The Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia (ISSP UL) hosted the closing ceremony of the ambitious CAMART2 project on March 28th, 2025. The event brought together representatives from European institutions, Latvian ministries, foreign embassies, project partners from Sweden, and industry representatives.
Dr. Mārtiņš Rutkis, project manager of CAMART2, opened the ceremony, followed by welcoming addresses from Ms. Zane Petre, head of the European Commission representation in Latvia, and Ms. Federica Roffi, deputy head of the WIDENING Unit at the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Both highlighted CAMART2 as a prime example of how EU funding can bolster research and innovation, strengthen scientific collaboration, and contribute to sustainable development.
The event featured speeches by prominent figures, including Dr. Andris Šternbergs, ISSP UL’s deputy director for science, Mr. Robert-Jan Smits, former head of Directorate-General for Research and Innovation at the European Commission, and Mr. Björn Samel, Vice President of Smart Hardware at RISE, a Swedish research institute consortium. Mr. Samel expressed his commitment to continuing the established collaboration: "The project's results demonstrate our ability to achieve remarkable goals together. We are eager to further collaborate with the ISSP UL to develop cutting-edge technologies and solutions for today's market demands."
Professor Mikael Östling, Vice President of KTH Royal Institute of Technology, delivered a keynote address emphasizing the significant contribution of the project's long-term international cooperation to the advancement of science and technology. He commended the project's achievements: "We are proud to be part of this journey and witness its positive impact on Latvia and Europe as a whole." The theme of European cooperation and innovation resonated throughout the event, echoed in speeches by Ms. Vesna Bengin, founder of the TEAMING project club from Serbia, MEP Ivars Ijabs, and Dr. Andris Anspoks, director of the ISSP UL.
Dr. Anspoks remarked, "As the CAMART2 project concludes, we are proud to have modernized our science and innovation centre of excellence and strengthened our position in the global scientific community. Our Swedish partners have been instrumental in this success. CAMART2 proves that strategic, long-term investments in science, combined with capacity building and modern infrastructure, yield significant results."
Following the speeches, a panel discussion titled "After CAMART2: long-term funding and strategy for science, innovation, and collaboration" took place. The panel comprised Dr. Anspoks, Ms. Roffi, Mr. Jurģis Miezainis, parliamentary secretary of the Latvian Ministry of Economics, and Dr. Gatis Mozoļevskis, co-founder of CellBox Labs, an ISSP UL spin-off company. The discussion focused on the opportunities and resilience of European science in a shifting geopolitical landscape, emphasizing its strength and competitiveness stemming from its diversity and collaborative spirit.
Over eight years, the CAMART2 project invested over €30 million in modernizing the ISSP UL's centre of excellence in advanced materials research and technology. The project significantly boosted the commercialization of novel materials and technologies, enhanced the research and innovation ecosystem, and expanded partnerships with leading research centers and companies globally. This was achieved through capacity building for ISSP UL staff, synergies with innovation-driven partners, and infrastructure improvements. As a result, the ISSP UL’s financial turnover tripled (from €3 million to €9 million annually), while securing international projects increased more than fivefold (from €0.5 million to €2.5 million annually).
The CAMART2 project has been instrumental in the rapid growth of the ISSP UL, enabling it to become an essential player in the international science and innovation landscape and face the future with confidence.
