Networking in Europe

In an attempt to further the research and development in the EU region, the commission has revamped how research projects are funded and allocated 80 billion € for R&D over the next few years. This newly released R&D program is called Horizon 2020; and the goal is to simplify and increase the amount of co-operation and research between member states. In a concrete attempt to do this, networking events are held to connect relevant people to each other.

The latest such networking event was held last week in Düsseldorf, Germany, for people working in the field of ICT, Energy, Nanotechnology, Sustainable Economy and Life Science. These events, unlike fairs, connect the scientists with each other focusing more on the research possibilities rather than selling goods on to the market.

Arcada’s Role in R&D

At Arcada we focus a fair amount of energy on R&D in order to further develop our education and our commitment to technology. Over the years the research at Arcada has steadily grown and international partnerships are blooming ever more quickly. Arcada is successfully establishing itself as a leading house of research!

This time Arcada was represented by Björn Wiberg from the department of energy and materials technology. At the conference Arcada’s research in Ion Exchange Membranes were presented, under the topic of Nanotechnology, giving an outline of the type of work that is handled here. Ion Exchange Membranes are used as the separation layer in electrochemical cells as well as batteries and hydrolysis systems; this is the heart of any electrochemical system. As the world is moving towards more mobile energy sources (electric vehicles and remote base stations) Ion Exchange Membrane technology is all the more sought after.

The Future of R&D at Arcada and EU

The goal is to now to increase our presence and visibility both in Finland and internationally, the projects at Arcada have matured to a point where it is natural for the older projects to move onto the international stage and for new projects to quickly expand the R&D at Arcada. If you are interested in any of the research at Arcada, do make contact.