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The European Commission has launched a Call for Evidence on the upcoming revision of EU rules for protecting the marine environment, including the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, MSFD.
The initiative aims to assess what has worked so far, where implementation has fallen short, and how EU legislation can better support the health and resilience of European seas.
This is a chance for researchers, civil society, industry and other stakeholders to share experience and evidence that can inform the next phase of EU marine policy.
The call is open for feedback via the Commission’s…
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Honey production in Malta plays out on a small island with a tightly mixed landscape. Beekeepers work across fields, garrigue and settlements that sit close together, yet they are expected to deliver a product with a clear representation of the place, and one of these is Maltese wild thyme honey. The main challenge lies in making sure that the bees forage mainly from the flowers of wild thyme in such a tightly-knit landscape.
Drones and artificial intelligence make that challenge surmountable. Drone surveys and machine learning can convert thousands of overlapping images into maps that show thyme cover and thyme’s potential competitors. This study asks whether Malta can realistically and sustainably support monofloral wild thyme honey (honey made mostly from thyme nectar), and if so, where. By combining drone surveys, multispectral imaging, GIS and supervised machine learning, the team searched for thyme-exclusive…
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Honey bees, along with other pollinators (such as butterflies, solitary bees, etc.), are essential to our food supply; the great contribution they make to the pollination of flowering plants is vital for farming as most agricultural crops require this insect pollination to produce fruit. But, as climate change increases the frequency and intensity of droughts and heatwaves, the natural signs of Spring appear earlier in the year, further threatening the survival of honey bees and other pollinators. The BeeSustain project (Integrative Modelling for Enhanced Beekeeping Carrying Capacity), a collaborative research initiative led by the University of Malta's Biodiversity and Ecology Research Group (BERG), and is funded by the Xjenza Malta Research Excellence Programme (REP) 2024. The project aims to address these pressing concerns by testing new and innovative approaches to improve beekeeping sustainability and safeguard bee populations…
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The University of Malta has successfully concluded the Hybrid Energy Storage System (HESS) project which is a major initiative exploring how renewable energy and advanced storage can power cleaner transportation. Led by Prof. Ing. John Licari from the Department of Electrical Engineering, the project was supported through the SINO-MALTA Fund 2023 Call, strengthening scientific collaboration between Malta and the People’s Republic of China.
The research focused on how solar energy, batteries and green hydrogen can work together to electrify mobility while reducing strain on the electrical grid. The study involved the modelling and control of an Electro-Hydrogen HESS-based microgrid system to optimise energy management. A schematic block diagram of the microgrid system is presented in Figure 1. The microgrid integrates the PV generation, a battery energy storage system (BESS), and a PEM electrolyser, all interconnected via a…
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We thank you for being part of this journey.
See you in
2026
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The two winners of the PRIMA Award for Women Greening Food Systems (2025 edition) are Kaoutar Aboukhalid (Morocco) and Andrea Abad Bartolome (Spain).
These women are driving change, transforming agriculture, and championing sustainability across the Mediterranean.
In the mountains of Morocco, a precious plant is vanishing. Dr. Kaoutar Aboukhalid is working to save it, one community at a time. As one of the two winners of the PRIMA Award for Women Greening Food Systems in the Mediterranean, Dr. Aboukhalid’s MOROREGEN project demonstrates that science, local knowledge, and women’s leadership can help reverse biodiversity loss.
Meet Dr. Kaoutar Aboukhalid, one of the two winners of the PRIMA Award for Women Greening Food Systems in the Mediterranean.
…
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Imagine breaking a bone so severely that a piece is missing. Or imagine recovering from bone cancer, only to be left with a gap your body cannot heal on its own. Today, patients in these situations often rely on metal implants that stay in the body forever or require a second surgery to remove.
OsteoMag-3D is an international partnership that brings together Maltese and Chinese researchers with one shared goal: to create patient-specific bone implants made from a biodegradable magnesium alloy. These implants, often called scaffolds, act as temporary bone substitutes in situations where patients are left with missing bone, such as after bone cancer treatment or when fractures fail to heal. They support new bone growth and gradually dissolve as healing progresses. Over time, they are replaced entirely by natural bone, eliminating the need for a second surgery to remove the implant.
