University of Oviedo and ICAMCyL sign a cooperation agreement to promote research and innovation

The Rector of the University of Oviedo, Santiago García Granda, and the general director of ICAMCyL Foundation, Santiago Cuesta López, have signed a cooperation agreement with the aim of promoting research and the generation of scientific and technological knowledge in the fields of advanced materials, raw materials, nanotechnology, mining, processing technologies and the circular economy.

ICAMCyL will contribute to this agreement by promoting our main lines of work, namely, sustainable mining, advanced materials and nanomaterials, priority lines also for the University of Oviedo and aligned with the work of research groups adhering to the Cluster of Energy, Environment and Climate Change of this University.

ICAMCyL membership in the European Smart Specialization Platform (S3P) on Mining Industry, Related Industries and Services and Global Value Chains will also be key in this collaboration. This platform, coordinated by the Finnish regions of Lapland and North Karelia together with Castilla y León in Spain, has the main objective of spreading the knowledge of expert organisations to support regional growth and new business and work opportunities, and to create also a solid European collaboration among the regions involved in this initiative.

ICAMCyL is also involved in different projects and initiatives at regional and European level aimed at recovering raw materials from inactive mine tailings for reuse as a source of secondary raw materials.

On the other hand, the University of Oviedo is part as a collaborating entity of the Iberian Sustainable Mining Cluster (ISMC), managed by ICAMCyL Foundation. Within this cluster, which has now more than 60 members among large companies, SMEs, associations, technology centres and universities, both organizations contribute to promoting sustainable growth of the mining sector, creating new businesses and job opportunities and coordinate efforts to achieve a new strategic and sustainable mining in Europe.

Through this agreement, which will remain active four years, both institutions commit themselves to promote joint research, optimise their material and human resources, and collaborate in the completion of Master and Degree Final Projects and Doctoral Theses for graduate and postgraduate students. They will also participate in different events and activities such as conferences, seminars or exhibitions in which their mutual interests converge.