Governance

Inclusive Project Management structure

The consortium values inclusion in all cooperation projects. Therefore, the proposed project management approach is a relatively flat, lean structure with clear responsibilities for each consortium body and equal representation. Appropriate checks and balances are built into the management structure to minimise the risk of mismanagement and abuse of power.

The project has two decision making bodies:

1. Project Management Team (PMT)

The Project Management Team will ensure the smooth conduct of the project and make all minor decisions related to project delivery day-by-day.

The Project Leader for this project is Dr George Downward based at the Julius Center for Health Sciences and Primary Care, UMCU the Netherlands. On behalf of this consortium, he has the overall responsibility for organising, planning and controlling the project. He will be the main contact person for the European
Commission (EC).

Project Manager/Workpackage Leader for WP5 Project & Quality Management is Camilla Alay Llamas, MD, MPH. She will be the main contact person for all consortium partners and will work with the Project Coordinator to
organise, plan and control the project.

Co-Leader for WP5 is AUW. Senior Representative for AUW – Dr. Sayed Mohammad Nazim Uddin – is the proposed Quality Manager. He will be responsible for the Quality Plan, coordination of all quality reporting by WP leaders
and liaison on quality issues with the External Advisory Board.

A dedicated UMCU Project Controller Finance Officer – Gulseren Yalvac – will support the Project Management Team and also maintain contact with all consortium partners’ Finance Officers for advice on EC/Erasmus financial and contractual rules, budget distribution and administration and assembly of all financial reports and their
submission to the European Commission according to Erasmus+ reporting guidelines.

The Project Management Team will rely on the UMCU Project Office for:

• administrative and technical management of the project
• legal and contractual coordination – maintenance and amendments of Grant Agreement and Consortium Agreement
• developing project-specific Ethical Policy, communicating this to Partners and monitoring compliance
• providing access to Equitable Partnership documents and templates (Data sharing, Data Management Plan, Authorship Principles, Sample Distribution Criteria)

2. Steering Committee (SC)

The Project Management Team and the consortium Work Package Co-Leaders form the Steering Committee, which is responsible for all major decisions related to strategy, technical workpackages, project budget and project conduct.

Having Co-Leaders on all Workpackages from both EU and Asian Partner HEIs ensures that we have continuity of leadership if one partner is unavailable and also an equitable, inclusive approach to the technical leadership of
the CATA-Earth project.

The SC will meet bi-monthly and make all major decisions with regard to the development and delivery of Planetary Health courses, engagement with local stakeholders, dissemination and sustainability actions and all other major decisions concerning the overall project management. The SC will seek advice from the External
Advisory Board.

External Advisory Board (EAB)

The EAB will assist the project with experts from different fields relevant to Planetary Health. They will closely follow the project and provide the consortium with advice about the direction they should go. They will also assess the quality of the project and act as a critical friend. The collaboration with the EAB serves two main purposes: First, it will support optimal flow and optimal quality of the project and secondly, it will lead to a broad recognition, acceptance and impact of the project. The EAB meets on an annual basis.