A new strategic agreement between i2CAT and the UOC strengthens technological transfer

• Both institutions sign a strategic collaboration agreement that prioritises research in AI, 6G and cybersecurity.
• The agreement promotes industrial doctorates and the shared use of infrastructure to accelerate the delivery of technological solutions to society.

Picture, from left to right: the Rector of UOC, Àngels Fitó; the Director General of Research of the Generalitat de Catalunya, Teresa Sanchis, and the Director of i2CAT, Sergi Figuerola, PhD.

The i2CAT Research and Innovation Centre and the Open University of Catalonia (UOC) have today signed a collaboration agreement to establish a stable framework for applied research, innovation and advanced training. This strategic alliance aims to address the challenges of today’s digital society through the shared use of infrastructure and the promotion of researcher mobility between the two institutions. The signing ceremony was attended by Teresa Sanchis, Director General of Research of the Generalitat de Catalunya; Àngels Fitó, Rector of the UOC; and Sergi Figuerola, PhD, Director of i2CAT.

The agreement consolidates an innovation ecosystem in which academic rigour and applied research join forces to deliver real impact in the territory. With an initial duration of four years, extendable by a further four, the collaboration prioritises joint R&D&I projects in strategic areas such as artificial intelligence, 6G and cybersecurity, as well as the promotion of talent through predoctoral fellowships and industrial doctorates.

A strong commitment to talent and society

For i2CAT, this agreement represents another step in the strategy to connect scientific knowledge with government, business, and the public. The commitment to talent is one of the agreement’s fundamental pillars, providing for the supervision of doctoral theses and placements focused on cutting-edge digital solutions in a collaborative environment. Thanks to this agreement, and for the first time within the framework of the CERCA centres, teaching and research staff from the UOC will be able to undertake research stays at i2CAT related to their areas of expertise.

In the words of i2CAT’s director, Sergi Figuerola, PhD, “this strategic alliance allows us to continue combining academic rigour with expertise in applied research to ensure that technological research and innovation translate into a real benefit for people and the competitiveness of our territory. We are particularly proud to be the first CERCA centre to establish a strategic collaboration agreement with the UOC, a milestone that will allow us to share talent, knowledge, research projects, cutting-edge infrastructure and working methodologies.”

Àngels Fitó, Rector of the UOC, points out that “the agreement with i2CAT very well reflects the role we want to play as a university: putting our academic and research capacity at the service of applied research environments of high technological value. At a time marked by the acceleration of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and new connectivity, joining forces with a centre of reference allows us to transform advanced knowledge into useful, accessible solutions with a public service ethos.”

Furthermore, Xavier Vilajosana, Vice-Rector for Research, Transfer and Entrepreneurship at the UOC, points out that “the alliance with i2CAT reinforces a way of understanding research that we share: excellent, interdisciplinary and connected to the major challenges facing society. In this sense, and in full harmony with the missions of the UOC, this agreement allows us to foster talent, generate new synergies and drive knowledge transfer with impact.”

Areas of collaboration

The agreement also promotes knowledge transfer and open science to accelerate the delivery of innovations to the market and to people. Through the exchange of methodologies and access to advanced laboratories, both entities will work to build a cutting-edge, sustainable and accessible research ecosystem for all. 

On the other hand, the alliance places a special emphasis on continuous training and talent development. The agreement will enable i2CAT professionals to access UOC’s official degree programmes, as well as its entrepreneurship and start-up acceleration programmes, at a discount. The agreement will also allow for the definition of doctoral lines, the co-supervision of theses and the proposal of scholarships for their programmes between the two institutions. With this ratification, both entities reinforce their commitment to fostering lifelong learning and to facilitating mutual access to their training catalogues to enhance the skills of staff at both institutions.