The University of Salamanca and the ICAMCyL Foundation reinforce their commitment to research and the sustainability of European industry value chains for critical and strategic raw materials.
Our day by day / 06-03-2025
In a geopolitical context in which Europe needs to consolidate the resilience of its industry with respect to the enormous dependence on mineral resources of new technologies, the University of Salamanca (USAL) and the ICAMCyL Foundation (International Centre for Advanced Materials and Raw Materials of Castilla y León) have signed a new collaboration agreement to promote research into critical and strategic raw materials with the aim of consolidating, among other actions, the creation of an innovation HUB in northwest Spain. This agreement seeks to promote synergies between academia and industry in order to develop technological solutions that strengthen the competitiveness of the region and contribute to European autonomy in the raw materials sector.
The agreement signed provides for the development of European R&D projects in priority areas such as sustainable mining, the circular economy and the transformation of advanced materials. From ICAMCyL, its general director, Santiago Cuesta López, has highlighted "the fundamental importance of promoting scientific advances with a practical application, so that local and European industry can adapt to new market demands".
Juan Manuel Corchado, Rector of the University of Salamanca, highlighted the relevance of this collaboration in a context in which the sustainability of value chains and the security of supply of raw materials are becoming increasingly important on an international scale. "This step not only strengthens the lines of research of our University, but also lays the foundations for a closer cooperation that will provide Europe with strategic resources and autonomous and sustainable value chains," he underlined during the signing ceremony.
The new agreement between USAL and ICAMCyL reinforces the positioning of Castilla y León as a key region for innovation in raw material resources and sustainability in European industry. One of the pillars of this collaboration, added Cuesta López, is "the creation of a true ecosystem of innovation in raw materials, capable of attracting talent and investment to Castilla y León, connecting along the quadruple helix, the generation of knowledge and research experience of the University of Salamanca, with the industrial and technological drive of ICAMCyL, which will allow companies to benefit from cutting-edge research and, in turn, feed the academic field with real challenges and specific needs of the sector".
In practice, the collaboration will be materialised through the implementation of joint research projects, the organisation of seminars and conferences, and the creation of spaces for dialogue where academics, students, researchers and professionals from the sector can share knowledge and experiences. The agreement also includes the implementation of high-level training programmes that will allow USAL students to carry out undergraduate, master's and doctoral work on projects linked to sustainability and industrial innovation. "We are convinced that the best way to boost regional development and competitiveness is to train future professionals capable of leading the transition to a greener and more efficient economy," said the Rector of the USAL.
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