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The FunGlass project is a prime example of the scientific collaboration and innovation that Horizon 2020 made possible. The initiative’s focus is on developing novel glass and ceramic-based materials as well as other advanced technologies crucial for the green transition – but the message it sends reaches far beyond.
“Scientific excellence is contagious,” says coordinator Dušan Galusek from the Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín. “With FunGlass, we demonstrate how expertise from top European partners can be transfused into a young, aspiring institute, empowering it to carry out great research.”
Under the mentorship of partners from Germany, Italy and Spain, FunGlass has established four new research departments and recruited more than 100 highly skilled personnel from 20 countries. Their common goal is to push the boundaries of knowledge while designing materials for photocatalysis, hydrogen-powered glass melting, composite implants, antibacterial treatments, waste glass recovery, and corrosion-resistant coatings.
Transforming facilities and advancing research
Central to the project is bringing established institutions and young emerging institutions together. This approach supports a transfer of excellence, and also contributes to the sustainable development and prosperity of the common European space.
With FunGlass, the Commission has invested a total of EUR 10 million in premises and state-of-the-art research infrastructure in Trenčín, creating the Centre for Functional and Surface Functionalized Glass. These investments have facilitated a dramatic increase in scientific output, with over 50 publications annually, new competitive funding for 30 national and 9 transnational research projects, and several patent applications.
To maintain innovation, the project also focused on education and institutional development. It enabled long-term training stays with prestigious universities across Europe and devised an extensive programme for researchers and students which has already involved 345 people. This includes double-degree PhD collaborations with institutions such as FAU Erlangen-Nürnberg and the University of Jena in Germany, the University of Padua in Italy, the Spanish National Research Council and Brno University of Technology in Czechia.
Collaborative and intersectoral efforts
Cooperation is at the heart of the project’s success, so it’s not surprising that FunGlass has already forged 24 new collaborations with industrial partners and secured numerous contractual research orders.
Recognition of the project’s achievements is evident through various awards and nominations, including the Scientist of the Year award in Slovakia for Galusek in 2020 and the L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science award in 2023.
The FunGlass project illustrates that great science can thrive anywhere with the right support and collaboration. It highlights the importance of programmes that support the transfer of excellence from established institutions to emerging ones.
By fostering solidarity and cooperation, such initiatives contribute to sustainable development and prosperity across Europe. As Galusek aptly concludes, “Science knows no borders. Supporting programmes like FunGlass not only helps emerging institutions but also enriches the entire European scientific community.”