Mathematics for Industry Network (MI-NET)

Mathematics for Industry Network (MI-NET) is a Europe-wide partnership created to promote collaboration in, and the benefits of, industrial mathematics. Its stated objective is to bridge the gap between mathematical research and its application in industry, since advances in mathematical research are not always applied to maximum advantage in industry. The network operates as a COST Action, a European framework for cooperation in science and technology, and it began in May 2015 with 23 countries represented by 48 Management Committee members. By the end of the Action, the network had grown to include 32 countries, 16 of which were Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITCs), represented by 61 Management Committee members. MI-NET's core activities are European Study Groups with Industry (ESGIs), Industrial Workshops (IWs), Modelling Weeks (MWs), and Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs). ESGIs are described as Europe's leading workshops bringing together mathematicians and industrial companies: companies submit mathematical problems, participants work in groups around each problem, and results are presented to industry at the end of the week, with a written report drawn up for each problem. MI-NET supported 21 European Study Groups with Industry. Industrial Workshops, of which 23 were organised with 1,500 participants across 11 European countries and Israel, present and discuss up-to-date mathematical methods in the framework of industrial applications, including first-time events in Macedonia, Cyprus, Israel, and Switzerland. Modelling Weeks, 12 of which were funded, familiarise students with standard techniques of industrial mathematics, typically with about six students per team working on carefully prepared real-world problems advised by experienced researchers. MI-NET also supported 51 Short Term Scientific Missions to academic and non-academic partners, used primarily for research visits to complete follow-up work after a Study Group, to prepare joint funding applications, or to co-author peer-reviewed journal publications. Funding for meetings and training schools is attributed through open competition, with calls open four times a year and widely advertised to achieve an inclusive and fair distribution of funds. MI-NET has also produced dissemination materials, including handbooks on how to run Study Groups and Modelling Weeks, a case study booklet of success stories of MI-NET-funded academia-industry cooperation, and a video on Study Groups featuring material from the 146th European Study Group with Industry in Cyprus. The network is associated with the United Kingdom and maintains its online presence at mi-network.org.

Mathematics for Industry Network (MI-NET) was established as a COST Action, a European cooperation framework for science and technology. According to its own account, the Action started in May 2015 with 23 countries represented by 48 Management Committee members; of those countries, 9 (39%) were Inclusiveness Target Countries (ITCs) and 1 (Israel) was a cooperating state. By the end of the Action, the network had grown to include 32 countries, comprising 16 ITCs (50%) and 16 non-ITCs, represented by 61 Management Committee members. The network was set up to address a perceived gap: mathematics underpins all of modern science and technology, but advances in mathematical research are not always applied to maximum advantage in industry. MI-NET's objective was therefore to create a Europe-wide partnership to promote collaboration in, and the benefits of, industrial mathematics. Its activities were designed to increase interaction between industry and academia through several recurring formats. European Study Groups with Industry (ESGIs) formed a central activity. Described as Europe's leading workshop bringing together mathematicians and industrial companies, an ESGI invites companies to submit mathematical problems; participants then work in groups around each problem and present their results to industry at the end of the week, with a written report drawn up and presented to the companies. MI-NET supported 21 European Study Groups with Industry. Industrial Workshops (IWs) were another core format. MI-NET organised 23 Industrial Workshops with 1,500 participants in 11 European countries and Israel, where up-to-date mathematical methods were presented and discussed in the framework of industrial applications. These included first-time events in Macedonia, Cyprus, Israel, and Switzerland. Modelling Weeks (MWs) were devised to familiarise students with standard techniques of industrial mathematics, often held the week before a Study Group. The typical format is about six students per team working on carefully prepared real-world problems, advised by experienced researchers with strong track records of collaboration with industry. MI-NET funded 12 Modelling Weeks. Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs) supported 51 research visits to academic and non-academic partners. They were used primarily to support research visits to complete follow-up work after attending a Study Group, to prepare a joint application for funding, or to co-author a peer-reviewed journal publication. Funding for meetings and training schools was attributed through open competition. Calls were open four times a year and widely advertised so that an inclusive and fair distribution of funds was achieved. MI-NET also invested in dissemination. It developed handbooks on how to run Study Groups and Modelling Weeks, together with a case study booklet comprising success stories of MI-NET-funded cooperation between academia and industry. It also produced a video on Study Groups with material from the 146th European Study Group with Industry in Cyprus, intended to give an impression of what study groups are about and what can be achieved.

• 2015

  COST Action MI-NET started in May 2015 with 23 countries represented by 48 Management Committee members.

• MI-NET supported 21 European Study Groups with Industry (ESGIs).

• MI-NET organised 23 Industrial Workshops with 1,500 participants in 11 European countries and Israel, including first-time events in Macedonia, Cyprus, Israel, and Switzerland.

• MI-NET funded 12 Modelling Weeks.

• MI-NET supported 51 Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs).

• By the end of the Action, the network grew to include 32 countries (16 ITC and 16 non-ITC) represented by 61 Management Committee members.

A Europe-wide partnership and COST Action that connects mathematicians and industry to apply mathematical research to industrial problems.

• European Study Groups with Industry (ESGIs)

  Europe's leading workshops bringing together mathematicians and industrial companies; companies submit mathematical problems, participants work in groups, and results are presented to industry at the end of the week.

• Industrial Workshops (IWs)

  Events presenting and discussing up-to-date mathematical methods in the framework of industrial applications.

• Modelling Weeks (MWs)

  Training activities where about six students per team work on carefully prepared real-world problems advised by experienced researchers.

• Short Term Scientific Missions (STSMs)

  Research visits to academic and non-academic partners, used to complete follow-up work, prepare joint funding applications, or co-author publications.

• Study Group Handbook

  A handbook on how to run Study Groups.

• Modelling Week Handbook

  A handbook on how to run Modelling Weeks.

• Case Studies Booklet

  A booklet comprising success stories of MI-NET funded cooperation between academia and industry.

1. 1MI-NET – Mathematics for Industry Networkmi-network.org
2. 2Dissemination – MI-NETmi-network.org
3. 3About MI-Net – MI-NETmi-network.org
4. 4Modelling Weeks (MWs) – MI-NETmi-network.org
5. 5Mathematics for Industry Network (MI-NET) – Wikidatawikidata.org