UP FAMNIT and UP IAM entering Autumn 2026 with New Projects

☰ Meni

The transition to the new academic year in September was also marked, in the field of research, by new projects that were approved under both international and national calls for proposals.

INTERNAL CALL FOR PROPOSALS – UP INTERNAL RESEARCH PROGRAMMES

UP offers its employed researchers the opportunity to join new internal research programmes and secure funding with the aim of improving material conditions to enhance high-quality and relevant scientific, research and development output, with a view to earning research excellence points. Two programmes were approved in this call for proposals:

• BiGOS – Biotska globalizacija in okoljske spremembe: odzivi biodiverzitete ter posledice za ekosisteme in družbo / Biotic globalization and environmental change: biodiversity responses and consequences for ecosystems and society (lead: dr. Živa Fišer, UP FAMNIT)

Biotic globalization and environmental change are rapidly reshaping biodiversity – they simultaneously promote the spread of alien and invasive species, alter the ranges of native organisms, and contribute to declines in sensitive, threatened and functionally important groups. These changes affect biotic interactions, ecosystem functioning and services, and health of populations, with consequences for human health and the economy. Programme will integrate the existing research expertise of the researchers within a common interdisciplinary framework. Terrestrial, subterranean, freshwater and marine systems will serve as complementary models for addressing shared questions: how biodiversity responds to environmental change, which factors determine the vulnerability or resilience of populations and communities, how these changes translate into effects on ecosystem functions and society, and how insights into one of these systems can inform the scientific research and conservation of others. Particular attention will be given to biological invasions, species range shifts, declines in pollinators, changes in abundance, distribution and habitat use of sensitive and threatened groups, and emerging vectors and pathogens.

• WELLSPAN – Psihologija blagostanja in duševnega zdravja skozi življenjska obdobja / Lifespan wellbeing and mental health (lead: dr. Daša Grajfoner, UP FAMNIT)

The programme is grounded in the understanding that psychological well-being cannot be explained by a single psychological process or a single stage of life. The programme therefore brings together developmental, cognitive, organisational, biopsychological and intervention psychology in an integrated research framework aimed at understanding the factors that shape mental health and well-being across the lifespan. Its content is organised into four interconnected strands: well-being across developmental stages; well-being in educational and workplace settings and coaching psychology; innovative interventions (animal-assisted interventions and digital environments); and cognitive, neuropsychological and biopsychological mechanisms as a cross-cutting strand. The group is united by a core research question: how cognitive, emotional, behavioural and biological processes interact across the lifespan, and how they can be supported through evidence-based psychological interventions to strengthen well-being, quality of life and mental health. The programme systematically links fundamental research with applied and translational work, following the principles of open science and responsible research assessment (CoARA).

INTERNATIONAL CALLS FOR PROPOSALS – ERASMUS

Erasmus Mundus Design Measures

• Co-MICBD Co-designing the Masters in Material Innovation and Circular Building Design (partner, UP lead: dr. Andreja Kutnar, UP IAM)

Co-designing a Master of Science in Material Innovation and Circular Building Design (Co-MICBD) requires a strategic framework that bridges academic theory, practical engineering, and industry implementation. To turn this specialized vision into a structured, innovative curriculum, the program must be built around multi-disciplinary alignment, active building labs, and life-cycle thinking. The project aims to creation of the Co-MICBD master’s program. Lead organization is Technical University Dublin, project partners include: UP IAM, ETH Zurich Switzerland, Norwegian University of Life Sciences and associated partner UP FAMNIT.

NATIONAL CALLS FOR PROPOSAL

ARIS – (Co-)funding of Marie Skłodowska-Curie research projects – Seal of Excellence 2026

• Bio-navdihnjeni micelijski kompoziti z vgrajenim shranjevanjem toplotne energije / Bio-inspired micellar composites with integrated thermal energy storage, N2-0522 (lead partner, UP lead: Jakub Sylwester Grzybek, UP IAM; mentor: dr. Anna Malgorzata Sandak, UP IAM)

The EU building sector accounts for around 40% of energy use and 36% of CO₂ emissions, with heating and cooling responsible for about 85% of this demand. To meet European Green Deal targets, new sustainable building materials are urgently needed. The MycoTherm project tackles these challenges by developing mycelium-bonded wood panels with integrated PCM for non-loadbearing applications. It will apply biofabrication and engineered living materials (ELMs) to optimise wood substrates, PCM integration, fungal strains, processing, and encapsulation for efficient thermal storage. Panel prototypes (600–1000 kg/m³) will be produced and tested for physical, chemical, mechanical, and thermal performance. The fellowship will strengthen the researcher’s expertise in biofabrication, advanced materials, and leadership, supporting professional independence, creative thinking, and career development.

Ministry of Culture

• Geographies of Care: Exploring the concept of “care” in relation to spaces, materials and heritage, as well as to the people who inhabit, use and shape neighbourhoods and shared environments (partner, UP lead: dr. Michael David Burnard, UP IAM)

This important cultural initiative is dedicated to architecture, urban regeneration, heritage preservation and the development of new European perspectives on the relationship between territories, communities and care. It brings the opportunity to explore the concept of “care” in relation to spaces, materials and heritage, as well as to the people who inhabit, use and shape neighbourhoods and shared environments. In particular, the UP will collaborate in the organisation of two public meetings, each dedicated to an architect or collective distinguished for its work in the field of urban regeneration in Italy and will also support the organisation of an international residency programme connected to the themes of the project, fostering exchange among researchers, architects, cultural operators and students engaged in the fields of heritage, sustainability and social innovation. The activities developed within the framework of the project may also contribute to broader reflections and educational practices connected to the New European Bauhaus Academy initiative, particularly in relation to regeneration, restorativeness and sustainable transformation of the built environment.