The University of La Laguna and Bragança Polytechnic University strengthen scientific collaboration within STARS EU

A delegation from the University of La Laguna (ULL, Spain) visited Bragança Polytechnic University (UPB, Portugal) last week to explore new opportunities for joint research, knowledge transfer and scientific cooperation within the framework of STARS EU. During the visit, held from 31 July to 1 August, both institutions carried out a programme designed to identify complementary areas of expertise, connect research teams and lay the foundations for future collaboration.

Meetings between the two delegations, led by the Rectors of the respective institutions, Francisco J. García (ULL) and Orlando Rodrigues (IPB), focused on joint participation in European research projects, researcher mobility, knowledge transfer activities and the development of shared scientific initiatives.

Accompanying the Rector of the University of La Laguna were Antonio Aparicio, Vice-Rector for Research and Knowledge Transfer; Roberto González, Director of the Office for University Institutes and Publications; and José Sigut, Institutional Coordinator of STARS EU at the University of La Laguna.

The institutional delegation from Bragança Polytechnic University also included Luís Manuel Santos Pais, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs and International Relations; Vera Ferro Lebres, Pro-Rector for Entrepreneurship, Employability and Educational Innovation; together with directors and representatives of the university’s research centres.

ULL researchers

A group of researchers from the University of La Laguna also took part in the visit as representatives of their respective research fields within research centres affiliated with the Portuguese institution.

José Sigut, Professor of Systems and Automation Engineering, represented the Research Centre in Digitalisation and Intelligent Robotics (CeDRI), whose work focuses on technological innovation, climate change and the circular economy. During the visit, the delegation was introduced to a pilot project aimed at mapping carbon capture potential across Portugal, a model that could eventually be adapted to the Canary Islands.

The ULL delegation also included David Díaz Díaz, Professor of Organic Chemistry, and Noelia Cruz Pérez, lecturer in the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Engineering, representing the Mountain Research Centre (CIMO), a multidisciplinary research centre addressing climate change through projects focused on sustainable products and reducing carbon footprints. They were joined by Noemí Peña Sánchez, from the Department of Fine Arts and member of the Art and Creative Industries TIG and representative of the Transdisciplinary Research Centre in Education and Development (CITED), and Claudio Briones Barrera, from the Department of Industrial Engineering, representing the Sustainable Construction Research Group (GICoS) at the Portuguese university.

Next steps

Following visits to the Applied Management Research Unit (UNIAG) and the Graça Morais Contemporary Art Centre, the second day concluded with a strategic meeting during which both universities identified shared research priorities and explored possible mechanisms to strengthen cooperation between the two institutions.

As announced in Bragança by the Rector of the University of La Laguna, Francisco García, this initial visit will be followed by a reciprocal visit from Bragança Polytechnic University to Tenerife to continue developing the collaborative opportunities identified during the meeting. “The visit to Bragança has been extremely productive and has demonstrated the value of this model of institutional visits for the STARS EU alliance, complementing the formal meetings of the Commission, the Steering Committee and the TIGs,” he said.

The Rector of the University of La Laguna also highlighted the strong interest shown by the Portuguese institution in developing joint doctoral programmes, building on the University of La Laguna’s extensive experience and academic offer in this field.

This visit forms part of STARS EU’s strategy to strengthen cooperation among its partner universities by promoting knowledge exchange, collaboration between research teams and the development of joint initiatives that reinforce the alliance’s research dimension.