On January 24th, 2023, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu hosted the kick-off meeting of the Twinning project Establishing a Laboratory of Cultural Heritage in Central Romania (ELABCHROM), bringing together representatives from all three partner universities: the Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu (Romania), the University of Jyväskylä (Finland) and the University of Burgundy, Dijon (France).

Associate Professor Dr. Tuuli Lähdesmäki and Dr. Johanna Turunen participated on behalf of the University of Jyväskylä (JYU), Professor Dr. Tadeusz Sliwa, vice-president delegate of cultural policy, represented University of Burgundy (uB), while Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu was represented by Professor Dr. Andrei Terian, Vice-Rector for Research, Innovation, and Internationalization, Associate Professor Dr. Ionela Vlase, Head of the Research, Development, Innovation Service, Lecturer Dr. Mihai Rusu, Associate Professor Dr. Raluca Mureșan, and Lecturer Dr. Mircea Fuciu. Representatives from JYU and uB participated to the meeting via online video conference.

During this first in-person meeting, the project team got acquainted and discussed ELABCHROM’s action plan for the coming months and the implementation timetable: the mobilities planned for administrative and research staff, the research instruments, the Data Management Plan, the dissemination activities, events such as summer schools and conferences, as well as the confirmation of the Steering Committee, consisting of coordinators of all seven work packages.

Following the discussion, participants agreed on the implementation dynamics and delivery deadlines.  

From 5-8 June, the first training seminar for SCDI employees in the framework of the ELABCHROM (Establishing a Laboratory of Cultural Heritage) project took place at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. At this seminar, SCDI employees, under the coordination of Dr. Ionela Vlase (Head of CDI Department), participated in interactive presentation sessions of the services offered by similar structures within the Finnish university. The ELABCHROM project, which offers both research and research administrative support, aims to bridge the gap between universities in countries with average performance and those that excel in research. The University of Jyväskylä, one of the partner universities in the ELABCHROM consortium and host of the SCDI-ULBS team training seminar, is recognised for its excellence in research and high quality service to researchers. These services cover both aspects of reporting research performance and preparing and encouraging researchers to apply to prestigious competitions such as those organised by the European Research Council.