Two events of two days each to create new partnerships and collaborations among researchers from 11 universities of the UNITA Alliance: this is the aim of the 2 nd edition of the UNITA research matching events.

On 12 and 13 December, more than 40 teaching and research staff from 6 countries active in the field of “Cultural heritage and tourism in a digital world” gathered in Turin; on the following two days, an equal number of participants attended the second event on the topic “Renewable energy mixes and materials for a more sustainable world”.
The model, already tested during the first UNITA research matching event in October 2022, consists of a series of face-to-face meetings, of 20 minutes each in rotation, between professors and researchers active in related scientific fields in order to get to know each other and discuss new international
projects and initiatives.
Matching between professors is created through a platform that collects participants; scientific profiles and takes into account the matching preferences expressed by all the participants over the days

preceding the event. Moreover, during the matching days each participants had the opportunity to introduce themselves and present their field of research in a short session of elevator pitches.
At the end of the two events, each participant had the opportunity to hold 8 face-to-face meetings with colleagues from other countries, and thus consider the possibility of activating joint research projects and initiatives.

The first day of the event led to the creation of a project for joint PhD theses between the University of Turin and the University of Zaragoza in the field of linguistics. In the upcoming weeks, UNITA staff members in all participating universities will monitor the development of projects resulting from the
matching, so that they can provide administrative assistance where necessary and keep track of the initiatives created after the event.
At the event, Mario Giacobini, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Relations with European Institutions, announced the imminent publication of a call for research grants within UNITA.