Collaboration
NeIC is not a funding body, but a facilitator for collaborations. Collaboration is at the core of most or even all activities in NeIC. This page collects links to pages describing relevant aspects of NeIC collaboration.
NeIC Collaboration Models
Most activity within NeIC takes the form of collaborative projects. Projects are structured activities to reach defined and measurable goals within a given time frame and a set of resource allocations. The currently applied fit-for-purpose collaboration models are based on previous experiences, however NeIC is open to develop its models to match the needs of the e-infrastructure communities in the Nordic region.
- Nordic dimension and effective goal
- NeIC activities must in the long run add value to Nordic user communities. NeIC is about e-infrastructure (digital infrastructure) for research collaborations. Participation from at least three countries, of which one can be other than a Nordic country which includes Estonia, is required for bottom-up activities. The proposed collaboration project may include partners from beyond the Nordic region. NeIC projects are developed in collaboration with researchers and national institutions from participating countries on a cost-sharing basis.
Development project
Typical provider-oriented development projects aim at developing services for a wide range of research problems and the typical project team consists of service providers. A typical community-oriented development project aims at developing e-infrastructure services targeted for one or more significant areas of science. The development project proposed may contain elements of both provider-oriented and community-oriented development projects. In the preparation of the development project plan, the proposers should also consider how the anticipated services and/or gained competences would be sustained after the completion of the project. A typical development project could have a duration of up to three years with a budget covering a project manager at 25-50% FTE fully funded by NeIC, 4- 9 FTEs funded 50/50% by NeIC and partners and some additional travel/meeting expenses.
Community forming pre-study
The pre-study aims at Nordic teams-in-formation to explore synergies of common e-infrastructure solutions and the potential to scope a future development project. A typical pre-study has a duration of 6-12 months and a budget of 200,000 NOK to cover meeting costs and coordination. The funding will be given to the partner who coordinates the pre-study.
Workshops
NeIC likes to connect the experts who work with similar challenges in various Nordic organizations, to build networks to where expertise, experience and good solutions can be shared, and where good collaborations can be formed. Since workshops are cost-effective endeavours to build collaborations and produce concrete results, NeIC likes to support and (co-)fund Nordic workshops.
Operations
NeIC can also operate e-infrastructure services, if doing so can be shown to have a clear Nordic added value. NeIC operations are generally only initiated top-down. The main operational activity is the Nordic Tier-1 service.
Affiliate Programme
The NeIC Affiliate Programme is meant to enhance the benefits and impacts of NeIC projects after they have been completed. All concluded NeIC projects and activities are eligible to participate, advertise their highlights on the Affiliate website and apply annually for NeIC financial support.
Activity initiation
NeIC has had three open calls (2012, 2014, 2018) for letters of interest for collaboration and is since 2019 issuing an annual Invitation for e-Infrastructure Collaboration. NeIC starts new activities based on board decisions that are usually informed by submitted proposals to the open calls. A secondary aim for the open calls is to gather background information for future calls, fundraising and long-term planning.
- Activity initiation
- Most NeIC activities take the form of running projects for concrete e-infrastructure improvements in the Nordics, but it can in some cases also operate services. This page describes the process of starting new activities.
- Invitation for e-Infrastructure Collaboration 2020
- Invitation for e-Infrastructure Collaboration 2019
- Information about previous Invitations for e-Infrastructure Collaboration.
- Letters of interest
- Letters of interest received through open calls 2012, 2014 and 2018.
Project model
NeIC applies the Tieto PPS model for project steering. More details on the Project process are found here.
Community building
- Description on how NeIC likes to interact for various purposes.
Documents
- Approved NeIC policies.