On September 10–11, Professor Leonardo Vanneschi and Research Manager Cristina Oliveira represented NOVA IMS at the official launch of CITADELS, held at the Palace of Science (Palata Nauke) in Belgrade, Serbia.

CITADELS – Cultivating Industry 5.0 Talents: Academia-industry collaboration and empowerment through accessible DEep technoLogieS  – is a Horizon Europe WIDERA project coordinated by the University of Belgrade – School of Electrical Engineering. The project brings together a multidisciplinary consortium of ten partners from nine countries, including four leading academic institutions, three pioneering DeepTech companies, one science and technology park, and two EU-leading innovation drivers.

The project responds to the growing demand for DeepTech expertise by aligning academic excellence with industry needs. It will engage 20 research talents and 20 research and innovation (R&I) support professionals in structured training and cross-sectoral secondments. Through this approach, CITADELS aims to foster talent circulation, support the adoption of advanced technologies, and strengthen regional innovation ecosystems, particularly in seven Widening countries.

MagIC plays a central role in the consortium, mapping and developing DeepTech test beds within its research labs and creating opportunities for training, mentorship, and international mobility for young researchers. MagIC will also host industry researchers to collaborate on applied research projects. In addition, it leads the design and implementation of a comprehensive training and mobility program for research and innovation support professionals, covering key areas such as proposal preparation, innovation management, research data management, and open science.

The participation of Professor Vanneschi and Cristina Oliveira in the kick-off meeting marks the start of MagIC’s active contribution to CITADELS, advancing its mission to foster human-centric innovation and inclusive, high-impact research ecosystems across Europe.