Strengthening Cross-Border Collaboration: GAIN and INL Host Joint Innovation and Research Event
October 28, 2025
On October 27th, INL and the Galician Agency of Innovation (GAIN) jointly hosted a one-day programme at INL, in Braga, bringing together a large delegation from Galicia to further strengthen scientific and innovation ties across the Galicia, Spain and Northern Portugal Euroregion.
The event gathered representatives from the Xunta de Galicia, Galician universities, research centres and technology institutes alongside INL researchers and leadership, in a day of working groups, roundtables, and guided tours of INL’s state-of-the-art laboratories and facilities. The initiative aimed to identify new areas of collaboration, develop joint projects and enhance cross-border cooperation in key areas such as life sciences, energy and environment, information and communication technologies and advanced materials.
A Platform for Shared Growth
In her opening remarks, the INL Director-General, Professor Clivia Sotomayor Torres, emphasised the importance of complementarity between Galician institutions and INL. “Here we see complementary contributions from INL and Galician institutions to go stronger towards these opportunities”, Professor Sotomayor stated, underlining the shared ambition to translate technological advances into societal impact.
Throughout the day, several working groups and thematic roundtables explored mechanisms to boost competitiveness through innovation and discussed the funding opportunities available at both regional and European levels. Participants highlighted the value of maintaining a regular forum for dialogue and joint planning between Galicia and INL.
Looking Ahead: Building a Common Innovation Fabric
Closing the day, Dr Román Rodríguez González, the Galician Counsellor for Education, Science and Universities and Vocational Training, reflected on the potential of ongoing collaboration. “We have an opportunity to make the most of the infrastructures that already exist and those currently under construction”, he noted, referring to the new CESGA computing centre, which recently received its building licence and is expected to be completed by August 2026. “It is now up to us to take full advantage of the ongoing collaboration and synergies between Galicia and the North of Portugal.”
He also expressed the intention to organise a similar event in Galicia, continuing to “build this fabric where future projects can be developed”.
Deepening Scientific and Technological Ties
The Xunta de Galicia highlighted that this scientific exchange marks a further step in the collaboration between Galicia and the North of Portugal in R&D&I. This longstanding partnership has already yielded numerous results through European programmes such as Interreg-POCTEP and Iacobus, as well as through the joint academic initiatives between universities on both sides of the border.
This initiative forms part of the Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3T) 2021–2027 of the Galicia -North Portugal Euroregion – the first cross-border RIS in the European Union, designed to strengthen cooperation in innovation and research, and to leverage shared geographical, cultural, and economic synergies.
The Galician delegation included representatives from the Xunta de Galicia, its public universities (Santiago de Compostela, Vigo, and A Coruña), the CIGUS research network, health research foundations, technology centres, and several industrial clusters. Their presence underscored the commitment to foster an integrated and collaborative ecosystem of science and innovation across the Euroregion.
This joint event reaffirmed the shared vision of INL and GAIN: to connect scientific excellence with societal needs, translating innovation into tangible progress for both regions and beyond.
