CERES

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CERES project launches with Kick-off Meeting hosted by CERTH in Ptolemaida, Greece

 

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    Ptolemaida, Greece – November 12, 2025

    The Centers of Excellence for Resilient Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Solutions (CERES) project, co-funded by the European Union under the Interreg NEXT MED Programme, was officially launched during its Kick-off Meeting held on November 11–12, 2025, at the Centre for Research and Technology Hellas (CERTH) facilities in Ptolemaida, Greece.

    The two-day event gathered representatives from all six project partners across four countries — Greece, Spain, Lebanon, and Palestine — to coordinate the first steps of implementation, review the work plan, and align on the project’s strategic objectives and pilot activities. Sessions included plenary discussions, thematic workshops, and study visits to PPC Renewables projects and CERTH’s Hydrogen Hub under construction in AEVAL.

    Empowering MSMEs through sustainable innovation

    With a total budget of €2,497,800, of which €2,223,042 (89%) is co-funded by the European Union, CERES will run for 36 months and aims to enhance sustainable growth, competitiveness, and job creation among Mediterranean micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs).

    To achieve this, the project will establish Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in Greece, Palestine, and Lebanon, acting as innovation and training hubs that foster entrepreneurship, deliver advanced technical training, and promote collaboration between research institutions, MSMEs, and local communities.

    Through interdisciplinary training, mentoring, and the creation of Living Labs, the CoEs will promote green and digital transition technologies, enabling participants to co-develop affordable, resilient, and replicable solar-based solutions for energy access, water management, and productive uses.

    Pilot projects across the Mediterranean

    The project will implement 10 pilot projects demonstrating innovative solar-driven applications that improve energy resilience and sustainability:

    Greece (3 pilots): solar shadow stations for e-mobility charging, lighting, and equipment powering.

    Lebanon (5 pilots): solar stations for potable water supply, ice storage, aesthetic kiosks, and public lighting.

    Palestine (2 pilots): solar PV systems for EV charging and wastewater treatment supporting agriculture and SMEs.

    All pilots will integrate open-source digital supervision and control systems, enabling real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and scalability across Mediterranean contexts.

    A transnational partnership for resilient entrepreneurship

    CERES brings together a balanced consortium of research, academic, industrial, and non-profit organisations:

    By connecting these organisations through a shared collaborative platform, CERES will strengthen cross-border cooperation, innovation capacity, and sustainability-oriented entrepreneurship across the Mediterranean.

    About CERES

    CERES directly contributes to the Interreg NEXT MED Programme’s specific objective RSO1.3 – Enhancing sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs and job creation in SMEs, by promoting new business models, training programmes, and technology transfer mechanisms that accelerate the green and digital transition of Mediterranean economies.

    For more information:

    Project webpage: https://www.interregnextmed.eu/project-page/ceres/about/

    Project coordination: Nikolaos Margaritis – n.margaritis@certh.gr

    This publication has been produced with the financial assistance of the European Union under the Interreg NEXT MED Programme. The contents of this publication are the sole responsibility of the CERES consortium and can under no circumstances be regarded as reflecting the position of the European Union or the Programme management structures.

    Dr. Imad Ibrik Represents An-Najah at the CERES Project Kick-off Meeting in Greece

    Dr. Imad Ibrik, Director of the Technology Transfer Office at An-Najah National University, participated in the official kick-off meeting of the Centers of Excellence for Resilient Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Solutions (CERES) project, held in Greece on 11–12 November, under the Interreg NEXT MED cooperation program. The project aims to enhance the Mediterranean region’s capacity in sustainable energy, digital transformation, and energy resilience.

    The meeting brought together representatives from academic, research, industrial, and administrative institutions across the Mediterranean. Discussions focused on the project’s organizational structure, first-year work plan, mechanisms of collaboration among partners, task distribution, funding opportunities, and knowledge-exchange pathways in green energy innovation and digital transformation within the energy sector.

    An-Najah National University’s participation in CERES marks a significant step toward expanding its regional and international presence in Mediterranean research partnerships. The project offers valuable opportunities for researchers and students to benefit from an international platform for learning and innovation in sustainable energy—aligned with the university’s vision of advancing research excellence and global cooperation.

    Throughout its implementation, CERES will support capacity-building through training workshops, applied research initiatives, and dissemination of project outcomes locally and regionally, reinforcing An-Najah University’s role in driving green transformation efforts in Palestine.

     

    The contents of this website are the sole responsibility of ANNU and can under no circumstances be considered as reflecting the views of the European Union or the Programme management structures.