Rouages: “Being where research projects are developed”
Émilie Domanico is in charge of European and international projects. As head of the Engineering and Project Support Department, she works with Professors set up their projects and supports the president’s office on key initiatives forUM. She carries out this strategic role within the Innovation and Partnerships Department and discusses it with us as part of the “Rouages” video series, produced by the University of Montpellier.
Partnership and innovation are key pillars of the University’s overall policy aimed at strengthening its ties with the socio-economic sector on the one hand and its institutional partners on the other. Émilie Domanico, European and International Project Manager and Head of the Project Engineering and Support Department (SIAP) located on the Triolet campus, is dedicated to this mission. “There are seven of us project managers in this department. Yes, all women! We report to the Directorate of Innovation and Partnerships (DIPA), which employs 25 staff members, divided between my department and the Contracts and Commercialization Department.”
On project research…
It’s no secret anymore: the job ofProfessor EC) isn’t always carried out in exotic locations or behind a lab bench. Project management—whether for research or education—now accounts for a significant portion of their work, and a helping hand is always welcome. This is especially true when it comes to dealing with legal, administrative, and financial matters.
“There’s the research project, but surrounding it are all the cross-cutting issues: the link to regional, national, and/or European policies and strategies; gender; open science; ethics; communication and dissemination of results; intellectual property… Research centers don’t necessarily have the expertise to handle these aspects. We also ensure that the project meets the funding agency’s eligibility criteria and complies with national and European regulations, not to mention the university’s guidelines,” explains Émilie Domanico, who herself holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from Finland.
Monitoring is also part of the project manager’s responsibilities. Local authorities may approach SIAP with a specific funding need but without having identified any calls for proposals. “In such cases, we first help them find funding that matches their needs, and then we assist them in putting together the proposal. We operate at the regional level by working with local governments, as well as with national, European, and international donors—in other words, all types of funding sources, ” explains the department head.
… The research project
Once a project has been submitted and if it is selected, SIAP continues to support the ECs throughout the contract negotiation and project implementation phases: “We act as a liaison with the various departments and divisions withinUM will be involved: the HR Department if there are any hiring needs, the Finance Department for securing funding and justifying expenditures, the General and Institutional Affairs Department if there are any contracts, and so on.” The SIAP can also step in during the project’s lifetime if amendments or modifications are necessary .
The ECs aren’t the only ones who can benefit from the SIAP’s expertise. Vice presidents can also call on Émilie Domanico to help set up major projects that shape the University. “There was the I-siteMuse, the Charm EU European University , the SFRI ‘UMGS’ project , the renewal of the Labex programs , and so on. “We support all the projects in which the University of Montpellier is involved.” In 2019, SIAP helpedUM more than 32 million euros for 155 approved projects, “and many more proposals were submitted,” the project manager points out.
Teamwork and Networking
To provide the best possible service, the project managers divide up the tasks based on their areas of expertise. Three of them focus on regional and national funding programs, while three others handle European and international initiatives—one of whom is in charge of implementing the ERC action plan, carried out as part of the I-site Muse initiative. However, “it’s important that they know how to do everything, ” insists Émilie Domanico. “I make sure information flows smoothly and that they all have access to training that enables them to handle any project.”
Professional networks such as Cap ANR or the European liaisons of the Conference of University Presidents also enable SIAP staff to maintain constant contact with teams working at other institutions in France or Europe. Émilie Domanico co-chairs the Europe Committee alongside the CNRS and Paul-Valéry-Montpellier 3 University. “It takes expertise and technical know-how to understand the rules imposed on us. Training, the exchange of best practices, and collaboration with other departments withinUM in other networks are essential to continuing to drive innovation. You can’t do this job in isolation; you have to work as a team.”
The ability to work as part of a team is a necessary quality for this job, according to Émilie Domanico, who adds: listening skills, attention to detail, and responsiveness. “Our schedules are tight; deadlines are absolute—once they’re passed, the project can no longer move forward. We’re the first line of defense; if we make a mistake, it will ripple out to every level.” It’s a highly demanding profession, yet one that in no way dampens the project manager’s motivation—for her, the lack of routine and the stimulating exchanges with the research teams are powerful driving forces. “I wanted to be connected to the field. To be where research projects are developed, where they’re put into practice. And at a university like ours, there are always great projects to build,” she concludes.