On Thursday, 18 September, the Deputy Minister of Development responsible for Research and Innovation, Mr. Stavros Kalafatis, paid an official visit to the facilities of FORTH in Heraklion, Crete.

Mr. Kalafatis had a meeting with the President, Professor Vassilis Charmandaris, and the members of the Board of Directors. He was informed of FORTH’s activities and recent achievements, while key issues requiring the support and assistance of the State were discussed. He also met with the Presidents and representatives of the Employees’ and Researchers’ Associations of FORTH, engaging in an open dialogue on matters concerning the research community.

The visit continued with a tour of the construction site of FORTH’s New Buildings, where the Innovation and Advanced Education Hub is currently under development. The project is funded by the Recovery and Resilience Fund and the European Investment Bank through the Public Investment Program and is part of a major €56 million initiative aimed at creating new facilities and upgrading existing infrastructure across all cities in which FORTH operates.

In his statement, Deputy Minister of Development Mr. Stavros Kalafatis emphasized:
“FORTH carries out multifaceted work and stands as a model of a modern research center. Strengthening the extroversion of research centers is crucial for the dissemination of research results to society, an area in which the European Union is also investing. We visited the construction site of FORTH’s New Buildings, which will host the Innovation and Advanced Education Hub—an investment that tangibly strengthens research and innovation and highlights FORTH as one of the country’s key development pillars in the field of new technologies.”

Professor Vassilis Charmandaris, President of FORTH, expressed his gratitude to the Deputy Minister for his visit and noted:
“Today’s visit by the Deputy Minister of Development, Mr. Stavros Kalafatis, was particularly constructive, as it enabled an in-depth discussion of critical issues concerning the Foundation and the broader research sector. We sincerely thank him for addressing long-standing pending matters, such as ERC and ERA Chair positions, as well as for his decisive intervention in ensuring the smooth continuation of funding for FORTH’s building projects, and for advancing the approval process of FORTH’s Official Organizational Structure. FORTH works in close cooperation with the Ministry of Development and effectively implements the State’s strategic priorities in research and innovation. Our Foundation has consistently served as a point of reference, linking science with the society and the economy, generating added value at both national and European levels, and establishing Crete as an attractive hub for young scientists.”

from left to right: Dr. Maria Klapa, Representative of FORTH Researchers, Member of the Board of Directors of FORTH, Dr. Emmanouel Stratakis, Deputy Director of the Institute of Electronic Structure and Laser, Prof. Panagiotis Tsakalides, Deputy Director of the Institute of Computer Science, Dr. Eleni Maraki, Representative of the General Secretariat for Research and Innovation (GSRI) on the FORTH Board of Directors, Regional Consultant in the field of Education and Lifelong Learning, Region of Crete, Mr. Stavros Kalafatis, Deputy Minister of Development, Prof. Vassilis Charmandaris, President of FORTH, Prof. Ioannis Yentekakis, Director of the Institute of Geoenergy, Dr. Theofilos Ioannides, Director of the Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences and Prof. Savvas Christoforidis, Director of the Biomedical Research Institute.