Background Information on Actor

Full name of project: ACcelerate Trust in digital life Organisation and Relations

Funded under: 7th FWP (Seventh Framework Programme), CORDIS, European Commission
Area: Construction of new infrastructures: optimising of European infrastructures ...,0.1 SME Exploratory awards (INFRASTR-5)'

Link to European Commission ICT Research in FP7

The coordination action ACTOR supports the TDL Partnership raising awareness of research and its results of trustworthy ICT. ACTOR supports the partnership in establishing a network by involving additional members for the definition of a SRA and implementation through research projects. Project partners of ACTOR are Microsoft, Philips, Gemalto, Nokia and Bicore. Each of the project partners have their own specification of tasks and responsibilities.

1.1 Objectives of ACTOR

The objectives of ACTOR are focused on establishing a Partnership with critical mass and the positioning of Trust in Digital Life as an initiative geared toward concrete aims in the near term and a lasting mindset carrying forward. ACTOR supports the Partnership Trust in Digital Life with:

1. Establishing a multidisciplinary partnership consisting of at least 50-60 members.
2. Broad support to the Trust in Digital Life research roadmaps for longer term research in the field of trustworthy ICT.
3. Bundling and coordinating the effort of the Partnership members to develop a promising and ambitious Strategic Research Agenda and Work plan for Trust in Digital Life.
4. Identification of a balanced portfolio with concrete project ideas for public funded research and innovation projects.

The ACTOR project focuses on actions to improve the relations and organization dimensions of TDL partnership. The ACTOR project will arrange a cross sector research community and a governance structure that is open for all parties to join that fulfill the membership profile.

ACTOR will contribute to the development of the competence and financial dimension through the definition and assessment of a portfolio of public private research projects. In that sense all five dimensions of the TDL will be developed in a proper manner.

1.2 Overall timeline of the Actor project

ACTOR speeds up the development and implementation of the Strategic Research Agenda of the Trust in Digital Life partnership and will lead to better and more research projects.

The project has a planned duration of 24 months and consists of three phases:

• Phase 1: Preparation
• Phase 2: Initiation
• Phase 3: Growth

1.2.1 Preparation phase

ACTOR started with a preparation phase to implement the required procedures, technical infrastructure, a collaboration framework and governance structure. It supports membership management, working groups, exchange of knowledge and experiences, dissemination of results and initiation of joint research projects.

During the preparation phase the executive board is implemented. The executive board is responsible for approving the governance and membership structure for the Trust in Digital Life strategic research community. The executive board approves the shared vision, research agenda and work program. Members of the executive board are expected to position Trust in digital Life in the European research community. Working groups are defined and implemented.

1.2.2 Initiation phase – the current stage of TDL

Currently TDL is in the initiation phase where approximately 20-40 additional partnership members are invited to participate in the development of the Strategic Research Agenda and work program. A communication strategy and promotion material for the acquisition of new partners will be worked out.

Members of the Advisory Board and mirror group will be installed. The advisory group consists of independent experts and has the authority to review and comment on the results, Strategic Research Agenda and development process.

The mirror group guarantees an outside-in approach and provides the working groups and boards with insights, exchange of good practices and recommendations. It increases the success rate of the roll out and social acceptance of novel ICT-related trustworthy products and provides support to users to make informed decisions on the trustworthiness of ICT. Members of the mirror group are able to influence public organizations, administrations and legislation to adapt law and procedures.

1.2.3 Growth phase

 

The growth phase will continue to acquire new members for the TDL Community and coordinates the development of projects. In this phase of TDL the organization structure has been defined, procedures are ready, communication strategy is implemented and TDL will continue as an evolving community on its own.

1.3 Actor Meetings

1.3.1 Project Management Team Meetings

Interactive management by a regular ACTOR PMT meeting plays an important role in the communication strategy. The communication strategy aims to keep all the partners fully informed about the project status, the planning and all other issues which are important to the partners to obtain maximum transparency for all involved and to increase the synergy of the cooperation. The PMT meets regularly, in person or by telephone conference, to ensure a timely and effective discussion on overall technical progress as well as technical issues. The ACTOR Project Manager coordinates the PMT and chairs its meetings and is responsible for the agenda and meeting minutes.

1.3.2 ACTOR Annual Review meeting

The Annual Review meeting of the project will take place on request of the European Commission. During this meeting, the technical progress of the project is evaluated by the EC Project Officer and external auditors, who are experts in the field. The EC Project Officer together with the Project Manager determines date, agenda, duration and location.

1.3.3 Concertation Meeting

Concertation Meetings are organized by the EC. On invitation of the Scientific Project Officer, a delegation of the ACTOR Project will participate actively in these meetings.

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