Between June 9–13, 2025, Prof. Iryna Yaremchuk, Coordinator of the HELIOS project and Head of the Department of Electronic Engineering, together with Dr. Nazariy Andrushchak, Head of the Project Office at Lviv Polytechnic National University, conducted a series of productive meetings with representatives from international project support offices at the University of Glasgow (Scotland).

These meetings were part of HELIOS’ strategic efforts to strengthen international cooperation, exchange best practices, and enhance institutional capacity in managing EU-funded research and innovation projects. The visit provided valuable insights into advanced approaches for project development, financial administration, intellectual property (IP) management, and strategic partnership building.

The first meeting was with Dr. Neil Findlay, Research Development Manager (Science & Engineering College Business Development) and Strategic Research Initiatives Manager (Research Services). Dr. Findlay provided in-depth insights into supporting interdisciplinary project development, crafting competitive research proposals, and engaging academic staff in EU-funded initiatives. His strategic perspective on fostering long-term institutional research priorities was highly relevant to HELIOS and future consortia planning.

Next, an inspiring meeting with Miss Lesley Arnold, EU & International Grants and Contracts Specialist (Finance Office Research & Other Services) was conducted. Miss Arnold shared detailed practices on financial compliance, budgeting procedures, and post-award grant administration within the UK university system. The discussion was beneficial for aligning HELIOS financial workflows with international standards, including those of the Horizon Europe program.

Finally, a meeting with Mr. Darian Brookes, IP and Innovation Manager (Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Engagement), was organized. The conversation with Mr. Brookes focused on intellectual property strategy, commercialization pathways, and the integration of innovation support services within EU projects. Best practices discussed during the meeting will support the exploitation and valorisation objectives of HELIOS and strengthen the innovation component of the project.

These fruitful meetings further reinforce the HELIOS project’s mission to create a robust ecosystem for organic white-light-emitting materials through international collaboration and knowledge exchange. We sincerely thank all partners for their openness, shared experience, and commitment to research excellence.