How do you coordinate cooperation in a wide-ranging, tech-focused project with around 30 diverse case studies, where the main themes are robotics and artificial intelligence (AI), and project members are organized into sub-groups dedicated to specific areas such as business development, national and international networking, and communications.
This article presents the challenges and benefits as the lead of the communication sub-group designated to take care of project communication, marketing and events.
Bringing smart minds together
January 2024 marked the beginning of a newborn technological project TECHBOOST. An entity of six higher educational institutions with a unified goal that is to help small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) grow by using technological solutions.
TECHBOOST network consists of six higher educational institution: Aalto University, Tampere University, Metropolia UAS, Oulu UAS, Tampere UAS, and Häme UAS.
Concretely, the project has been supporting SME’s growth by implementing 30 technology cases (i.e. business projects) where companies are able to experiment with new technologies.
In the initiative, the collaboration of universities opens opportunities for the different field members to collaborate and work with each other. As Project coordinator, I collaborate with different project engineers, project managers, developers, students, and experts with the tasks of coordinating and disseminating communication, marketing, and event activities.
Main challenge of coordinating a six-institution network
Working within a larger scale consortium of nearly 35 members when we started, has its perks and inevitable challenges. As the communications person of the core consortium, the outcome that I have noticed is: slower productivity. There is so much to be done within the communication, marketing and events sub-group. Coordinating meetings where all parties can attend is often difficult, leading to delays in brainstorming, alignment, and decision-making.
Each institution has its own internal structures, schedules, and work cultures, which means reaching a common ground takes more time and requires continuous coordination.
In addition, limited resources such as time allocated to the project and low funding can impact motivation and commitment levels across partners. Most, if not all, project managers, engineers and myself are involved in multiple projects thus affecting our priorities. Dissemination activities, like producing a playbook, become harder to manage and aligned across institutions. Varying internal communication protocols and decision-making speeds can lead to further delays or confusion.
Despite these challenges, the collaboration also brings diverse perspectives and expertise to the table, which can lead to richer, more well-rounded outcomes.
Benefits of coordinating a six-institution network
The upside of cooperating with six higher educational institutions is the access to a wider range of expertise, facilities, and networks. Each institution has its own specialization: universities offer a strong research foundation, while universities of applied sciences bring practical, hands-on experience. This exchange enhances the quality and credibility of the project.
The project network also supports our technological cases (i.e. business projects) by facilitating connections with potential partners, technology suppliers, and offering guidance on funding applications.
Professional growth through challenges
On a personal level, coordinating a sub-group within such a large network has been an on-going learning experience. Stepping into a new role, from communication assistant to project coordinator, has given me the opportunity to face more challenges.
I’ve taken on responsibilities like designing the structure for a Research & Development (R&D) playbook and developing a dissemination plan with timelines. Skills I have developed include planning, prioritizing, ensuring I understand and share the right information, asking for help when needed, and taking initiative. All this has been done in a third-language setting (Finnish), navigating information that isn’t in my mother tongue. To me, that is a win.
While struggles were inevitable, I would conclude that I’m genuinely grateful for the chance to face and handle them. I have not mastered everything, but the learning process itself has been a meaningful achievement. My role as project coordinator at TECHBOOST over the past two years has strengthened my confidence and resilience, adding another layer to my professional growth foundation for the future.
