The overall objective of TRACER is to support a number of coal-intensive regions around Europe to design (or re-design) their Research and Innovation (R&I) strategies in order to facilitate their transition towards a sustainable energy system. TRACER consortium partners have been carefully selected to involve organisations with complementary expertise and excellent long-term collaboration contacts with key public and private stakeholders of important coal intensive regions, proven by 40 Letters of Support provided during proposal preparation. Good geographical coverage among countries and regions with high dependence on coal production and use has been ensured through the inclusion of seven target regions in EU Members States (South East Bulgaria, North West Bohemia - Czech Republic, Lusatian Lignite District - Germany, West Macedonia - Greece, Upper Silesian Coalfield - Poland, West Romania, Wales - UK), and two in countries outside the EU (Kolubara - Serbia, Donetsk - Ukraine). Core activities of TRACER include the Implementation of an EDP (Entrepreneurial Discovery Process) to mobilise a wide range of stakeholders in each target region to develop an appropriate governance structure and to bring regional stakeholders together to discuss and agree on a shared vision and priorities for coal transition. R&I strategies, industrial roadmaps and decision support tools will be developed jointly with key stakeholders of the TRACER target regions. Further TRACER activities include the identification and analysis of best practice examples of successful and ambitious transition processes in coal intensive regions, a detailed assessment of social, environmental and technological challenges, the elaboration of guidelines on how to mobilise investment as well as dedicated activities to stimulate R&I cooperation among coal intensive regions in Europe and beyond.

In order to strengthen the sustainability and resilience of health services and systems a unique consortium of governmental and funding organizations plus research institutes, has expressed the ambition to systematically learn from the organisation of care in other settings. Overall objective of TO-REACH is to provide groundwork for a future joint research programme that will contribute to the resilience, effectiveness, equity, accessibility and comprehensiveness of health services and systems. We will do so along two work streams: A) We will develop a research program on cross-border learning from good (or even innovative) models of care and the conditions needed to transfer them to other settings for implementation. It could refer to anywhere in the care chain depending on the priorities as identified in a Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) within this project. Conceptual, methodological and empirical advancement will be achieved through 4 meta-questions that will instruct research under a future joint research programme, linking to what counts as good models of care, what are the conditions required for transferability, what are the conditions for up-scaling, and how do they contribute to the performance of health care organisations and systems. B) We will build a platform for funding organizations that allows for collaboration and coordination in the project and projected joint research programme. This will synchronize priorities and activities, hence improving the quality and applicability of research with a focus on the topic areas as described under A. TO-REACH will pursue five specific objectives: Mapping health system challenges and priorities by synthesizing different materials and stakeholder inputs; Developing a framework and providing a knowledge synthesis on the above-mentioned meta-questions; Establishing sustainable cooperation of research funding bodies and links with other initiatives; Developing a SRA through agenda setting at European and Member State level; Disseminating the results of TO-REACH.

Scientists in Wales are efficient, productive, collaborative, impactful and in many cases world leading. Recent evidence shows scientific excellence but a lack of critical mass in areas most likely to drive a knowledge economy through innovation and translation. This application forms the foundation of the 'Sêr Cymru (Stars Wales) II Programme' designed to produce a step change in Welsh scientific capacity, building on excellence and investing in early career researchers. This integrated proposal marries Marie Skłodowska-Curie COFUND fellowships with European Structural Funds, university, industrial and Welsh Government funding to bring in 140 new fellowships (90 via SIRCIW) in strategic areas including clinical science, engineering, physics, mathematics and applied Social Sciences. The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA) programme, 'Strengthening International Research Capacity in Wales' (SIRCIW) will support recruitment of experienced researchers of all nationalities into Wales. Fellows will be given employment contracts at their host university, will be encouraged to spend time out in different sectors, and will benefit from a programme of bespoke and innovative training (through organisations such as the Leadership Foundation and Vox Coaching), to help develop the research leaders of the future. Applications will be driven by fellows themselves. Selection to the programme will be done using tested, merit-based methods and funding decisions will be independent of nationality, discipline, age, career breaks etc. The selection committee will be made up of national & international experts with a broad base of scientific knowledge and experience of funding/training panels. Their assessments will be assisted via the use of external, international, peer review. Membership of the panel will be balanced for gender, age and background. A strict policy for ethical issues will be adhered to via a 'Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) committee, and programme quality will be monitored with regular reviews.