Cleantech for Wallonia and Vaasa : a cleantech bridge for companies

Objective

Cleantech4Wallonia/VAASA (C4W) is an MSCA COFUND programme jointly led by the University of Mons (UMONS) in Belgium and the University of Vaasa (UVAASA) in Finland. It will support 25 postdoctoral fellowships, each lasting 30 months, with a strong thematic focus on cleantech. The programme builds on the successful experience of the Come2Wallonia (C2W) COFUND, aiming to further reinforce research excellence and innovation capacity in both regions. UMONS and UVAASA bring together complementary strengths as mid-sized institutions: UMONS hosts 10 research institutes, over 1,100 senior researchers and 650 PhD candidates, with recognised expertise in industrial decarbonisation and entrepreneurship training; UVAASA contributes 4 schools and 4 research platforms, with 400 senior researchers and 300 PhD candidates, embedded in a dynamic, business-oriented energy ecosystem. Both universities are full members of the EUNICE European University Alliance, which spans 10 institutions, ensuring strong European integration and dissemination of results. They also co-lead the Erasmus Mundus SMACCs master programme on Smart Cities. C4W is designed to equip experienced researchers with interdisciplinary and applied cleantech skills through an ambitious mobility scheme, including a mandatory secondment of at least three months in a cleantech-related organisation. In addition to scientific training, the programme offers a dedicated entrepreneurship track, based on the jointly developed “Entrepreneurial Pathway”, composed of 26 specialised training modules. By fostering long-term research careers and innovation-oriented mindsets, C4W will strengthen the institutional visibility of its partners, promote scientific excellence, and facilitate impactful cleantech solutions. Fully aligned with the MSCA COFUND objectives, the programme offers a dual European springboard for high-impact careers, intersectoral mobility, and sustainable regional development.