Knowledge Base

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====== Roles and Responsibilities ======

===== Overview of User Roles =====

The WP11 – Transnational Access (TNA) platform is based on a role-based management model, in which each user interacts with the system according to their responsibilities, assigned permissions, and scope of competence.

Access to the platform always occurs through authentication; however:

  * the interface,
  * the Dashboard,
  * the menu sections,
  * the displayed data

vary significantly depending on the user’s role.

Each role is associated with specific functionalities and access rights, which determine:

  * the platform sections visible to the user;
  * the actions that can be performed;
  * the information that can be created, modified, or consulted;
  * the scope of accessible data (global, Host-based, or personal).

The platform clearly distinguishes between:

  * administration and configuration roles,
  * Transnational Access process management roles,
  * operational and evaluation roles,
  * participation roles (Fellow).

The main roles defined within the platform are:

  * System Administrator
  * TNA Manager
  * Host Coordinator
  * Peer Reviewer
  * Fellow

The following sections describe in detail the operational responsibilities, available functionalities, and access scope associated with each role.

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===== System Administrator =====

The System Administrator is a technical role responsible for the overall configuration and administrative management of the WP11 – Transnational Access (TNA) platform.

This role operates at a transversal level with respect to the Transnational Access process and does not intervene in operational activities related to the creation of Calls, evaluation of Research Proposals, or management of research visits.

The System Administrator accesses a dedicated interface that enables management of system functionalities and global informational content of the platform.

In particular, the System Administrator can:

  * access platform configuration functionalities;
  * manage FAQs, creating and updating frequently asked questions visible to users through the platform footer;
  * administer informational content and support sections common to all users;
  * verify the correct functioning of the platform’s general features.

The System Administrator does not:

  * create or manage Calls for Application;
  * intervene in the evaluation of Research Proposals;
  * participate in acceptance or rejection decisions;
  * manage visits, expenses, or outputs.

This role ensures the proper functioning and configuration of the platform, maintaining a clear separation between technical system management and the operational and decision-making activities of Transnational Access.

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===== TNA Manager =====

The TNA Manager is the central figure in managing the Transnational Access process within the WP11 TNA platform.

This role combines operational, coordination, and functional administrative responsibilities within the TNA domain.

The TNA Manager accesses a comprehensive Dashboard that provides a global overview of ongoing activities and enables control over the entire lifecycle of Calls, Research Proposals, and research visits.

==== Process Responsibilities ====

The main responsibilities of the TNA Manager include:

  * creation and configuration of Calls for Application;
  * publication, closure, cancellation, or archiving of Calls;
  * formal verification of Research Proposals submitted by Fellows;
  * submission of proposals to the Peer Review process;
  * monitoring the status of scientific evaluations;
  * management of final acceptance or rejection decisions, in collaboration with the Host Coordinator;
  * supervision of the proper progression of the lifecycle of Research Proposals and visits.

==== Functional Administrative Responsibilities ====

In addition to process management, the TNA Manager performs a key role in the functional administration of the TNA platform.

In particular, the TNA Manager may:

  * manage Hosts by creating and maintaining updated information about hosting institutions;
  * associate one or more Host Coordinators with each Host;
  * manage the People section, defining associations between users and operational roles;
  * monitor and consult expenses and visits related to all Hosts;
  * create and share documents and resources with specific Hosts;
  * maintain a transversal and aggregated view of all Transnational Access activities.

These activities enable the TNA Manager to ensure consistency between platform configuration, Call publication, and operational management of research activities.

==== Scope of Intervention and Limits ====

The TNA Manager always operates in compliance with the status rules defined by the system.

Available actions depend on the current status of Calls, Research Proposals, or Visits and are automatically enabled or disabled by the platform.

The TNA Manager does not perform technical configuration activities of the system, which remain under the responsibility of the System Administrator.

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===== Host Management (TNA Manager) =====

Within the WP11 – Transnational Access (TNA) platform, the TNA Manager is also responsible for managing Hosts, namely the institutions where research activities under the Transnational Access programme are carried out.

Host management constitutes a preliminary and fundamental phase of the process, as Hosts represent the institutional context for the publication of Calls for Application and for the execution of research visits.

In particular, the TNA Manager may:

  * create and configure new Hosts within the platform;
  * manage descriptive information of the hosting institution;
  * associate one or more Host Coordinators with each Host;
  * maintain the list of available Hosts for Calls for Application.

