Periodic Reporting for period 6 - CAMART2 (Centre of Advanced Materials Research and Technology Transfer CAMART²)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2024-02-01 al 2025-01-31
The CAMART² (‘Excellence Centre of Advanced Material Research and Technology Transfer’) project is aimed to upgrade the existing Centre of Excellence at the Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia (ISSP), which was established in 2001 by the former project CAMART, realised within EC FP5.
The CAMART² project is based on a long-term partnership between ISSP, KTH Royal Institute of Technology – the largest technical university in Sweden, and RISE – Research Institutes of Sweden.
ISSP is renowned for its scientific achievements in materials physics, particularly for materials applied in micro- and nanotechnology, electronics, photonics, functional coatings etc. and has advanced theoretical and characterization capability related to this field.
The vision of CAMART² is to establish ISSP as the most important centre of excellence for education, science, innovation, and technology transfer in the Baltic States. ISSP would also become the hub for a collaboration and technology transfer platform (called "RIX-STO") for materials physics including scientists, entrepreneurs, investors, and policy makers on both sides of the Baltic Sea.
The commitment from the Swedish partners assures successful modernization of ISSP, including an overall refinement of the educational programs, strengthening of the research and development activities towards higher technology readiness levels, establishment of an innovation system and Open Access Laboratory, as well as ISO 9001 certification.
The partners play a substantial role in an ambitious program for networking and outreach to make a real impact on academia and high-tech industries in the region around Riga and Stockholm, with respect to scientific results, economic growth and increased competitiveness. The region will benefit from an injection of highly educated young people, closer collaboration between academia and industry, and offering state-of-the-art open access research infrastructure boosting innovation and economy.
The CAMART² project is based on a long-term partnership between ISSP, KTH Royal Institute of Technology – the largest technical university in Sweden, and RISE – Research Institutes of Sweden.
ISSP is renowned for its scientific achievements in materials physics, particularly for materials applied in micro- and nanotechnology, electronics, photonics, functional coatings etc. and has advanced theoretical and characterization capability related to this field.
The vision of CAMART² is to establish ISSP as the most important centre of excellence for education, science, innovation, and technology transfer in the Baltic States. ISSP would also become the hub for a collaboration and technology transfer platform (called "RIX-STO") for materials physics including scientists, entrepreneurs, investors, and policy makers on both sides of the Baltic Sea.
The commitment from the Swedish partners assures successful modernization of ISSP, including an overall refinement of the educational programs, strengthening of the research and development activities towards higher technology readiness levels, establishment of an innovation system and Open Access Laboratory, as well as ISO 9001 certification.
The partners play a substantial role in an ambitious program for networking and outreach to make a real impact on academia and high-tech industries in the region around Riga and Stockholm, with respect to scientific results, economic growth and increased competitiveness. The region will benefit from an injection of highly educated young people, closer collaboration between academia and industry, and offering state-of-the-art open access research infrastructure boosting innovation and economy.
The project has successfully has been fulfilled and completed, all the major objectives reached.
Total revenues of the center have grown from 3M in the beginning of the project to 9M by the end. The upgrades CoE has grown significantly in its international competitiveness and presence in EC projects (growing international revenues from 0.5 to 2.5M EUR / yearly). Research has become much more international, innovation culture and higher TRL projects volumes, commercialisation activities and startups grown as planned.
Summary of the progress by the key areas:
- WP1 – Research Program, Action Plan and Annual Reports of Scientific Achievements were developed. Strategic collaboration for joint projects and publications is being elaborated with Consortium partners KTH and RISE and other international research centres and industry.
- WP2 – Innovation development system is implemented and exploited. ISSP has become a member of European Digital Innovation Hub (E-DIH) initiatives and European Photonic Industry association EPIC, has leading role in Latvian Photonics and smart materials ecosystem, implemented number of commercialisation projects, licenced technologies to industry and has created spin-offs.
- WP3 – Master’s and PhD study programmes have been developed and included in the curriculum of the University of Latvia. Several summer schools and workshops have been arranged, alumni programme launched.
- WP4 – Open Access Laboratory (OAL) and related business model is designed and implemented, processes are designed and implemented, the new infrastructure is in operation.
- WP5 – networking and promotion strategy is developed with customised approach to 5 key target groups. Main tools implemented, various outreach activities for science, education, innovation, sales process with industry in Latvia and internationally are performed.
- WP6 – service-oriented organisation is created and operational. Laboratory, administrative and support structures are optimized and continuously improved. Quality management system is developed and ISO 9001:2015 certification awarded. Laboratory Information Management Software and other IS systems implemented.
- WP7 – main activities conducted according to the plan, all milestones reached, transition into sustainable operation successfully reached.
Total revenues of the center have grown from 3M in the beginning of the project to 9M by the end. The upgrades CoE has grown significantly in its international competitiveness and presence in EC projects (growing international revenues from 0.5 to 2.5M EUR / yearly). Research has become much more international, innovation culture and higher TRL projects volumes, commercialisation activities and startups grown as planned.
