On 7 October 2026, the 32nd meeting of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) Platform on Research and Innovation took place in Barcelona, bringing together the European Commission, UfM Member States and regional partners to review progress in Euro-Mediterranean research and innovation cooperation and discuss the next steps of our common agenda.
Co-chaired by the European Commission and Jordan the meeting was held as the final event of a broader three-day programme in Barcelona from 5 to 7 October, organised in the framework of the Union for Mediterranean (UfM) Higher Education and Research Week. The discussions took place back-to-back with dedicated sessions on key initiatives contributing to the Pact for the Mediterranean, notably the development of Euro-Mediterranean Research and Innovation Centers and the proposed Mediterranean Science Diplomacy Centre.
Participants reviewed progress on the Platform’s three regional research and innovation priorities: health, climate change and renewable energies and discussed the implementation plan alongside the Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) baseline report, which will help track progress and support mutual learning across the region.
The meeting also took stock of the work of the Platform’s thematic Working Groups. The Working Group on Mobility of Researchers, Capacity Building and Science Diplomacy, co-chaired by Egypt and Italy, and the Working Group on Open Data and Digitalisation, co-chaired by Jordan and Spain, presented their final policy papers and the outcomes of their action plans.
A key outcome of the meeting was the presentation and adoption of the Regional Scalability Strategy, aimed at strengthening the link between research and innovation cooperation and the wider uptake and scaling of promising solutions across the Euro-Mediterranean region. Participants also discussed the forthcoming Africa-Mediterranean Innovation Fair, to be held in Italy on 25 November 2026, as an opportunity to showcase innovation cooperation and strengthen links between African, Mediterranean and European innovation ecosystems.
Looking ahead, members launched the next phase of preparations for the 2027 Union for Mediterranean (UfM) Ministerial Conference on Research and Innovation.
The meeting confirmed the UfM Platform’s role as an important forum for political dialogue and practical cooperation between the EU and Mediterranean partners, helping to connect existing regional frameworks, including Horizon Europe and PRIMA, with emerging common priorities for research and innovation across the region.
