The UAB leads a project to create a European network of experts in knowledge valorisation

VALORAI will be coordinated by Iván Martínez Flores, Deputy Vice-Rector for Research at the UAB, and aims to create a European network of knowledge valorisation intermediaries (KVI). The project will be conducted with the involvement of universities that, alongside the UAB, are members of the ECIU European Alliance: University of Aveiro (Portugal), Hamburg University of Technology (Germany), Lodz University of Technology (Poland), and University of Trento (Italy).

Technology transfer offices, incubators, clusters, innovation agencies and NGOs are key links between research and society; however, their capacities remain fragmented and uneven across Europe. VALORAI aims to bring them together in a sustainable and inclusive community of practice that strengthens cooperation, mutual learning and trust between academia, industry, policymakers and the public, whilst transforming knowledge into social and economic value.

The project, coordinated by the UAB, will take into account the diversity of state profiles and balance, including the EU enlargement countries, all of which have proven experience in valorisation strategies. The combination of academic excellence, policy knowledge and operational experience ensures the credibility and sustainability of the network. It will involve more than 150 intermediaries, with mechanisms for inclusive governance and sustainability. It will offer a modular, multilingual training pathway with over 14 e-learning courses, practical toolkits, and a structured mobility programme to enhance the skills of over 500 professionals.

Cascade funding will support secondments and exchanges to ensure active participation and the sharing of best practices. By prioritising people and collaboration over infrastructure, VALORAI will equip intermediaries with greater skills, recognition and visibility. The network will endure as a living ecosystem connecting intellectual assets, entrepreneurial initiatives and societal needs, thereby strengthening competitiveness, resilience and strategic autonomy.

Projects including the involvement of the UAB

Two projects involving the UAB have also secured funding under the same call for proposals.

Firstly, T4I (Transforming Research Universities for Safety and Traceability – Fostering Impact through Modernisation, Partnerships, AI, and Collaborative Transformation), led by principal investigator Gustavo Pérez from the Department of Chemistry. The project addresses the dual challenge of the growing risks associated with food safety, authenticity and traceability (FSA&T) and sustained excellence, as well as the digital divides in universities in the Widening programme countries.

Secondly, the project BEYOND BARRIERS (Building Bridges for Equitable Opportunities for Underrepresented and Marginalized Researchers in the European Research Area), led by Anna Matamala, researcher in the Department of Translation and Interpreting and East Asian Studies. This initiative will promote equitable and inclusive career paths in research by generating new knowledge and jointly designing intersectional, institutional and policy interventions that remove the systemic barriers faced by underrepresented and marginalised researchers (racialised groups, LGBTQI+ communities, people with disabilities, and refugees). The aim is to transform the European Research Area (ERA) into an ecosystem in which equity, inclusion and a sense of belonging are structurally embedded.