Proposal Writing Workshop by CORE
On July 9–10, CORE hosted a two-day Proposal Writing Workshop for its employees, driven by its commitment to fostering continuous learning and professional development. As part of Twin4Twin project, the workshop materialized the Proposal Writing Game.
Dr. Nikos Kyriakoulis, Co-Founder and Managing Partner of CORE, led and presented this hands-on workshop, focused on both the theoretical foundations and practical aspects of preparing successful proposals for Horizon Europe. Through interactive training sessions and plenty of exercises, participants explored key elements of proposal writing, shared experiences, and engaged in targeted discussions that led to the development of proposal concepts.
The first day focused on developing a comprehensive understanding of the structure, requirements, and evaluation criteria of Horizon Europe proposals. Participants were introduced to the fundamental principles of innovation, the significance of narratives and how to describe innovative solutions, and the overall proposal development process and its underlying rationale. The sessions combined theoretical insights with interactive exercises designed to reinforce key concepts and enhance practical understanding.
The second day featured the Proposal Writing Game, an innovative and engaging card-based simulation developed by CORE. CORE’s gamified training is designed to educate, inform, and simulate real-world scenarios related to designing, preparing, and submitting Research & Innovation (R&I) proposals. Its card-based mechanics follow a “learning-by-doing” approach, simulating real proposal processes rather than focusing on competition. Players aim to develop strong proposal concepts, evaluated by experts using the same standards used in actual proposal assessments. The game includes dynamic elements that require strategic resource management and risk mitigation, adding realism to the experience. It also fosters networking and collaboration, encouraging players to form partnerships, share resources, and strategically decide whether to participate in multiple proposals to increase their chances of success.
This gamified approach allowed participants to apply the knowledge gained on the first day in a practical and collaborative setting. The session began with a review of the game guidelines, after which participants developed their own proposal concepts. The objective was to manage time effectively in order to build strong project ideas and form partnerships, which were then presented to the group. In the final phase, the proposals were evaluated by Dr. Nikos Kyriakoulis and Stefanos Kokkorikos, Co-Founders and Managing Partners of CORE. The game concluded with a simulated funding decision, revealing which proposals were selected—and the winners of the game.
The workshop concluded with the distribution of evaluation forms, allowing participants to share their feedback on the experience – and the responses were overwhelmingly positive. What stood out the most? The excitement around the gamified learning experience 😊