Hosts must be defined and correctly configured before creating Calls, as Calls reference the hosting institutions where Fellows will conduct their research activities.

This functionality ensures consistency between Calls, Research Proposals, and research visits, guaranteeing that each application and each visit is always associated with a valid and properly managed Host within the system.

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===== Host Coordinator =====

The Host Coordinator represents the hosting institution where research activities under the Transnational Access programme take place.

This role operates within a clearly defined scope, limited to the assigned Host, and accesses a dedicated Dashboard displaying exclusively information and functionalities related to the respective institution.

Within the platform, the Host Coordinator is responsible for:

  * viewing and managing information related to the associated Host;
  * consulting Research Proposals referring to their hosting institution;
  * participating in decision-making phases on Research Proposals, based on Peer Review results, in collaboration with the TNA Manager;
  * planning approved research visits by defining timeframes and operational aspects;
  * updating visit status (e.g., Planned, Finished, or Cancelled);
  * supporting the Fellow during the visit at the hosting institution;
  * validating the completion of the visit at the end of research activities.

In addition to operational functionalities, the Host Coordinator may:

  * consult expenses and information related to visits of their Host;
  * access resources and documents shared by the TNA Manager (e.g., contracts, agreements, or administrative documentation);
  * view exclusively the documents and data made available for their Host by the TNA Manager.

The Host Coordinator does not have visibility over Research Proposals, visits, expenses, or documents related to other hosting institutions.

This model ensures a clear separation of data and responsibilities, guaranteeing that each Host operates strictly within its own scope of competence.

The Host Coordinator therefore plays a key role in the operational phase of Transnational Access, acting as a reference point between the Fellow, the hosting institution, and the TNA Manager, and ensuring the correct execution of research activities at the Host.

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===== Peer Reviewer =====

The Peer Reviewer is the scientific evaluator responsible for examining Research Proposals submitted by Fellows within the Transnational Access programme.

The Peer Reviewer accesses the platform through a dedicated Dashboard, which displays exclusively the research proposals assigned by the TNA Manager.

No visibility is provided for non-assigned Research Proposals or other platform processes.

The main activities of the Peer Reviewer include:

  * accessing assigned Research Proposals;
  * consulting proposal content;
  * conducting scientific evaluation according to defined criteria;
  * completing required judgments, comments, and scores;
  * finalizing the review within established deadlines.

The Peer Reviewer operates exclusively within the scientific evaluation phase.

The role does not allow modification of Research Proposal content nor participation in subsequent decision-making or operational phases, which remain under the responsibility of the TNA Manager and Host Coordinator.

This model guarantees independence of the evaluation process and clear separation of roles within the platform.

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===== Fellow =====

The Fellow is the researcher who submits an application to access the Transnational Access programme.

Within the platform, the Fellow may:

  * consult published Calls for Application;
  * create and complete a Research Proposal;
  * save the proposal in Draft status;
  * submit the Research Proposal for evaluation;
  * monitor the status of their application;
  * cancel the application, if necessary;
  * manage visit-related information once approved;
  * enter incurred expenses and upload supporting documentation;
  * upload outputs of the research visit.

The Fellow may modify the content of their Research Proposal only when it is in states that allow editing (e.g., Draft).

Once submitted for evaluation, the proposal is no longer editable, unless an explicit revision request is issued by the TNA Manager.

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===== Permission and Responsibility Management =====

The WP11 – Transnational Access (TNA) platform applies a rigorous permission management model based on the combination of user role and the current status of system-managed objects.

Permissions associated with each role explicitly determine:

  * accessible platform sections;
  * available actions;
  * scope of visible data (global, Host-restricted, or personal).

The system automatically applies access restrictions based on:

  * the user’s role (System Administrator, TNA Manager, Host Coordinator, Peer Reviewer, Fellow);
  * the current status of the object (Call for Application, Research Proposal, or Visit).

In particular:

  * certain actions are enabled only in specific lifecycle states;
  * transitions between states are allowed exclusively to specific roles;
  * information visibility is limited to the user’s scope of competence.

This approach ensures:

  * separation of responsibilities among technical, administrative, decision-making, and operational roles;
  * consistency of the Transnational Access process across all phases;
  * traceability of performed actions for monitoring and audit purposes;
  * security and integrity of information managed by the platform.

Through this model, the platform ensures that each user operates strictly within the limits of their role and responsibilities, preventing unauthorized access and guaranteeing the proper execution of the process.

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