C4W Project: 25 Postdoctoral Fellowships at UMONS and UVA to Advance Cleantech Research
The Cleantech4Wallonia & Vaasa (C4W) project, recently selected under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions – COFUND scheme, marks a significant step forward for cleantech research. Coordinated by the University of Mons (UMONS) and the University of Vaasa (UVA), the programme will fund 25 postdoctoral fellowships in the field of clean technologies.
C4W focuses on cutting-edge research areas such as emissions reduction, energy efficiency, sustainable materials and the circular economy. Over a 30-month period, 15 fellows will be hosted at UMONS and 10 at UVA. Beyond research excellence, the programme offers structured training, enhanced supervision, and an interdisciplinary environment designed to translate scientific results into practical cleantech solutions.
A distinctive feature of C4W is its strong entrepreneurial dimension. Fellows will receive early training in innovation and knowledge transfer, encouraging the creation of start-ups or close collaboration with industrial partners. International and intersectoral mobility will be embedded in each fellowship, strengthening links between academia, industry, and regional ecosystems.
It was in this context that a Finnish delegation from the University of Vaasa — including Rector Minna Martikainen, Vice-Rector for Research Mika Grundström, and European advisor Philippe Vanrie — visited UMONS in March 2026. Research teams presented their work on key topics addressing current climate and industrial challenges: biotechnologies for pollution control, valorisation of agri-food by-products, sustainable polymer materials, nanomaterials for energy, optimisation of energy systems, and electricity grid modelling.
The programme will officially launch in the coming months. Following a thorough selection process, the first cohort of postdoctoral researchers will join UMONS and UVA to develop ambitious, large-scale cleantech projects, contributing not only to their host institutions but also to the broader EUNICE community.
