The Universitat Jaume I brought together more than a hundred people for the presentation of the next European Framework Programme for research and innovation: Horizon Europe. This new programme, the successor to H2020, will run from 2021 to 2027.
The event, opened by Eva Alcón, Rector of the Universitat Jaume I, featured national experts such as Elisa Álvarez-Bolado, Head of the Framework Programme Area of the European Union Programmes Division at the Centre for Technological and Industrial Development (CDTI), and Carlos Martínez Riera, Minister of Research and Innovation at the Permanent Representation of Spain to the European Union (REPER).
Promoted by the Vice-Rector's Office for Research and Knowledge Transfer at the Universitat Jaume I, this meeting served to disseminate the new European Framework Programme and offer researchers, companies, and institutions all the tools possible to prepare project proposals with the greatest guarantee of success.
The Aula Magna of the School of Technology and Experimental Sciences hosted the inauguration, in which Eva Alcón began her speech by quoting the Spanish philosopher Ortega y Gasset. "We all share the idea that Europe is the solution, as Ortega y Gasset said more than a century ago. With this new framework program, we have a great opportunity to achieve a better future for Europe. It is an ambitious program with a budget of more than 100 million euros."
Next, Elisa Álvarez-Bolado, Head of the Framework Programme Area of the European Union Programmes Division at the Centre for Technological and Industrial Development (CDTI), presented the challenges and strategic areas of the new programme, as well as the new features it offers. "We're starting from a very solid foundation. Spain is the fourth country in terms of return to the European Union, the third in terms of participation in European projects, and the first in project leadership." Álvarez-Bolado outlined the priority areas of the H2020 framework programme that will continue to be priority areas for Horizon Europe: "Sustainable development and climate, digitalization across all sectors, and building a low-carbon economy are some of the priorities."
After a break, Carlos Martínez Riera, Minister of Research and Innovation at the Permanent Representation of Spain to the European Union (REPER), outlined the launch plans for the first calls, the structure of the topics in this new program, and the criteria for evaluating and selecting proposals. He also outlined the strategic approach for participating in Horizon Europe. "This framework program is a lever to connect the university and researchers with the world."
Enrique Sánchez, director of the Agustín Escardino University Institute of Ceramic Technology, and Elena Zuriaga, technical manager of R&D&I at FACSA, discussed their experience with the H2020 REMEB project, which aimed to develop and validate an advanced wastewater treatment system—a sustainable and competitive ceramic membrane bioreactor—for implementation in both municipal and industrial wastewater treatment plants, and to recover water for agricultural irrigation. Its unique value lies in the fact that the membranes' raw material comes from agro-industrial waste.
Mireia Ballester, project manager at BECSA, has contributed her experience to the H2020 Fast Track Innovation PAV-DT project, based on a disruptive technology that can be installed in any vehicle, converting it into a digital device for advanced, real-time monitoring of pavements to ensure proper maintenance of road networks.
The Vice-Rector for Knowledge Transfer and Research at the Universitat Jaume I, Jesús Lancis, closed the event by thanking the speakers and attendees and praising the important work of the UJI's research staff.
The UJI European and International Projects Office (OPEI), together with the FUE-UJI European and International Projects Office, EuroFUE-UJI, coordinated this event, which was a great success.
