Over 230 international experts at the first ECIU University research conference
On 3 and 4 October, the UAB brought together over 230 international experts at the ECIU University Research Conference, the first addressed to both the university community and regional stakeholders, such as businesses, public administrations and civil society, with the aim of proposing and sharing challenge-based research initiatives. The conference was organised by the ECIU University as part of the ECIU University Research Institute for SMART European Regions (SMART-ER) project.
On 3 and 4 October 2023, the UAB played host to the first ECIU University Research Conference at the EXE Campus Hotel. In the inaugural session, SMART-ER Institute Scientific Director Xavier Gabarrell spoke on the project and "conference as being different" given that what is most important is "to work as a team, without restrictions and a cross-curricular approach, a new class of conference on open research". ECIU General Secretary Katrin Dircksen also participated in the inaugural session, where she highlighted that "interactions between researchers and different regional stakeholders" as one of the most important aspects of the project. For ECIU President Màrius Martínez, "this initiative focuses on collaborations committed to working with the region, is challenge-based, multidisciplinary and not at all traditional". UAB Vice Rector for Research Assumpció Malgosa welcomed the attendants to the university, which she described as "a true city, a real living lab" and described how the conference and the SMART-ER institute works towards completing the ECIU with research and innovation.
In a videoconference, Stjn Delaure, Policy Officer of the European Commission, spoke on new financial opportunities that will open up in the coming years under the framework of the new European Research Area (ERA), a research and innovation agreeement with priority areas in the countries participating. The inaugural session gave way to the first of the plenary sessions, conducted by Troels Jacobsen of the University of Stavanger, Norway, who did a practical demonstration of public engagement by conducting a live survey which participants could answer through their phones.
The conference aimed to provide an interactive forum for discussing common challenges, exploring potential collaborations, and contributing to the implementation of shared policies to enhance the resilience of cities and society. It was made up of different sessions, as well as presentations of the outcomes of some of the challenge-based research initiatives conducted within the SMART-ER project.
Also participating in the sessions were Artur Silva, lecturer of the University of Aveiro, Portugal, who talked about the ins and outs of the SMART-ER Seed Programme; Stephane Berghmans, research and innovation director at the European University Association (EUA), who spoke on the EUA's open science agenda; Fernando Vilariño, lecturer at the UAB, who offered a plenary conference on citizen science projects under SMART-ER; and the president de la European Open Science Cloud Association, Karel Luyben, who spoke on open science.
Over 230 people attended the conference, including members of the ECIU University, city councils, third-sector entities, and businesses and external stakeholders interested in sharing and proposing challenges related to the current issues being dealt with at the ECIU: energy and sustainability, circular economies, transport and mobility, and resilient communities.
SMART-ER Institute
The ECIU University Research Institute for SMART European Regions (SMART-ER) is an alliance in research, innovation and education, enabling all member universities to jointly address complex societal challenges under the framework of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal of making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable. The objective of the project is to give support to the research and innovation sector of the ECIU University by developing a shared, comprehensive and long-term strategy in synergy with its educational dimension. There are currently 17 SMART-ER research projects underway, all funded by the Seed Programme and the Citizen Science pilot programme, and seven of these include the involvement of the UAB: BiciZen, CARE Citizen Arenas, ECIU-UTC, EASEM, INSCE, BrownBin, and RN4EUHEALTH.
For more information please visit:
https://www.eciu.eu/conference/eciu-university-research-conference
Abstracts booklet: