RACE: ERA Chair Initiative for Establishing a Research and Innovation Program of Excellence on Ageing and Longevity at UoC

The University of Crete (UoC), starting from humble beginnings, has evolved into a globally recognized institution.

However, in competitive fields such as ageing research, UoC faces substantial challenges, including disparities between regional and European approaches, limited training programs, insufficient access to skilled personnel, and budgetary constraints that impede sustainable research and innovation excellence on-site.

To address these pressing needs, UoC aims to recruit and fully integrate a distinguished ERA Chair with world-renowned expertise in science and management related to ageing research.

The ERA Chair holder will establish the interdisciplinary research program, ""RACE,"" as a unit of excellence dedicated to maximizing UoC's competencies, capacities, and expertise in ageing research.

The RACE team will leverage UoC's state-of-the-art infrastructure, human capital, and expertise to address a major research topic with significant health-related and socioeconomic impact, building upon a well-structured, multi-disciplinary research program.

The proposed ERA Chair initiative seeks to recruit and fully integrate the ERA Chair holder and the RACE team, enhance UoC's research capacity in ageing research, strengthen human capital through training in both research and soft skills competencies, increase competitive funding, and counteract brain drain for sustained development.

Additionally, the initiative aims to foster innovation at UoC, enhance the management and administrative skills of the institution, leverage existing EU-funded infrastructures, and elevate the reputation of UoC through a comprehensive range of dissemination and outreach activities targeting the academic, private, and public sectors.

Overall, RACE presents a credible path to fundamental structural changes, high-quality research, and impactful innovation that will transform UoC into an operational environment characterized by dedication, perseverance, and a commitment to excellence.