SITES and the University of Chester Business School Master Class
AI Tools, Research Management and the Impact Canvas, 10 November 2026
Competition for EU research funding keeps growing, and AI tools now make almost every proposal read well. Good writing is no longer enough to stand out. SITES and the University of Chester Business School are therefore running a practical master class, Writing for Impact, on 10 November 2026 from 13:30 to 16:30 (UK time) at the University of Chester Business School.
The session shows how to plan a proposal like a project, use AI responsibly, and write what evaluators actually score. It uses the Impact Canvas to build a credible pathway from project results to real-world change.
What participants will be able to do
- Plan a proposal like a project: match an idea to the right call, assemble a complementary consortium and work back from the deadline.
- Use AI tools responsibly: speed up literature review, call analysis and drafting while protecting quality, confidentiality and integrity.
- Write what evaluators score: address Excellence, Impact and Implementation, and build a credible impact pathway with the Impact Canvas.
Programme (UK time)
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 13:30–13:40 | Welcome and opening |
| 13:40–14:25 | Module 1: Research management and the project cycle |
| 14:25–15:10 | Module 2: AI in proposal writing |
| 15:10–15:25 | Coffee break |
| 15:25–16:15 | Module 3: Competitive proposal writing and the Impact Canvas |
| 16:15–16:30 | Q&A and closing |
Who should attend
Researchers, doctoral candidates and research-support staff preparing Horizon Europe and other competitive proposals. Participants should bring one project idea they are planning. In pairs, they will map it onto the Impact Canvas.
Your speaker
Leonardo Piccinetti is Senior Research & Innovation Advisor and Managing Director of SITES Ltd. He works across Horizon Europe, MSCA, LIFE and Erasmus+, from proposal development and consortium management to exploitation and impact. His focus areas include the blue bioeconomy, the circular economy and quintuple-helix innovation governance. He is also a doctoral researcher at the University of Chester Business School.
Registration and contact
