits they have from being closer to the companies;
- How/ what could the students keep their interest in participating along time;
- How students can develop their theses based on business’ real problems.

Moreover, each partner HEI will have the responsibility to involve other HEI’s in the country whom are not partners in the project to collaborate with the assessment. This work will be done using online meetings in order to have a greater coverage of the project.

Target Groups: Partners, Students, HEI’s
Indicators: Number of questioners answered, number of reports

Using the reports provided from WP 3, WP4 and WP5 this activity consists in creating the platform that will gather and support HEIs, companies, professors and students. The platform will be a virtual space where companies set challenges to be solved by professors and their students, creating a knowledge alliance and stimulating innovation by bringing together companies and HEIs.

The partnership will enhance the role of HEIs as first choice to companies search for innovation, and promotes the active exchange of knowledge between higher education and business leading to a long -term development in both of them.

The platform will be developed by ISCTE-IUL with the cooperation of all the partners involved in the project. All All the companies of the consortium will also be involved in this development in order to test it, make suggestions and give opinions that contribute to the improvement of the platform.

Target Groups: HEI´s, Professors, Students and companies.
Indicators: Number of users,
Outputs: User manual, Platform

This activity aims to raise awareness among the professors for the added value of using our platform as a pedagogical instrument at their classes, as well as provide a European environment in professors training. We will promote 1 workshops, of 3 hours each in all countries of the consortium to a minimum participation of 15 professors and 3 companys representatives. This teachers training will be adapted to e -learning as a way to be open to other people around Europe. We also will disseminate in a European level and it is possible to participate throughout a conference room.

The training will have the following main goals:
- To provide examples of success partnerships between HEIs and companies;
- To discuss ideas to use the platform as a way of teaching and motivate students;
- To encourage professors and companies working together to use the platform in their disciplines, and challenge them to make the plans accordingly.
- We hope that at the end of the workshops, every participant reveal familiarity with the platform, knows how to use it and understands it´s importance, leading them to try out new and innovative teaching methods to promote entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial mindsets, to foster the generation of new ideas and interdisciplinary through cooperation.

Associated partners will be invited to be present at one of the workshops developed under this work package.

Target Groups: HEI´s, Professors and companies
Indicators: Number of national and other nationalities participants, evaluation questioners, number of view times of the e-learning lesson; number of attendees at the e-conference room.