Overview
The CENIT Programme is devoted to funding major integrated projects of strategic industrial research, with a wide dimension and wide scientific-technical scope. It is oriented to plan research in future technological areas and with a potential international projection. The main aim is the generation of new knowledge which can be useful for the creation of new products, processes or services, or even for the integration of technologies of strategic interest. Thus, it will contribute to a better positioning in the national productive technological fabric.
From this definition, the necessity of relying on many material and human resources coming from different scientific-technical disciplines in the public sector as well as in the private sector can be derived. In that way, this programme allows the extension of a co-operative culture in research and technological development between the science and technology community and also to promote the participation of SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) in large industrial research projects.
The main aims are:
- To generate new knowledge which can be useful for the creation of new products, processes or services, or even for the integration of technologies of strategic interest;
- To fund big integrated projects of industrial strategic research with a wide scientific-technical scope, oriented to planned research in future technological areas and with a potential international projection;
- To allow the extension of a co-operative culture in research and technological development (RTD) between the agents of science and technology companies;
- To promote participation of SMEs in large industrial research projects.
The programme covers a range of topics, not only transport. Subject areas relating partly or wholly to transport research are:
- Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
- Design and Production Technologies
- Environment, Sustainable Development and Renewable Energy
- New materials and Nanotechnology
- Sustainable Mobility (for rail, automotive and aerospace industries)
- Security
Other non-transport subject areas include Biomedicine and Health Sciences, and Alimentary technologies (including Biotechnology).