12 March 2025
Researchers from CICECO – Aveiro Institute of Materials and the Department of Materials and Ceramics Engineering are part of the TechTraPlastiC project. This initiative aims to strengthen universities’ capacity for technology transfer, supporting value chains in transitioning towards a circular plastics economy in Latin America, with the support of European partners. The project falls under the KA2 call of the Erasmus+ Program of the European Union.
Plastic waste poses a complex global challenge that requires circular and collaborative initiatives, involving key stakeholders across society at both international and regional levels, with strong territorial connections. In this context, the project seeks to enhance applied research capacity and promote technology transfer in seven Latin American universities, driving the shift towards a circular plastics economy in Colombia, Chile, and Argentina, in collaboration with European partners: Universidade de Aveiro (UA, Portugal) (UA, Portugal), Columbus Association, and under the coordination of Universidade de Lorraine (UL, França) (UL, France).
The Latin American institutions involved in the consortium include:
- Argentina: Universidade Nacional de Río Negro (UNRN), Universidade Nacional de Córdoba (UNC), and Universidade Nacional do Sul (UNS).
- Chile: Universidade de Santiago do Chile (USACH) and Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Valparaíso (PUCV) (PUCV).
- Colombia: Universidade Nacional da Colômbia (UNAL) and Universidade Central (UC).
To achieve these goals, the project will create knowledge networks between academia and the plastics industry, develop training programs, internships, and case studies in circular economy, and facilitate progressive innovation and technology transfer from universities to key local and regional stakeholders.
The project is structured into six main activities, with UA participating in Activity 2, which focuses on developing a portfolio for the plastics value chain, promoting collaboration and knowledge exchange among partners.
During the consortium’s first virtual meeting, each team’s tasks were outlined, and upcoming activities were previewed for the launch event, scheduled for March 25–28. This in-person event will take place in Nancy, France, hosted by Université de Lorraine (UL).
The impact of the project will be assessed not only by the development of new sustainable solutions but also by the establishment of long-term partnerships between universities and the plastics industry.
The initiative will run for three years, until December 2028. Project progress and results will be shared on the website techtraplastice.eu.
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Researchers
Paula Celeste da Silva Ferreira
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