Summary of the progress by the key areas:
- WP1 – Research Program, Action Plan and Annual Reports of Scientific Achievements were developed. Strategic collaboration for joint projects and publications is being elaborated with Consortium partners KTH and RISE and other international research centres and industry.
- WP2 – Innovation development system is implemented and exploited. ISSP has become a member of European Digital Innovation Hub (E-DIH) initiatives and European Photonic Industry association EPIC, has leading role in Latvian Photonics and smart materials ecosystem, implemented number of commercialisation projects, licenced technologies to industry and has created spin-offs.
- WP3 – Master’s and PhD study programmes have been developed and included in the curriculum of the University of Latvia. Several summer schools and workshops have been arranged, alumni programme launched.
- WP4 – Open Access Laboratory (OAL) and related business model is designed and implemented, processes are designed and implemented, the new infrastructure is in operation.
- WP5 – networking and promotion strategy is developed with customised approach to 5 key target groups. Main tools implemented, various outreach activities for science, education, innovation, sales process with industry in Latvia and internationally are performed.
- WP6 – service-oriented organisation is created and operational. Laboratory, administrative and support structures are optimized and continuously improved. Quality management system is developed and ISO 9001:2015 certification awarded. Laboratory Information Management Software and other IS systems implemented.
- WP7 – main activities conducted according to the plan, all milestones reached, transition into sustainable operation successfully reached.
The CAMART² project aim has been to upgrade the existing Centre of Excellence at ISSP UL by building a long-term strategic partnership with the internationally leading R&D&I institutions KTH and RISE, which are highly successful in research commercialization. The project was aiming to improve the research and innovation environment at the Excellence Centre and its regional relevance, including creation of RIX-STO collaboration and technology transfer platform as basis for Latvia-Sweden research collaborations and model for good practice.
With its recognition as a highly competent partner for R&D&I actions relevant to EC-defined key enabling technologies (advanced materials, photonics, nanotechnology and micro- and nanoelectronics), the centre is aiming to reach competitive EU level and continue to develop and broaden after the end of the project period.
CAMART² project has been boosting the scientific and innovations excellence of ISSP through a range of new research and innovation projects and the attraction of top-level scientists and students. Technology exploitation, business generation and long-term sustainability is being promoted by the development of an innovation system, an institute reorganisation, an active human resource management and training, extended outreach and networking activities, refinement to the education system, and development of the ISSP as Open Access Laboratory.
The quality and intensity of the research, innovation, and education is improving substantially. Increased income resulting from research, innovation, and industrial projects have been gradually replacing CAMART² funding, thereby providing long-term financial sustainability of the upgraded Centre.
Realisation of the project is intended to have and is having a multilevel impact on
- Institutional level – ISSP research, innovation, and education,
- National level – impact on the Latvian economy, including the experience of CAMART² becoming a leading center for the development of the innovation in Latvia,
- Regional level– science-innovation collaboration among partners and beyond.
All the main activities and objectives have been reached, all of the planned infrastructure procured with complementary funding is in operation, revenues and numbers of projects have grown to their targets, quality and number of publications has increased, participation in HE funded projects has exceeded estimations, creation of spin-offs and IP licencing has been taking place, number of students and their proportion at upgraded education programs have grown significantly, attraction of international PhD students and researchers has increased.
This all contributes to making CoE a significant national centre of research excellence and strong player in the international research arena as originally intended.
With its recognition as a highly competent partner for R&D&I actions relevant to EC-defined key enabling technologies (advanced materials, photonics, nanotechnology and micro- and nanoelectronics), the centre is aiming to reach competitive EU level and continue to develop and broaden after the end of the project period.
CAMART² project has been boosting the scientific and innovations excellence of ISSP through a range of new research and innovation projects and the attraction of top-level scientists and students. Technology exploitation, business generation and long-term sustainability is being promoted by the development of an innovation system, an institute reorganisation, an active human resource management and training, extended outreach and networking activities, refinement to the education system, and development of the ISSP as Open Access Laboratory.
The quality and intensity of the research, innovation, and education is improving substantially. Increased income resulting from research, innovation, and industrial projects have been gradually replacing CAMART² funding, thereby providing long-term financial sustainability of the upgraded Centre.
Realisation of the project is intended to have and is having a multilevel impact on
- Institutional level – ISSP research, innovation, and education,
- National level – impact on the Latvian economy, including the experience of CAMART² becoming a leading center for the development of the innovation in Latvia,
- Regional level– science-innovation collaboration among partners and beyond.
All the main activities and objectives have been reached, all of the planned infrastructure procured with complementary funding is in operation, revenues and numbers of projects have grown to their targets, quality and number of publications has increased, participation in HE funded projects has exceeded estimations, creation of spin-offs and IP licencing has been taking place, number of students and their proportion at upgraded education programs have grown significantly, attraction of international PhD students and researchers has increased.
This all contributes to making CoE a significant national centre of research excellence and strong player in the international research arena as originally intended.