Luleå University of Technology in billion EU-investment
RawMatTERS is the winner of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology’s (EIT) call for strategic partnerships to boost innovation and tackle raw materials challenges in Europe. Luleå with Luleå University of Technology (LTU) is one of six locations in Europe that will be responsible for part of the European Union's biggest investment in Raw Materials "RawMatTERS". An initiative that is expected to yield higher competitiveness, new businesses and new jobs. The EIT announced the winner December 10, 2014.
– This is a proof that Luleå University of Technology has world-class education and research. It also shows that northern Scandinavia is an area with excellent competence within the industry. This provides great opportunities for powerful future investments for the University, says Johan Sterte, Vice Chancellor Luleå University of Technology, LTU.
The industry-driven consortium RawMatTERS consists of 116 partners from global industry, the world's leading research institutes and universities from 22 countries in total. The initiative is part of the EU's efforts to establish the Knowledge and Innovation Communities (KICs) in strategic areas of Europe. The EIT established 3 years ago KIC's in the areas of climate change, renewable energy and ICT (Information and Communication Technology). Now, EIT has appointed RawMatTERS to carry out a KIC in primary commodities.
– This is a unique opportunity for the European raw materials sector – an opportunity that the partners of the consortium are very well aware of. I am confident that all partners will contribute to boost innovation and excellence across Europe, says Professor Jens Gutzmer of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf.
The consortium has a broad coverage across the entire value chain and is regarded as the strongest partnerships that has so far been established in the raw materials sector. By the Partnership, the innovation-ability in the sector will be strengthened, including new sustainable solutions, products and services. Another important task for RawMatTERS is to make the sector more attractive to young people. It is through the development of master and doctoral programs in close cooperation between education, research and industry.
RawMatTERS will have its headquarters in Berlin and six nodes in six European cities, of which Luleå is one. Each node has responsibility for various specializations within the field of raw materials. Luleå University of Technology will take the lead for innovation and training in the mining area in Europe. The other cities are Wroclaw (Poland), Espoo (Finland), Leuven (Belgium), Metz (France) and Rome (Italy).
Contact information
Pär Weihed, Professor at Luleå University of Technology and chairman of the Northern Co-location, Raw Matters - telephone +46 (0)920 491371, +46 (0)70 6737077
Jenny Greberg, Chief Educational Officer, KIC interim management team and a lecturer at Luleå University of Technology +46 (0)920 492840, +46 (0)70 6412840
Maria Magdalena Holmgren, International Coordinator of the Northern Co-location, +46 (0)920 492382, +46 (0)70 6161961
/Mona Mansour