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Author: Christian Keszthely
Modern alternating-current motors have an awkward dependency: the drive control system must always know the rotor's position. That tiny fact – a position, measured again and again – decides whether a car glides off the line or shudders, whether a crane holds steady or lurches. It matters far more than it sounds n electric cars, trains, cranes, and aircraft, the rotor inside the motor has to stay in sync with the electrical currents that power it. If the timing is off, the motor can stutter, shake, or stop working. To prevent this,
most modern electric motor drive systems use position sensors. ‘It is a very important device. But it is also the weak link,’ says Prof. Ing. Reiko Raute, Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering at the University of Malta and Principal Investigator for the project ‘Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor Design for Position Sensorless Drives (SensorlessPMSM…
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A pioneering step in sustainable construction has been achieved through the SMACORT project, which has successfully demonstrated how advanced 3D printing technology can be
used to produce a low-carbon, thermally efficient 3D-printed façade panel for existing structures. The project’s most visible milestone is the installation of a 3D-printed façade system on an existing structure at the Public Abattoir in Marsa, Malta.
What makes the innovation particularly significant is its environmental sustainability. The façade panels were produced using a cement-free geopolymer mortar made entirely from recycled construction and demolition waste, including crushed concrete and ceramic tiles. Using a gantry-style 3D printer, the material was shaped into modular 40x40 cm panels designed for efficiency and adaptability.
Nine of these modules were assembled into a 1.2 x 1.…
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The Management Committee of the OFF-SOURCE COST Action (CA21112) is delighted to announce its final conference. This event is the main dissemination hub for our network, uniting leading researchers, industry professionals, policymakers, and early-career investigators to share the latest advancements in the study of Offshore Freshened Groundwater (OFG). Together, we will foster new collaborations, explore the culmination of four years of work, and chart the future for this promising unconventional water resource. We look forward to you joining us to shape the next chapter in OFG research and application.
The primary objective of the RESCUE project is to build knowledge of deep-coastal and offshore low salinity aquifers in European coastal areas, to evaluate novel water resources and to help secure a steady supply of water to both population and industry in times of hydroclimatic extremes.
Objectives…
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🌿Protecting the Mediterranean means more than drawing lines on a map.
The Mediterranean is one of the world’s richest marine ecosystems — but also one of its most pressured. From tourism and shipping to fisheries and coastal development, human activities continue to place increasing strain on marine habitats already affected by climate change.
Yet nature protection remains one of the weakest areas of Maritime Spatial Planning (MSP) implementation across the region.
Key challenges identified include:
⚠️ Limited ecosystem restoration actions
⚠️ Insufficient Marine Protected Area networks
⚠️ Weak protection of blue carbon ecosystems like Posidonia seagrass meadows
⚠️ Lack of clear measures to reduce environmental pressures at sea
There are still important signs of progress.
-France has mapped Posidonia oceanica ecosystems along its Mediterranean coast — a major step in protecting valuable carbon-storing habitats…
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The SMACORT project (3D manufacturing of developed sustainable coating materials for building retrofitting and energy efficiency) is showcasing how 3D printing can transform construction by combining digital fabrication with recycled waste materials to improve building performance and sustainability.
At its core, the project focuses on turning construction and demolition waste into valuable resources. Discarded ceramic tiles and crushed concrete are processed into fine powders and used to create a cement-free geopolymer mortar. This eco-friendly material reduces CO₂ emissions while helping to address the growing challenge of construction waste.
To further improve energy efficiency, the system integrates phase change materials (PCMs), which absorb and release thermal energy to help stabilise indoor temperatures. This passive approach reduces the need for energy-intensive heating and cooling…
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The PolyMEMSens (Polymer-MEMS-based sensors) project represents a significant step forward in the development of next-generation low-cost air quality monitoring technologies. Conducted through a collaboration between the University of Malta and Sabancı University in Turkey, the project focuses on designing highly sensitive microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)-based sensors for detecting volatile organic compounds (VOCs), particularly isopropyl alcohol (IPA), in real-time environments.
At the core of the innovation is a piezoelectric MEMS resonator coated with a functional polymer film. This polymer is engineered to selectively absorb target gas molecules, causing measurable frequency shifts in the resonator. This approach enables compact, high-sensitivity, low-cost, sensing suitable for Internet of Things (IoT) applications, including smart homes, industrial monitoring, and healthcare systems.
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Author: Andrea Cuschieri
Neuroscientists usually scan real brains to understand the mind. A team at the University of Malta is doing the opposite: they are building a fake brain first – not to think, but to keep neuroscience reliable. Their project, SARA, blends Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) with delicate biochemistry in an unlikely marriage that could make brain imaging more reliable and more reproducible.