To ensure…
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What are the purposes of this survey?
To identify what types of capacity building activities are considered important in order to support research and innovation in health and care systems;
To get an overview of current capacity building instruments available at national and international levels that can help drive the transformation of health and care systems.
What is capacity building in the context of research and innovation?
Capacity building in the context of R&I refers to the process of enhancing the skills, knowledge, systems, infrastructures and collaborations of individuals and organisations that are active in the field of research and innovation. It can e.g. involve research training or fellowships, but also building platforms or networking…
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Intellectual property (IP) management is a key element in improving the competitiveness of any company. Unfortunately, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) often lack the time, resources, or knowledge to address IP matters. This guide aims at providing answers to some of the main IP issues often faced by SMEs. It has been developed on the basis of the answers provided by the European IP Helpdesk to some of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) submitted by users through the European IP Helpdesk website and Helpline. Moreover, it refers to several reference documents, which are listed at the end of each section for further information. Each section of this guide is dedicated to one specific IP right, covering essential aspects around its regulation in Europe as well as some additional questions which, based on the experience of the European IP Helpdesk, are of interest to European SMEs. This guide is making no claim to be exhaustive and is not an…
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Calling all Early Career Researchers, Principle Investigators and Supervisors, and Career Advisors - COST need your input in a quick survey focused on career development initiatives. By participating, you will contribute to an evidence base that can inform fairer and more inclusive career development opportunities.
Duration of the survey is estimated at 8 minutes.
Deadline: 31 January 2026
Visit the below link to read further and participate.
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Advanced materials provide the innovative solutions needed for a more efficient, sustainable and competitive industry. Given the current geopolitical landscape, the EU needs to strengthen its research, innovation and production capacities and accelerate their uptake in Europe.
The Advanced Materials Act will put forward measures to achieve open strategic autonomy on advanced materials. This will help reduce dependencies on critical resources and boost EU competitiveness.
Feedback deadline: 13 January 2026
Visit the below link to read further and participate.
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The bioeconomy delivers sustainable solutions based on biological resources. These solutions benefit sectors ranging from primary production to value chains of food, health, materials and energy. The EU-funded bioeconomy innovations presented in this booklet show the bioeconomy’s role in fostering circularity, adapting to and mitigating climate change, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and decreasing pollutants. They create jobs and income opportunities, particularly for farmers and foresters, and support a greener, more resilient future. The bioeconomy is the living proof that competitiveness, climate action, environmental protection and citizens’ wellbeing go hand in hand.
Visit the below link to read the booklet.
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Research indicates that increasing the temperature of tumour tissue can stimulate increased activity within tumour cells, due to a higher blood flow. When a tumour reaches hyperthermic state, the uptake of cancer treatment, such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy, would be greater. Therefore, integrating hyperthermia into a cancer treatment plan would allow medical practitioners to decrease the dosage of these therapies, making the treatment safer and more tolerable for patients.
Normal body temperature is 36 - 37 °C and by using controlled microwave energy, similar to that used in a microwave oven to heat food, it is possible to increase the temperature of specific tissues.
At the Electromagnetics research group within the Department of Physics, researchers are developing a Microwave hyperthermia system as part of a project funded by Xjenza Malta, Hyper4B and also thanks to the…
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Do not miss to revisit these webinars organised by GOOS. For marine scientists, enthusiasts, educators, students, researchers and persons involved in marine observations, this series of GOOS webinars shares knowledge and presents innovative approaches for biodiversity monitoring, and a coordinated and standardised marine biology and ecosystem data collection and management system. The sessions provide an introduction to each BioEco EOV and their importance for monitoring biodiversity, enabling ecological forecasting, and supporting science, management and decision making.
The last two webinars delivered this month were:
Benthic invertebrates abundance and distribution | Sea turtles abundance and distribution
and
Seabirds abundance and distribution | Marine mammal abundance and distribution…
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The NOSTER & Science Microbiome Prize has been established to reward innovative research by young investigators working on the functional attributes of the microbiota of any organism that has potential to contribute to our understanding of human or veterinary health and disease or to guide therapeutic interventions.
