The main goal of the project is the construction and launch of the CIU3A, an innovation centre involving the universities of Seville, Evora and the Algarve and specializing in the fields of Industry 4.0, Logistics, Materials and Sustainability.

• In Industry 4.0, in general, environmental sustainability is considered to be a key dimension of the industrial activity itself.
• In the field of Logistics, the use of intermodal transport and multimodal corridors will be facilitated, increasing the efficiency of goods transport. Furthermore, smart logistical systems will be developed that makes it possible to use information in the supply chain, optimizing its transport.
• In Materials, study will be carried out of improvements in steel structures by means of innovation in manufacturing processes, the use of new alloys, and the unions of different pieces, making it possible to build larger and more efficient structures (e.g. for renewable energy), and using fewer resources and raw materials. Similar studies will be applied to the aerospace industry.
• In Sustainability, special attention will be paid to industrial sustainability, as well as to maritime safety and navigation, with the aim of protecting the ecosystem and reducing the risks of catastrophes and spills. Furthermore, the description and sensoring of seas, estuaries and lakes will be studied, also boosting a sustainable use of water. A special case for study will be renewable energies, focussing on wind and solar energy.

In general, this initiative falls within the framework of the university’s knowledge transfer function. The university educates professionals, carries out research and stores knowledge, and transfers knowledge towards its application. Knowledge transfer is one of the three functions of the university and it can make the university a driver of development in the setting in which it is located.

The CIU3A will be a node in which R&D organizations and companies from the whole of the CCA collaborate, facilitating the intensification of cooperative relationships between the business community and Spanish and Portuguese universities.