The University of Alicante (UA) was created in 1979. Today it educates and trains more than 20.000 national and 3.000 international students and offers 43 undergraduates and 80 postgraduate programmes: consequently, it is proportionally one of the fastest growing universities in Spain. Thus, the UA employs over 3.500 researchers and management staff (44% women), which involves an annual budget of 200 M€.

Currently, UA is investing near to 34 M€ for boosting frontier R&T transfer processes via spin off, licensing and international promotion mainly. In 2017 the UA generated an income of nearly 16 M€ from research funded projects on a National, Regional, European level and private level thanks to its 227 research groups in many knowledge areas and its 15 Research Institutes.

The UA is within the 250 top universities in the THE Young University Ranking 2018 and it ranks 12th in the Shangai Ranking (ARWU) 2017 (impact of research publications). It is also an appreciated reference point for international relations. Its strategy lies within the context of international cooperation and particularly in the training of university management staff to support the integration of non-EU countries and develop their international status and networks. UA is also considered a point of reference for many companies to which the UA provides technical assistance, technology transfer, customized training programmes, postgraduate studies and cooperates in many R&D programmes.

In addition, UA has started shaping one of the best Scientific Parks in Spain. Moreover, the participation in European Programmes has been increasing in the last years, taking part in 25 FP6, 33 FP7 and 27 H2020 projects. Not only Framework programme for Research but also Innovation and Educational Programmes: 43 Erasmus+, 5 COSME and 3 DG Justice projects. UA provides legal, financial and administrative support to the Research team involved in RESERVOIR via its International Project Management Office (OGPI) founded in 2005 to assist and consult scientists, researchers and innovative companies in the area of research, innovation and international project management. It provides knowledge and skills for establishing and managing international technology-oriented co-operations to obtain a greater project impact at the scientific and commercial level.

Besides, OGPI has a strong track record in supporting European RTD-consortia in proposal preparation, contract negotiation, communication with the EC and project reporting and has developed a specific web-based project management and communication system for larger project consortia.

Role in the project:

UA will lead WP4 (EO validation and interpretation) and WP7 (Development of guidelines) and will be actively involved in WP6 (analysis of stress-strain curves).

https://www.ua.es/