Grand Prize winner receives:
Each Grand Prize winner will be awarded a cash prize in the amount of US$25,000 and travel and accommodation for the prize ceremony.
The Grand Prize winner will also receive a free five (5) year digital subscription to Science, and will have their winning essay published in Science (print and online).
Runner(s) Up receives:
Each Runner up will receive an award plaque and travel and accommodation for the prize ceremony.
The Runner(s) Up will also receive a free one (1) year digital subscription to Science, and will have their winning essay published in…
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The INNO4CFIs Acceleration Program is calling on innovative Green tech SMEs and startups from selected European regions to foster their market uptake and validate their technologies! This Acceleration program offers equity-free support to 40 promising solutions/initiatives demonstrating strong market potential and a minimum technological readiness level (TRL of 6).
Participants will benefit from a 4-month tailored acceleration program, designed to refine their market and technology validation strategies and advance their solutions (up to TRL 9). Expert guidance will ensure compliance with Circular Economy and Regulatory Compliance Standards (CRCS) and the European Carbon Removal Certification Framework.
INNO4CFIs Acceleration Program is now accepting applications, through the third Open Call process, providing a unique opportunity for up to 15 eligible SMEs and startups to join this…
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The University of Malta’s Rocketry team is the first Maltese team to enrol in the European Rocketry Challenge (EuRoC). The competition, held in Portugal, hosted 29 teams, drawn from universities across Europe.
Their challenge is to launch their rocket to three or nine kilometres, depending on the category.
Led by co-founder Ryan Grech, Malta’s team spent about six months getting the completely student-made rocket ready for the competition.
Being the team’s first attempt at this competition, they were up against heavyweight teams established decades ago with budgets amounting to over €100,000.
The Maltese team had to compete as novices with a conservative budget of €4,000, the smallest budget of all the teams.
The day before they were supposed to head off for the competition, the team…
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What if our youngest learners grew up with a holistic understanding of the sea and its environment? Supporting Early chiLdhood education in Blue skills with generative artificial Intelligence (SELBI) is a nationally-funded research project at the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) designed to help make that possible. Its ambitious purpose is to equip Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) educators with the knowledge, tools and professional confidence to teach young children about the marine environment, sustainable living and the ethical use of natural resources, supported by trustworthy artificial intelligence. This work is aligned with Malta’s Vision 2050 and with the National Strategy for Sustainable Development, which both place long-term environmental responsibility and sustainable economic transition at the centre of national policy.
SELBI responds to a strategic national concern. Malta’s…
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Offshore Freshened Groundwater (OFG) is a potentially strategic resource for coastal water security. Despite its discovery in the 1960s and estimates of substantial global volumes, OFG remains poorly understood. Existing data are sparse and largely incidental, originating from offshore hydrocarbon drilling. Research efforts so far have lacked coordinated approaches to assess OFG’s potential for sustainable use.
Advancing the understanding of OFG systems requires research into their emplacement history and age, as well as recharge and discharge mechanisms. Investigations into permeability, porosity, and fluid flow pathways will improve predictions of OFG behaviour under natural conditions and potential utilisation scenarios. Fluid flow processes, hydraulic properties, and connectivity between onshore and offshore aquifers must be studied to assess long-term viability and estimate the sustainable yield of an OFG reservoir.…
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The Euro-Mediterranean Hub for Research & Innovation (R&I) is live connecting researchers, policymakers, institutions, and funders across the Euro-Med region.
The Euro-Med Hub serves as a one-stop platform to explore research outcomes, best practices, policy papers, and collaboration opportunities, including funding calls, networks, and clusters.
This initiative supports the implementation of the UfM Regional Platform on Research and Innovation Roadmaps, strengthening Mediterranean cooperation in key areas such as health, renewable energy, and climate change.
Why join the Hub?
• Centralised resources – Access research, best practices, policy documents, and funding…
