From July 17th to 19th, the vibrant city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria hosted the EXPER Summer School at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC). This event brought together over 90 participants and leading minds from across Europe and from the University of the Azores (UAç) to engage in an intensive programme designed to enhance skills in proposal writing, project development, and research excellence.
Day 1: Building Foundations
The first day opened with institutional presentations, including an inspiring welcome from Sebastián López, Vice-Rector of Research and Transfer at ULPGC. Lucía Dobarro from the Canary Islands Institute of Technology (ITC) introduced our project’s Societal Challenges Working Groups (SCWG), highlighting their action plans:
- SCWG1: Adaptation to Climate Change in the Blue and Circular Economy, led by Leví Aday García and Joana Barcelos e Ramos (ULPGC & UAç), and Manuel Amorim (Sustain the Azores).
- SCWG2: Restoring Our Oceans and Waters in the Blue and Circular Economy, led by Rodrigo Riera and Andrea Zita Costa (ULPGC and UAç).
Participants also dived into the essentials of crafting successful EU project proposals for the Horizon Europe (HE) 2021–2027 Programme led by Beatrice Avagnina from Consulta Europa. Experts from Consulta Europa also provided a training workshop on writing successful proposals under the programme, along with support from EMERGE, the Canarian Science and Technology Park Foundation of the ULPGC, and ITC, giving valuable insights and practical exercises.
Day 2: Advanced Training and Open Science
The second day focused on capacity building for successful proposals under European Research Council (ERC) calls and developing open science skills. David Alcantara Parra fromSociedad para el Avance Científico (SACSIS) shared his expertise on the ERC programme, assessment processes, and effective proposal writing techniques.
Highlighting the day’s sessions was Jonathan Alberto Santana Cabrera from ULPGC, who shared his ERC success story on the bioarchaeology of human settlements in the Canary Islands. Ignacio Gárate Alarcón closed the day with an enlightening session on open science and research evaluation, emphasising its importance in the Spanish academic and research context.
Day 3: Innovation and Technology Transfer
The final day turned the spotlight on the European Innovation Council (EIC) and its pivotal role in fostering breakthrough innovations. Isabel Vinagre from SILO Science & Innovation Link introduced participants to the EIC’s Pathfinder, Transition, and Accelerator funding instruments. This was complemented by a success story from Roberto Pangallo, Project Manager of Wooptix, who shared insights on navigating the competitive EU funding landscape.
The Widening Programme was also discussed with Anselmo Sosa from the Widening Participation and ERA Local Focal Point, underscoring its mission to bridge the research and innovation gap across Europe by enhancing infrastructure, fostering high-quality research environments, and promoting researcher mobility.
Looking Ahead
As we conclude the EXPER Summer School, we are energised by the knowledge shared and the connections made. This event has set a strong foundation for continued collaboration and innovation. We look forward to seeing the positive impact these sessions will have on future EU project proposals and research initiatives.
Stay tuned for more updates and join us in our journey towards research excellence and sustainable innovation!
