30.03.2026 On March 26, 2026, ICTER hosted its first-ever MAB FENG Reporting and Planning Meeting. What began as an effort to structure research plans quickly evolved into something more – a space for real collaboration, honest confrontation of assumptions, and the identification of shared directions.
At the very beginning, Prof. Maciej Wojtkowski set the tone by reminding participants what ICTER is ultimately about:
“What matters most are not the metrics that attempt to measure our impact artificially. What truly matters is how our work translates into reality – whether we can help people and influence their everyday lives genuinely” – said prof. Maciej Wojtkowski.
This perspective framed the entire meeting. The workshop was not an end in itself, but a tool – a way to bring research closer to real-world impact.
From reporting to shared thinking
The meeting opened with progress updates from all ICTER research groups – IDOC, OBi, ISB, CGG, POB, and PICO. It was an opportunity to take stock of where the institute stands: what is being developed, how far projects have progressed, and what directions are emerging.
But this was only the starting point. The core of the day was the workshop, designed to shift the focus from reporting to planning and alignment. This was not a brainstorming session, nor a repetition of earlier presentations. Each group worked on a concrete plan – defining deliverables, milestones, risks, and dependencies on other teams.
A shared framework helped structure this process: clarifying what needs to be delivered, what “done” actually means, what steps lead there, and where collaboration is essential.
Importantly, each plan remained the group’s property. The workshop did not impose solutions – it helped refine and test them in a broader context.
Conversation as a working tool
One of the most valuable moments of the meeting was the poster session. Groups presented their plans, while others moved between them, asking questions, identifying gaps, and suggesting improvements.
These were short exchanges, but often highly focused. A single question from someone outside the group was sometimes enough to reveal a missing dependency or open up a new possibility for collaboration. This stage naturally shifted the perspective – from thinking about individual projects to thinking in terms of a shared system.
The most hands-on part of the workshop was the Dependency Huddles – mixed-group discussions focused on clarifying interdependencies. Here, the conversation became very concrete: what support is needed, what can be offered, and where potential bottlenecks may arise.
In many cases, these discussions led to clear, actionable conclusions – the kind that directly shape how projects move forward.
What changed?
The final summaries showed that the workshop had a tangible impact. Many groups refined, simplified, or adjusted their plans.
The most common outcome was greater clarity – clearer goals, better-defined priorities, and a deeper understanding of how teams depend on one another. As intended, the result was not just a planning document, but a shift in mindset – from parallel workstreams to an interconnected system.
Prof. Wojtkowski’s words resonated throughout the meeting, reminding participants that ICTER’s purpose goes beyond producing measurable outputs. Its core mission is translational: turning research into solutions that can improve diagnostics and therapy, and ultimately affect people’s lives.
Seen in this light, the workshop was not merely an organizational exercise but part of a broader effort to ensure that research leads to meaningful outcomes.
A beginning, not a one-off
The first MAB FENG Reporting and Planning Meeting demonstrated that planning at the institutional level can be both analytical and integrative. It created space for dialogue between teams that usually work in parallel, yet remain deeply interconnected.
And perhaps that is its most important outcome – not just the plans themselves, but the shared understanding and relationships that will shape future collaboration.
