UPC takes part in six networks to promote Catalan research in Europe
The UPC is involved in the fields of sustainable vehicles, ICTs, high-performance materials, future manufacturing technology, aerospace and water.
The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. BarcelonaTech (UPC) has received backing from the Catalan government to take part in six of the 15 R&D networks created in the framework of Connect-EU, alongside other public and private organisations in Catalonia. The initiative, organised by Talència and ACC1Ó, aims to reflect the R&D needs and interests of the participants with a view to securing funding for technology projects submitted in response to calls for proposals under the 7th (2007–2013) and 8th (2014–2020) EU Framework Programmes, and thus generating opportunities in the Catalan public and business sectors.
The UPC’s Technology Transfer Centre (CTT) coordinates a network that designs innovative solutions in the sustainable vehicle industry with a focus on new materials, ICT applications and new vehicle propulsion systems. The CTT also coordinates a network devoted to promoting smart infrastructure (energy management, wireless payment, etc.) and fostering open innovation, that is, a model of innovation management based on networking, exchange of innovation and cooperation among members.
The UPC’s Biomaterials, Biomechanics and Tissue Engineering Group of the Barcelona School of Industrial Engineering (ETSEIB) is part of a network to promote high-performance materials such as advanced metal alloys, polymeric and ceramic materials, composites and biomaterials used in the automotive, health, railway, aerospace and construction industries.
The UPC’s CIM Foundation, dedicated to advanced production technologies, is part of Factories of the Future, a new manufacturing technology network that focuses on sustainable manufacturing, intelligent manufacturing, high-performance manufacturing and new materials, and the Castelldefels School of Telecommunications and Aerospace Engineering (EETAC) belongs to the CONNECT-Aerospace network to promote Catalan initiatives in the European aerospace industry.
The UPC’s Department of Hydraulic, Maritime and Environmental Engineering participates in the Water.cat network, which specialises in water cycle management technologies (collection, purification, treatment and reuse), coastal water quality and water treatment in industrial and urban environments, among others.
The UPC-affiliated Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO) belongs to two networks: one focuses on photonics and electronic systems and the other on nanobiotechnology and its applications to human health, animal health and other life sciences (environment, safety, food, etc.).
Research potential
Catalan research projects are allocated 1.85% of the total 7th Framework Programme budget. In comparative terms, although Catalonia’s share of Spain’s GDP is 18.5%, it receives 28.8% of the Framework Programme funding for Spain. This data reveals the weight of the Catalan R&D sector, which is above Spain’s national average.
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