Dear all, Thank you those who have responded to my request to rank the different options. We are collating these and will get back to you with an update. My colleagues and I have been continuing our work with the text of the application (which is coming along nicely) and will share an initial draft with you by the 10th. We now seem to be around 40 members from the following organisations: HB (multiple faculties and departments); CERTH, Greece; CWTS, Leiden, NL; RISE (multiple units); Neue Labs; Swedish Fashion Council; HiS (multiple groups); ShareMusic; Ulster University (to confirm formally please); Berge Consulting; KI; KTH; Invectra; and Lund University. SAAB, ABB, Clarivate and EON reality are still in the loop but still continue with their internal processes of securing approval at the right instances. (Recent messages by SAAB and ABB sounded very much like a confirmation, but the top approval is yet to be made. I had yet another meeting with Clarivate yesterday and will have another one (with a few more senior people) on Monday.) Due to related uncertainties, I have continued with the efforts to recruit new partners and have recently contacted Mölnlycke, Volvo cars, Gavagai, Abigo, reGenics and OneMed (I have given them examples, directly relevant for each, expressing the urgency for a decision). Other colleagues have also contacted AZ (Ruben – HB/AZ) and Ericsson and Sigma Connectivity (Kirsten – LU). If our long standing colleagues do not confirm their participation, at this moment our proposal will not be viable. We need to strengthen the involvement from non-academic partners, or abandon the proposal [which would be a pity considering (a) how far we have come, (b) how much work has gone into this already, and (c) the opportunity that this centre would bring for us all]. I, therefore, suggest that we all use this coming week for a very intensive, directed, proactive recruitment exercise pulling on all resources and having direct conversations with decision-making contacts to see what we can achieve. We will then re-evaluate on Friday next week to see whether we can continue or should abandon the idea. The deadline for confirmation of new participations has to be, at the latest, next Thursday for our decision to be made on Friday. [Please communicate your intentions for, and actions in, recruiting new partners with me.] Meanwhile, until next Friday we will all continue the process as planed. My colleagues and I will continue with the development of the application and please submit the requested information at the given dates as specified before (and also listed below for convenience). Many thanks and best regards, Nasrine Upcoming steps: Each organisation, and members thereof, please fill in both sheets in this document ( https://hb.app.box.com/file/356592096216) and return to us by next Monday December 3rd. Each organisation please view the declaration of intent document ( https://hb.app.box.com/file/356480150549) , provide the required information returned a signed copy to us by December 5th. Each organisation please fill in and return a first draft your budget sheet ( https://hb.app.box.com/file/356636460179) to us by December 10th. (There are some fictive figures there just to exemplify, please delete those and include names salary levels, OH, and other items that are relevant for you.)