Did you catch the buzz around UNIGHT – European Researchers Night in Turin on September 30th, 2023? If you missed it, we’ve got you covered. Held at the Royal Gardens in Turin, this event was nothing short of a science carnival, replete with engaging discussions, breakthrough research, and even musical acts. Here’s 5 things in case you missed it.

The Significance of UNIGHT

Hosted by the UNITA Alliance—a consortium of six leading European universities—UNIGHT was more than just a standard academic event. This intellectual playground aimed to connect the general public with the forefront of scientific thought and activism. At its core, it was about initiating dialogue, sparking engagement, and inspiring collaborative action on issues that matter to all of us—be it climate change or public health.

A Buffet of Intellectual Engagement

Imagine a night filled with thought-provoking cafes, enlightening talks, captivating exhibitions, and yes—concerts! These activities aimed at fostering meaningful conversations among researchers, policymakers, and the community, demonstrating the tangible impact of research on everyday life.

Research Areas that Broke New Ground

• Adaptation to Climate Change: Research here focused on pragmatic solutions like enhanced infrastructure, effective land use, and strategic water management.
• Research for Human Health: Addressing the relentless spread of diseases like cancer through multi-national efforts aimed at prevention, early diagnosis, and improving patients’ quality of life.
• Healthy Oceans and Waters: The objective is to reclaim 30% of the EU’s sea areas and reduce maritime emissions to sustain life in our oceans.
• Soil Health and Food: Exploring how restoring soil health can safeguard our food supply.
• Cultural Heritage: Going beyond monuments to preserve our society’s rich history and traditions.
• Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities: Aiming at 100 climate-neutral cities by 2030 to set an example for all of Europe by 2050.

Navigating a Future of Sustainable Cities: Unlocking the Power of Public Procurement

When we talk about achieving climate neutrality by 2050, public procurement is not just an administrative process; it’s a powerful tool. This sentiment was echoed in the SAPIENS network presentation within the Climate-neutral and Smart Cities cluster. This network operates under the EU’s directives aimed at redefining public spending. The objectives? Increasing efficiency and aligning procurement with societal goals like environmental protection, innovation, and social inclusion. In simple terms, it’s all about smart, sustainable, and inclusive growth. This approach is a cornerstone of the Green Deal strategy, emphasizing that environmental and social factors must be integral in public procurement procedures.

Setting the Stage: The SAPIENS Network and MSCA Actions

Four Early Stage Researchers (ESRs)—Nadia Sava, Alexandru Buftic, Ezgi Uysal, and Natalia Spataru—took to the stage to introduce the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA). This EU program focuses on fostering excellence in research and supporting the mobility of researchers between countries, sectors, and disciplines. It’s the real deal for doctoral education and postdoctoral training.

Natalia delved into the concept of Doctoral Networks, which are designed to enhance innovation capacities and boost employability through multi-sector partnerships. And guess what? Funding for these networks covers not just a living allowance but also research, training, and networking activities. Looking to apply? EURAXESS is your go-to portal for everything from PhD vacancies to visa advice.

So, What’s Cooking in our SAPIENS Network?

Nadia explained that the network aims to create a unique European and international Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP) knowledge base. The network combines the expertise of 10 universities and 18 partner organizations, hosting 15 early-stage researchers focusing on six different disciplines.

Zooming in: Research Perspectives

Nadia took us through the first set of projects. Some explore SPP in the context of free trade agreements and supply chains, while others examine how sustainable procurement can be fueled by innovative economic frameworks like the circular economy and Industry 4.0.

Alexandru highlighted that other research ventures into specific instruments, like Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and Life Cycle Costing (LCC). The focus extends to particular issues of sustainability, such as climate change, gender equality, and human rights, with special attention on high-impact sectors like food, textiles, and construction.

Defining the Terms

• What is Public Procurement (PP)? Ezgi made it simple: it’s the public sector buying goods, services and works.
• What is Sustainability? Ezgi says it’s about meeting our needs today without jeopardizing future generations.
• What are Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)? The UN’s blueprint for people, planet, and prosperity.
• What is Sustainable Public Procurement (SPP)? When you integrate people, planet, and prosperity into public buying, you get SPP. It’s that simple, and yes, you’re welcome!
• An example of SPP? According to Alexandru, an example SPP in the construction industry would involve selecting materials and construction methods that are not only cost-effective in the long term but also environmentally friendly, pushing for innovation and having a broader societal impact, thereby aligning the project’s goals with the well-being of the community and future generations.

Public procurement can, and should, be a catalyst for societal transformation. As these researchers are showing, the path to a sustainable future may well be paved with well-planned procurement strategies. So, next time you hear about public spending, think bigger—think about the planet, the people, and the prosperity that can come from making smarter choices.

Unveiling Innovations: How ESRs are Redefining the Future of SPP

The second part of the event ESRs presented the individual research and how their ideas could reshape our approach to SPP. While each research project is a standalone endeavor, they collectively form a cohesive landscape of innovative solutions, each fitting into a unique niche of this complex puzzle.

First off, Ezgi Uysal dives deep into the nitty-gritty aspects of contract performance with a focus on sustainability obligations. With sustainability clauses now increasingly becoming a standard part of contracts, Ezgi’s research aims to map these requirements and legal problems faced when ensuring compliance with these clauses. She focuses on different types of contractual tools to monitor the performance of a public contract and incentivizing compliance throughout the procedure in order to ensure that the most economically advantageous tender maintains its status in the contract execution.

Next up, Nadia Sava presents her research on the potential use of artificial intelligence in the process of public procurement. She highlights the potential and current challenges of using this technology. Taking into consideration this difficult balance, her research focuses on sustainable public procurement data collection and monitoring, using data analysis.

Switching gears to global trade, Natalia Spataru explores the potential of Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) as instruments for promoting sustainability. FTAs are treaties between two or more countries designed to reduce or eliminate certain barriers to trade and investment, and to facilitate stronger trade and commercial ties between participating countries. The increased importance sustainability has been gaining in the global political context has also been reflected in the second generation of FTAs, which are becoming new instruments to foster sustainability internationally. Natalia’s research explores the possibilities of accommodating sustainability aspects into the PP chapters of FTAs, while advancing their main objective of removing barriers to trade and opening PP markets.

Last but not least, Alexandru Buftic highlights the construction sector’s pivotal role in the economy and environmental impact, emphasizing Europe’s goal of climate neutrality by 2050. His research focuses on identifying best practices for energy-efficient public buildings locally, aiming to offer adaptable strategies for widespread sustainable adoption among Public Authorities. Additionally, he studies how Public Authorities can use PP and GPP to encourage energy efficiency and drive long-term sustainable innovation in the construction market.

What do you think should be the next focus area for research in Sustainable Public Procurement? Let us know in the comments!