The Director of the International Centre for Numerical Methods in Engineering (CIMNE), Dr Javier Bonet, today led the opening of the centre's first Roadmapping Exercise, a two-day strategic event that brings together researchers, local businesses and public officials to align CIMNE's medium-term research with industry and societal needs.
CIMNE's director, Dr Javier Bonet, speaking at the event
Representatives from CIMNE and local businesses will engage in plenary and group discussions on research trends and drivers, and will propose specific roadmaps to research topics that will add to the centre’s stated investigation priorities. CIMNE is the first member of the Research Centres of Catalonia (CERCA) to engage in a multilateral roadmapping exercise.
CIMNE’s 5-year strategic plan, presented in 2023, outlines a centre-wide research strategy based on UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, with particular emphasis on adaptation to climate change, mobility and cities, energy and the environment, industrial processes, and health.
Researchers from CIMNE and other CERCA centres will take the lead on the second day, discussing research challenges and suggesting next steps on applied research in numerical methods.
The exercise, held at Technical University of Catalonia (UPC)’s Campus Nord in Barcelona, will follow the roadmapping methodology of Cambridge University’s Institute for Manufacturing which emphasizes communication, alignment, and strategic dialogue and uses a structured visual framework to convert multidisciplinary ideas into actionable plans.
In his opening remarks earlier today, Dr. Bonet highlighted the importance of establishing a “two-way communication” path with industry. CIMNE “wants to enhance the impact of its research” and “find ways of application to benefit society”, he said.
According to Lluís Rovira, director of the Research Centres of Catalonia (CERCA), industry “needs to be part of research solutions”. Dr Rovira highlighted technology transfer as “a priority” for all Catalan Research Centers. “Research is not about writing papers anymore”, he said, “we need to engage all stakeholders from the very beginning”.
The results from the event, including recommendations on research application areas and long-term ideas, will guide CIMNE’s leadership priorities to improve the societal impact of the research carried out at the centre, as stated in the organization’s strategic plan.
A working group during today's roadmapping exercise looking at a board
CIMNE’s Valorization of Research and Technology Transfer team worked with the centre’s leadership to conceptualize and implement this roadmapping exercise, together with Cambridge University’s Institute for Manufacturing.