SWACCS achievements in its initial phase
SWACCS is a network between researchers at 13 different universities whose vision is a chemical-safe world. Swaccs aims at effective collaboration between academic research and education on one side and societal sectors on the other.
Since its launch on the 1st of January 2019, it’s been coordinated by Örebro University (ORU). During the initial phase 2019-2020, Swaccs has built up a structure that allows for contributions from all the 13 universities via the contact committee with regular meetings, has established a webpage that includes a collection of relevant master courses given at different Swedish universities, and has organized two workshops for junior scientists (“Swaccs JAWS”), two annual workshops (“Swaccs December workshops”), and two workshops dedicated to specific calls within the Horizon 2020 projects that have resulted in competitive applications involving a number of Swedish scientists.
New structure, same ambitions
From 1st of January 2021, Swaccs’ structure will change, from a centralized coordinating hub to local activity nodes (Swaccs university nodes, SWUN) that interact via the steering committee (consisting of two representatives of each university) and topical working groups (WGs). Please see the organization sketch below. The Swaccs executive group (SWEG), consisting of five representatives from different universities, will coordinate the activities at the different levels. For the first period, SWEG will consist of Joëlle Rüegg (UU), Patrik Andersson (UMU), Carl-Gustaf Bornehag (KAU), Ingrid Ericson Jogsten (ORU) och Anders Glynn (SLU).
The new structure is built on active university nodes and WGs, where the WGs should ensure that Swaccs core activities are maintained and further developed. The following WGs are suggested to cover the core activities:
WG research interactions: in charge of identifying relevant calls and organization of topical workshops to foster new collaborations.
WG competence provision: In charge of developing university collaboration in the advanced education field related to chemicals, environment and health and also to create desirable short courses for doctoral studies.
WG Communication: in charge of the Swaccs webpage and other (social) media appearances.
WG societal interaction: contact point for agencies etc.
WG December workshop: in charge of organizing the annual Swaccs workshops
WG JAWS: in charge of organizing the annual Swaccs junior academy workshops
Suggestions for other activities within these WGs or other WGs (including WG members) are welcome!
December workshop 2020, a milestone for building a strong Swaccs
The focus of this year’s December workshop is to fill the new structures with life and engagement. It is clear that the prerequisites to build up the university nodes and to engage in WGs vary between individuals and universities. But every contribution count! The workshop aims at providing inspiration on how to build up local nodes balancing effort with gain, and how even small contributions in a WG can have impact and strengthen Swaccs.