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, better known as fMRI, is one of the most powerful tools modern neuroscience has ever created. It does not photograph neurons firing. Instead, it tracks changes in blood flow that occur when brain regions become active. When a cluster of neurons works harder, it consumes more oxygen. Fresh blood rushes in to replenish it, subtly altering the magnetic properties of that blood. The scanner detects these tiny shifts and transforms them…
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The SEA-EU Alliance has reached a major milestone in international higher education with the official accreditation of SeaBluE – the Joint Bachelor’s Degree in Sustainable Blue Economy, coordinated by the University of Cádiz (UCA). This recognition, granted for a period of six years until March 18, 2031, marks a significant step in the development of European joint degrees and strengthens SEA-EU’s leadership in innovative, transnational education.
A European Degree for a Global Future
SeaBluE is not just any undergraduate programme—it is one of the first Joint Bachelor’s Degrees in Europe to emerge from a European University Alliance, offering students a truly international academic experience. The programme is designed and delivered…
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Dr. Frederick Lia and Karen Attard
Deep eutectic solvents (DES) and natural DES (NADES) have emerged as sustainable alternatives to conventional organic solvents for the extraction of bioactive compounds from olive mill waste (OMW). These systems are formed through strong hydrogen-bond interactions between a hydrogen-bond acceptor (HBA) and donor (HBD), resulting in liquids with significantly reduced melting points and highly tunable physicochemical properties, including polarity, viscosity, and solvation capacity [1]. This tunability enables the design of task-specific solvents for selective extraction of phenolics, flavonoids, and other valuable compounds.
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The program aims to identify, develop, and implement innovative solutions supporting modern hospital management as well as improving the quality of healthcare delivery. This initiative serves as a collaborative platform connecting the medical, academic, and innovation sectors, enabling the development and implementation of solutions with international potential.
MCSC Hospital Leadership Innovation is an international competition organized by the Institute of Mother and Child, supported by a network of hospitals from across Poland. Its goal is to identify and support the development of breakthrough solutions that set new standards in healthcare and medical facility management.
MCSC creates a dynamic ecosystem of collaboration between hospitals, academia, and technology partners — enabling rapid testing, implementation, and scaling of modern solutions that meet the current needs of the healthcare system.
Detailed information regarding the…
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📣 PRIMA is proud to announce the launch of the PRIMA Young Innovators Award 2026, a new recognition prize celebrating the creativity, leadership, and determination of young innovators from Southern Mediterranean countries who are shaping a more sustainable future for the region.
🔑 Why this Award matters
The Mediterranean faces urgent challenges: water scarcity, climate stress, food insecurity, and ecosystem degradation. Young people across the region are already responding with innovative solutions, from water-saving technologies and resilient farming practices to community-driven initiatives that strengthen livelihoods and social inclusion.
The PRIMA Young Innovators Award recognizes these changemakers. It celebrates youth who have personally led or significantly contributed to solutions aligned with PRIMA’s mission, and it encourages the leadership, initiative, and problem-solving capacity needed to address the region’s…
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Montalto, M., Bonnici West, L., Scerri, D., Gatt, A., Deguara, D., Debono, D., Galea Vella, M., Theuma, L., Delicata, F. and Gauci, S.A.
🛞 The REACH-ETHICS project, led by the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST), introduces an innovative approach to research ethics education through the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR). The project aims to transform how students and researchers engage with ethical principles by moving beyond traditional, theory-heavy instruction toward immersive, scenario-based learning. The system employs AI-powered “expert” avatars within virtual environments to simulate real-life ethical dilemmas in healthcare and animal research contexts. Through interactive dialogue, users can explore key issues such as informed consent, confidentiality, and participant welfare in a more applied and reflective manner. This approach fosters active engagement,…
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Dr. Frederick Lia and Karen Attard
Closed-loop hydrocarbon extraction is an efficient and selective technique for recovering non-polar compounds from complex matrices, with growing relevance in olive mill waste (OMW) valorisation. Hydrocarbons, composed solely of carbon and hydrogen, range from simple alkanes to complex aromatic structures and are widely used in industrial applications due to their chemical stability [1].
Traditional separation methods such as cryogenic distillation and open solvent extraction suffer from high energy demand, solvent loss, and environmental impact [2]. Closed-loop systems overcome these limitations by operating under sealed, pressurised conditions that enable full solvent recovery. Liquefied hydrocarbons such as n-butane and n-propane selectively dissolve lipophilic compounds, while continuous recirculation enhances mass transfer and reduces emissions,…
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Building on its digital infrastructure, the second phase of the SOLEATECH project—developed in collaboration with Bahçeşehir University (Türkiye) and funded under the bilateral call PRIMA Xjenza Malta–TÜBİTAK 2023—focuses on transforming raw data into actionable insights through Artificial Intelligence. By integrating advanced analytics into a Decision Support System, the project empowers farmers to make precise, timely decisions.
