The visit provided an opportunity to exchange knowledge with Holcim’s research team, explore approaches to industrial innovation, and discuss opportunities for strengthening collaboration between industry and academia.
During the visit, the UNIZG-FCE delegation met with Christophe Levy, Scientific Director and Director of R&D Concrete & Aggregates at the Holcim Innovation Centre, and researchers Vincent Morin and Bruno Huet. Discussions focused on investment in research and innovation, industrial research priorities, and potential pathways for establishing long-term cooperation between Holcim and the University of Zagreb Faculty of Civil Engineering (UNIZG-FCE).
The visit resulted in concrete discussions on several opportunities for future collaboration, including contract research, industrial doctoral theses, research secondments, and short-term research missions. These activities could provide opportunities for researchers and doctoral candidates to work directly with industry, address practical engineering challenges, and accelerate the transfer of scientific knowledge into industrial applications.
The delegation also gained valuable insights into Holcim’s innovation practices, research infrastructure, and approaches to developing and implementing new technologies for construction materials. These insights will help inform the further development of UNIZG-FCE’s laboratory facilities, strengthen research capabilities, and support staff development and capacity building.
Another important topic was the role of financial and fiscal incentives in encouraging private-sector investment in research and development. The participants explored schemes such as France’s Crédit d’Impôt Recherche and Croatian state aid mechanisms for research and development (državne potpore), discussing their potential to encourage industry engagement and support collaborative research initiatives.
Overall, the visit marked an important step towards strengthening links between UNIZG-FCE and industry. By combining knowledge exchange, the exploration of research infrastructure and discussions on funding mechanisms, the meeting helped identify practical opportunities for future cooperation and laid the groundwork for partnerships that can advance innovation in construction materials and support a more sustainable construction sector.
The visit reflects the ASCCENT project’s commitment to strengthening research capacity, fostering industry–academia collaboration, and translating scientific expertise into practical solutions for the built environment.
