The University of Pavol Jozef Šafárik in Košice (UPJŠ) has achieved a significant success in the biggest challenge of the Recovery Plan for Slovakia in the field of research and innovation, which is co-financed by the European Union. Out of a total of 38 project applications submitted, only 6 were selected and will be funded with 86 million EUR in total. UPJŠ is the only university in Slovakia to participate in two of these prestigious projects, which together received more than 28 million euros and will be implemented at the Faculty of Science and the Centre for Interdisciplinary Biosciences of the UPJŠ Technology and Innovation Park (CIB TIP-UPJŠ).
This success is all the more significant because the selection of the projects was carried out in two rounds of evaluation carried out exclusively by foreign experts. The first round was conducted by the renowned European Science Foundation, while the second round involved presentations of the projects to an international panel of experts. This process ensured transparency and a high level of expertise in the evaluation, bringing decision-making in Slovakia closer to European standards.
Two significant projects of UPJŠ in Košice
Our university is participating as a principal investigator in two transformational and innovative consortia that have the potential to deliver breakthrough solutions in the fields of biotechnology and energy.
“The Advanced Protein Biotechnology Consortium: A Model For Fostering Economic Growth and Mitigating Brain Drain in Eastern Slovakia”
The aim of the project is to develop innovative biotechnological solutions in the field of protein studies that will foster economic growth and prevent the departure of skilled scientists abroad. The guarantor of the implementation is Professor Erik Sedlak from the Department of Biochemistry working at CIB TIP-UPJŠ. Teams working at the Institute of Physical Sciences, the Institute of Chemical Sciences of the Faculty of Natural Sciences of UPJŠ and the CIB TIP-UPJŠ will be significantly involved in the implementation. The project has received support of 15.6 million EUR.
“Development and design of sustainable composite materials for hybrid energy storage system based on Li-on and redox-flow batteries”
This project focuses on the development of sustainable composite materials for hybrid energy systems, which will contribute to greener and more efficient energy storage. The guarantor of the implementation is Associate Professor Andrea Straková Fedorkova from the Department of Physical Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, UPJŠ. The project has received funding of 12.6 million EUR.
Importance for Slovakia
The projects supported under this call focus on technological innovation in areas such as digitalisation, artificial intelligence, sustainability, energy and biotechnology. They aim to:
- Increase the number of joint R&D and innovation activities,
- Promoting technology transfer through patents and licensing,
- The emergence of spin-off companies and new start-ups that will strengthen Slovakia’s competitiveness on the international scene.
With this success, UPJŠ has confirmed its important role in the field of research and innovation activities in Slovakia and its involvement in the two supported projects is a clear proof of the excellence and expertise of its researchers.