Two core AI models drive this innovation. A Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model forecasts soil water potential, enabling proactive irrigation planning. In parallel, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) evaluates environmental variables to predict olive quality, categorizing outputs into four performance levels. To enhance accuracy and scalability, techniques such as Principal Component Analysis reduce data complexity while maintaining predictive power.
…
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TRANSCAN-4 pre‑announces the First Joint Transnational Call (JTC 2026) on the topic of:
"Translational Research on Cancer Metabolism: Multidisciplinary Approaches for Diagnosis and Treatment"
TRANSCAN-4, in continuity of the preceding ERA-NET TRANSCAN-3, has the goal of coordinating national and regional funding programmes for research in the area of translational cancer research. The specific challenge is to promote a transnational collaborative approach between scientific teams in demanding areas of translational cancer research to ensure a more efficient use of available resources (e.g. data, infrastructures) and ultimately to produce results of higher quality and impact.
🧮The TRANSCAN-4 JTC-2026 will be implemented through a two-stage submission procedure: pre-proposals and full proposals.
📢The call is…
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In January 2024, the Department of Electrical Engineering of the University of Malta, started work on the project SGdrive, funded by Xjenza Malta. The project’s full title is High Reliability and High Power Density Starter/Generator System for MEA (SGdrive) and is headed by Prof Inġ Michael Galea. The project aimed to address technical challenges in designing starter-generator systems for More Electric Aircraft (MEA). Key technical achievements include lightweight design, high-efficiency thermal management, modular high-fault-tolerant systems, and high-reliability operation control strategies. The University of Malta's focus lies in novel lifetime modeling and prediction techniques, contributing to advancements in aviation electrification technologies.
Beyond its technical achievements, the SGdrive project has also delivered an important and perhaps less visible impact: the transfer of knowledge across industries. Although the project focused on electrical machine design for…
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For centuries, olive cultivation has been rooted in tradition. Today, however, climate change is disrupting this balance, with heatwaves and water scarcity threatening both yield and quality. In response, the SOLEATECH project - developed by WES TRADE LTD (Malta) and Bahçeşehir University (Türkiye) under the bilateral call PRIMA Xjenza Malta- TÜBİTAK 2023 - is introducing a new paradigm: data-driven olive farming.
The first phase of the project focused on establishing a “Digital Twin” of olive orchards through the deployment of advanced IoT infrastructure. Using the IRRIGOPTIMAL platform, solar-powered Smart Nodes equipped with soil moisture, nutrient, and weather sensors were installed across pilot sites in Malta and Türkiye. This system enabled continuous, real-time monitoring of hyper-local environmental conditions.
A key scientific breakthrough emerged from this phase: the identification of the “Microclimate Gap.” Data analysis showed that regional weather models…
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The Clean Energy Transition Partnership (CETPartnership) is announcing its fifth annual call, Joint Call 2026. The call is launched in collaboration with funding organisations and programme owners across Europe and beyond. The annual calls align national and regional funding programmes and enable transnational collaboration across the energy value chain.
The CETPartnership is an RDI programme that supports the transition towards a climate-neutral and sustainable European energy system.
General information about the application process
The Joint Call 2026 is structured into 11 Call Modules. These modules cover …
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The report “Gaps and uncertainties in aviation non-CO₂ effects on climate” sums up the current state of scientific understanding and highlights priority areas where further research is needed.
The impact of aviation on climate goes beyond carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, including non-CO₂ factors such as nitrogen oxides (NOX), sulphur oxides (SOX), water vapour, particulates, and the formation of contrails and cirrus clouds.
Developed by the Aviation Non-CO ₂ Expert Network (ANCEN), coordinated by the EASA - European Union Aviation Safety Agency and supported under Horizon Europe, the report identifies priority areas for further research.
Read the report link.europa.eu/vJgRgv
Information and image source:
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The JPI Oceans Blue Carbon Knowledge Hub is pleased to announce the publication of its second policy brief: ‘Pathways and opportunities for a better policy integration of Blue Carbon Ecosystems under the EU LULUCF Regulation’. This Knowledge Hub is led by Ireland with participation from Germany, Greece, Malta, Norway, Portugal and the United Kingdom.
The brief was developed by the Knowledge Hub’s Policy Working Group with the support of the Norwegian Environment Agency, and it provides targeted recommendations for a better policy integration of blue carbon ecosystems under the EU Land Use and Land Cover Change Framework (LULUCF) Regulation. These blue carbon ecosystems, primarily seagrass meadows, salt marshes and mangrove forests, are classified as ‘coastal wetlands’ in the Supplement to the 2006 IPCC Guidelines for National Greenhouse…
