Atlantic Interactions proposes the creation of the AIR Center

(English version available soon)

On the 20th and 21st, Terceira Island hosted the Atlantic Interactions initiative, an international meeting with a view to establishing an International Atlantic Research Center in the Azores. Researchers, businesspeople, ministers and other government representatives and international institutions were involved in the dialogue, to discuss the establishment of a North-South/South-North network for research in the Atlantic.

The event was attended by multinational institutions such as the UN and ESA and national institutions such as the French National Center for Aerospace Studies – CNES, and the Luxembourg National Research Foundation – FNR, countries such as South Africa, India, China, Brazil, Cape Verde, Spain, Norway and the United Kingdom, universities such as UT Austin, Massachusetts Institute of Technology or Carnegie Mellon University, international companies such as Airbus Safran Launchers, OHB and DEIMOS, and national companies such as EDISOFT and GMV, among others. In the various meetings, topics such as space, ocean, data management, renewable energy sources, climate change and scientific culture were discussed, as well as the impact that research could have on promoting people's quality of life and the focus that should be given to combating gender inequality.

The conclusions of the meeting recommend that the Regional Government of the Azores and the FCT establish a working group for the creation in 2018 of the Atlantic International Research Center – AIR Center, an international research center whose main mission will be to connect research institutions around the Atlantic. The center will have Atlantic nations as members and will promote interdisciplinary research.

See the conclusions of the meeting.