The University of Barcelona has received €1.3 million in funding from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to carry out transformative research and innovation activities, under the Regions of Knowledge programme under Catalonia's Smart Specialization Strategy ( RIS3CAT 2030 ). This funding has enabled the creation of the Laboratory of Transformative Social Innovation (LIST), which will serve as the platform for a new model of knowledge transfer.
The vice-rector for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Transfer, Mercè Segarra, states that LIST "was established to connect the University's talent and research with the needs and challenges of the society, promoting a more open, participatory and transformative approach to innovation".
One of the laboratory's roles will be to invigorate the innovation ecosystem and foster co-creation spaces to identify social challenges in collaboration with local stakeholders - businesses, public authorities, knowledge centres and citizens - and to develop responses to these challenges from within the University. In total, it will involve around 40 UB research groups.
LIST's main aim is to facilitate multidisciplinary projects focused on the priority areas set out in RIS3CAT 2030: food and health, the bioeconomy, decarbonization, and the resilience of people and regions.
