The Director of International Cooperation of the European Commission Directorate General for Research and Innovation has met with the European Office. At the meeting, Cristina Russo explained the European Commission’s understanding of international cooperation and presented its strategy and its interest in both Horizon 2020.

The Society of Spanish Researchers in Ireland (SRSI) started to walk last June 8th 2016 at the University College Dublin.The association, which began with preparations in 2015, formalized its launch with the words of its president, Ignacio Martin-Loeches.

Last May 12th the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT) attended in Brussels the presentation of a new European project convened by seven European countries and coordinated by the Institute for European Studies (IES) in Brussels: The European Leadership in Cultural, Scientific and Innovation Diplomacy (EL-CSID).

Last 6th June, Prof Paloma García-Bellido, Professor in Spanish Linguistics of the University of Oxford, visited students from the Instituto Español Vicente Cañada Blanch in London in the seventh and last session of the programme “Science in the Classroom” for this academic year.

Last 4th June, around 30 people gathered in the Instituto Cervantes in Manchester for a double session about the scientific career, given by the Scientific Coordinator of FECYT in the Spanish Embassy in London, Lorenzo Melchor.

Last 12th May, the State Secretariat for Research, Development and Innovation Carmen Vela participated as keynote speaker in an international symposium about science diplomacy and international policy in London.

The programme “Ambassadors for Science” aims to bring closer distant fields such as science and diplomacy by a shared experience of scientists and diplomats. The first session opened a debate focused on the necessity of more science outreach and the development of scientific advice for better policy-making process.

The ALBA synchrotron, one of the most important scientific infrastructures in the Mediterranean, celebrated last March its birthday. This complex with 270 meters perimeter and located near to Barcelona, ​​allows since 2011 to study the atomic structure and properties of matter thanks to its special ability to accelerate electrons almost up to the speed of light.

How much has the development of new materials influenced the history of humankind? What is the process of materials manufacturing? What advantages and disadvantages have the use of nuclear energy? The Industrial Engineer Miguel García López-Astilleros from Nuclear AMRC of the University of Sheffield visited students from the Spanish School Vicente Cañada Blanch in London in the sixth edition of “Science in the Classroom” to solve these and other questions.

Does the sea hide the future of “green fuel”? Why are microalgae so important to counteract the climatic change? These and other questions were addressed during the fifth session of “Science in the Classroom” on 14th April 2016.