ALMATCLEAN: An Interdisciplinary Alliance on Materials for Clean Energy
Project Coordinator: Eleonora Ricci (University of Edinburgh)
ALMATCLEAN convenes an interdisciplinary network of researchers united by a shared goal: to create next-generation materials that can accelerate the clean energy transition. Chemists, engineers, physicists and data scientists will put their heads together on vital research areas including fuel cells, electrolysers, polymers for CO₂ capture, and materials recycling. By addressing the full materials life cycle – from design and testing to end-of-life management – the ALMATCLEAN project will advance a systems-thinking approach to clean energy materials research.
ANNOTATE: An avatar-eNabled persoNalised apprOach to meTabolic dysfunction-Associated steaTotic livEr disease
Project Coordinator: Lucia Bandiera (University of Edinburgh)
Nearly 40% of adults worldwide are affected by metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), a condition that disproportionately impacts disadvantaged populations and places major pressure on healthcare systems. Despite its scale, only one drug is currently approved for advanced stages of the disease, and progress is hampered by the biological heterogeneity of MASLD. By harnessing the power of data science and AI combined with clinical research, ANNOTATE aims to pioneer effective personalised treatments for people living with MASLD.
Civic Campus Europe: Developing a Transnational Model of the Socially Engaged University Through Heritage-Based Collaboration
Project Coordinator: Krzysztof Stopka, Uniwersytet Jagielloński w Krakowie
Civic Campus Europe brings together five Una Europa universities to co-develop a scalable model of the socially engaged university. Using both tangible and intangible forms of heritage (academic, communal, and contested) as drivers of civic innovation, the project examines how universities can promote inclusive education, cultural participation, and sustained collaboration with local communities. Storytelling laboratories, participatory exhibitions, and intergenerational workshops are just some of the possible new activities Civic Campus Europe will test during this 12-month pilot.
Democracy and AI
Project Coordinators: Tom Louwerse (Universiteit Leiden); Stefan Müller (University College Dublin/An Coláiste Ollscoile Baile Átha Cliath)
As generative AI rapidly transforms political communication and governance, understanding its impact on democracy has become an urgent priority. While AI holds promise for strengthening democracy, it also introduces serious risks: disinformation, algorithmic bias, and the manipulation of electoral processes. The Democracy and AI project brings together a multidisciplinary network of researchers to develop a pioneering framework for evaluating both the democratic opportunities and threats posed by AI. By co-creating innovative analytical tools and conceptual frameworks, the project aims not only to advance academic understanding, but also to help safeguard and strengthen democratic systems in the age of AI.
EDU-SEGI: Interdisciplinary Education for Sustainable Electrification and Green Innovation
Project Coordinator: Alessandro Mingotti (Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna)
EDU-SEGI seeks to equip the next generation of energy leaders with the skills needed to navigate a rapidly transforming energy landscape. The project will develop a suite of interdisciplinary courses for Master’s and PhD students in energy engineering, integrating environmental, economic, legal, and policy perspectives. Responding to the growing demand for future-oriented training, EDU-SEGI brings together partner universities with complementary expertise to deliver education that reflects the real-world complexity of the energy transition.
E-FLIRT: European Futures Literacy Incubator for Research and Transformation
Project Coordinator: Karin Hannes (KU Leuven)
E-FLIRT aims to equip the next generation of scholars with futures literacy skills, enabling them to address complex societal challenges. Drawing on transdisciplinary educational models already developed within several Una Europa partner institutions, E-FLIRT will strengthen early-career researchers’ ability to drive meaningful societal innovation. Senior academics at four partner universities will mentor early-career researchers in exploring and applying futures-oriented thinking across multiple and contrasting scenarios.
GAMEX: Generative AI Modelling for Extreme Events: Statistical Foundations
Project Coordinator: Luca Trapin (Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna)
From devastating floods to record-breaking heatwaves, extreme events are becoming more frequent and more intense, placing unprecedented pressure on risk assessment and decision-making systems. At the same time, advances in sensing and monitoring technologies are producing vast, high-dimensional datasets that overwhelm the limits of traditional statistical methods. GAMEX addresses these challenges by bridging generative artificial intelligence and extreme value theory to develop scalable, interpretable models for the analysis and prediction of rare, high-impact events.
GreenHer: Urban agriculture at the urban peripheries – Allotments, community gardens and social struggles for green heritage
Project Coordinator: Maria Gravari-Barbas (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne)
GreenHer explores the heritage dynamics of allotments and gardens located on the urban peripheries of European cities. The project is grounded in the idea that such gardens represent an emerging form of heritage. They play a crucial role in enhancing the urban environment and provide a sense of belonging and mutual support, strengthening neighbourhood ties. Through a comparative study of six urban and metropolitan peripheries (including Paris, Madrid, Edinburgh, Bologna, Krakow, and Leuven), GreenHer examines the emergence of these allotments as shared local heritage.
HARMONI: Health-care Alloys – Responsive, Multifunctional and ON-demand Implants
Project Coordinators: Endzhe Matykinam (Universidad Complutense de Madrid), Jesús Manuel Vega (Universidad Complutense de Madrid)
Novel biomaterials, processed using advanced technologies and possessing multifunctional properties, offer exciting new possibilities for next-generation medical devices. By 3D printing biocompatible metals and carefully modifying their surfaces, it is possible to create implants that are customised for each patient. This approach is especially valuable for people with complex medical conditions, where standard implants may not be effective. HARMONI brings together all stages of development, from designing new materials and manufacturing them to improving their surfaces and testing how they perform in the laboratory.
WATCH: Web tracking and Algorithmic profiling – Trends, Challenges, Horizons
Project Coordinators: Akrati Saxena (Universiteit Leiden)
Web-tracking technologies are a crucial part of today's digital infrastructure, enabling the collection of behavioural data for algorithmic user profiling, targeted advertising and content personalisation. However, they raise significant concerns about surveillance, privacy, and regulatory accountability. WATCH examines the evolving landscape of web tracking and algorithmic user profiling through an innovative, interdisciplinary approach, combining expertise from computer science, data science, AI, network science, communication, media studies, usability, law, governance and policy design.
