EUknow.it is an open platform that supports those involved in European project planning in academia and beyond, in Italy and across Europe. Let’s find out how, with Nadia Maio
Our Travel Companions: The Experience of Nadia Maio, European Project Manager for International Research and Innovation
European design is an exciting but often lonely journey, amid deadlines, forms to fill out, and partners to coordinate. We want to tell you how the new Guide can accompany you on your European design journey, and to do so we have chosen exceptional traveling companions from the world of European design, academia, local government and civil society, along with our partners.
In this final installment, Nadia Maio—a European project manager working in France in the field of research and innovation for universities and organizations—explains why the Guide has been an essential resource for her work, both in Italy and abroad.
Nadia Maio specializes in European project design, bringing in-depth knowledge of the European funding system and an approach focused on logical, participatory, and well-considered planning. After earning a degree in Political Science and International Relations and a diploma in Project Management for International Cooperation, she began working in the field on development projects in Africa.
He subsequently held positions as Project and Financial Manager on various European projects carried out by research centers and universities, gaining experience in technical assistance for the ENPI, EuropeAid, Erasmus+, Life, Horizon 2020, and Horizon Europe programs, with projects in Tunisia, Algeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Tanzania. Since 2017, he has lived in Marseille, where he works at the University of Aix-Marseille on Horizon Europe funding and is part of Mission Europe pour la Recherche, a joint initiative of the University of Aix-Marseille and France’s leading public research institutions (CNRS, INSERM, IRD).
She conducts training on European project design, from project proposal writing to project management. Active in the development of local associations and informal collectives, she is currently a member of the Board of Directors of a Center for Community Engagement and Social Participation and co-founder of Kalos, an independent action-research association that serves as a forum for study and experimentation on the impact of European projects.
Resources for European project design: borderless project design thanks to open, multilingual tools
EUknow.it is a valuable resource for those involved in European project planning in academia, research, and innovation—and beyond—who develop projects for organizations and universities, including those in other European countries.
If this description sounds like you, here are a few reasons why the Guide is the right tool for you:
- EUknow.it helps guide you through the European project design process with open, accessible resources that are easy to share with colleagues , fostering a culture of widespread project design. Tools to help you get started in European project design, clear documentation on the program landscape, and essential practical tools to understand project logic and transform a research idea into a fundable project.
- The Guide can also be used internationally, thanks to the full translations available in English, French, and German. This makes the content easily accessible in international settings and allows it to be shared with project partners and used in international training programs.
- Successful project design depends on the quality of the partnership, which is even more crucial in the field of research. EUknow.it guides you through the process of building international partnerships with targeted insights in the Q&A section and in the Handbook. Resources for finding project partners, starting with the European Commission’s Funding & Tenders portal, as well as guidance on what to consider when building a partnership and tips for managing the partnership throughout the project.
- EUknow.it is an interdisciplinary tool that provides a framework applicable to all areas of European project design, supporting multidisciplinary projects—which are becoming increasingly important in European project design. The Guide provides a cross-cutting methodological framework for structuring projects, exploring interdisciplinary topics such as the use of bottom-up and top-down approaches, cross-cutting categories like the digital and green transitions and inclusion, and the SDGs.
- In addition to providing guidance and tools, EUnknow.it makes technical documentation on European funds and programs more accessible: the section on European programs (EU programs, Structural Funds, and European territorial cooperation), which includes fact sheets with key information and links to relevant documentation; informative overviews of the new European budget with links to the regulations (here and here); articles explaining project evaluation mechanisms; and a Glossary of official terms.
These are just some of the resources you can find by browsing EUknow.co.uk. By subscribing to our newsletter, you’ll stay up to date on new content as it’s published. Keep following us so you don’t miss out on the opportunities and new resources we’ll be sharing.
