This multidisciplinary network entitled: “Magnetics and Microhydrodynamics - from guided transport to delivery” (MaMi) bridges the research fields of fluidics and magnetism, by taking advantage of magnetic forces to control local flows and cargo transport inspired by biomimetic systems. Using magnetic sources, as well as high magnetic susceptibility liquids or nanostructures, devices with unique anti-fouling properties and non-slip boundary conditions can be realized. Our scientific aim is to take advantage of such unique wall-less properties to create new applications of microfluidic technology for life sciences. The network assembles and interdisciplinary team of seven academic and five non-academic partners, exposes all students to industrial environments, and ensures training at the frontiers of two well-established research fields, which are not commonly associated. Over the course of their projects, early stage researchers based in academic institutions will experience working environments in at least 3 different countries. Training a new generation of researchers will bring new cutting-edge knowledge, and will ensure a high potential for industrial applications to promote EU leadership.

As a response to the need to decrease the transportation related emissions and energy consumption, today, all major passenger car and other light-duty vehicle manufacturers are broadening their electric vehicle portfolio. The dependency of the present electrical traction motors on the rare materials, such as rare earth permanent magnet materials, namely Neodymium-Iron-Boron magnets, is problematic from several viewpoints: they are imported and expensive and there is a real risk for supply problems in the coming years. To strengthen the European competitiveness, VOLTCAR ('Design, manufacturing, and validation of ecocycle electric traction motor') proposes high-speed, permanent magnet assisted synchronous reluctance technology with a drastic reduction in rare materials' utilisation. During VOLTCAR, the motor prototype is perfected to meet the strictest performance requirements (power density, efficiency), sustainability criteria (recyclability, circularity and low use of rare resources and copper) and the expectations of the automotive sector (cost, reliability, integrability). This major goal is supported by introducing digital design and optimisation methodologies that are capable of assessing the life cycle costs, energy consumption, and carbon footprint in the early phase, guiding the outcomes towards maximised sustainability with reduced use of rare materials and efficient recycling and repurposing patterns. The validity of the VOLTCAR motor prototypes, 50 kW and 120 kW motor, and related technologies is proved according to the automotive standards, presenting an X-in-the-loop (XiL) experimentation environments. With this development, VOLTCAR will simultaneously lead to more green jobs in local SMEs throughout Europe to reduce unemployment rate. The VOLTCAR consortium comprises world-leading automotive Tier 1 and Tier 2 companies and research partners with complementary knowledge and expertise for the successful execution of the proposed work.

GETM3 – Global Entrepreneurial Talent Management 3 - focuses on young talent as a key driver of future development, developed through co-operation of 3 stakeholders: employers (inc MNC & SME’s), universities and students/graduates. Despite a widely recognized importance of young talent (e.g. Europe 2020), its potential remains largely untapped. They are educated and entrepreneurial and yet experience instability in employment. At the same time, employers report skills mismatch and difficulties with attracting, managing and retaining young talent. To tackle this paradoxical situation, an innovative, multi-perspective approach is needed, reinforced by our 15 partner consortium; comprising of a transnational, inter-disciplinary, inter-generational, gender balanced and inter-sectorial research team. The main objective of GETM3 is to improve employability and future global talent management to support economic development by capitalizing on entrepreneurialism as a key characteristic of the young. To achieve this objective, the project is divided into six work packages. Three WPs focus on in-depth research of specific issues from each of the stakeholder perspectives. The Integration and Innovation WP, essential for impact, aims to integrate research outputs and develop GETM3 across dimensions: generations, genders, disciplines, countries, sectors and stakeholders. These are supported by a project management & administration WP and by the Researcher development, knowledge transfer & dissemination WP. In total, 292 mobility months are planned, 232 of those are for EU partners. Matched funding specially dedicated to H2020 will be claimed from the Korean Research Foundation. The overall design of the project builds impact through researcher mobility in two ways: researchers will gain first hand and in-depth insights on specific issues from various perspectives, and will develop their skills through networking and training incorporated into mobility with sandpit events.

Rare Earths (RE) are crucial materials for Europe's successful green and digital transition, thus classified as highly critical. The market for RE magnets itself is relatively small - about €6.5 billion - however its downstream leverage is enormous: the mobility business in the EU27 alone is expected to grow to about €500 billion by 2030, with 6 million jobs. While being a world leader in the manufacturing of e.g. electric motors, the EU27 is fully import-dependent along the entire value chain of RE magnet materials. Despite a growing market, European magnet production capacity is underutilised and tends to serve specialised niche applications. In addition, RE magnets are increasingly imported as part of motors and generator assemblies and products. The main reasons for these developments are that China has a monopoly in the RE supply chain across all stages from mining to refining. To overcome this issue, REEsilience will categorise RE for geographic locations, quantities, chemical composition, ethical and sustainable indicators, ramp-up scenarios, and pricing, considering all value streams from virgin to secondary material. It will build a production system that ensures a resilient and sustainable supply chain for RE as critical raw materials for the e-mobility, renewable energy and further strategic sectors in Europe with less dependencies on non-European economies. A newly-developed software tool will determine optimum mixing ratios to ensure consistently high product quality with maximum secondary materials for high-tech applications. Combined with new and improved technologies for alloy production and powder preparation, especially of secondary materials, the yield and stability of processes will be further enhanced, allowing further augmentation of the proportion of secondary materials in RE PM production, reducing at the same time waste, environmental damage, and consumption of energy linked with virgin production.