SMART4ENV is an international capacity-building and research collaboration project implemented under the Horizon Europe WIDERA Twinning Programme (Grant Agreement No: 101079251), coordinated by TÜBİTAK MAM in partnership with Università Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM), Universitat de Vic-Universitat Central de Catalunya (UVIC-UCC)-BETA Technological Center, Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), and Sustainable Innovation Technology Services (SITES). The project aims to strengthen the scientific excellence, research and innovation capacity, and European Research Area integration of TÜBİTAK MAM in the field of Smart Environmental Solutions (SES). Within SMART4ENV, multidisciplinary activities have been carried out across four main research avenues: water and wastewater management, agricultural water management, coastal systems, and air quality. The project has promoted interdisciplinary approaches related to environmental monitoring, data-driven decision-support systems, digitalization, climate resilience, and sustainable resource management.
As part of its coastal and marine environmental activities, SMART4ENV focused on Gemlik Bay in the Marmara Sea, conducting studies on seawater circulation, renewal processes, and the potential impacts of climate change on coastal systems. Monitoring and modelling approaches developed within the project contributed to supporting data-driven coastal management strategies aimed at enhancing climate resilience.
Throughout the project, summer schools, workshops, science cafes, online training programmes (MOOCs), international researcher mobilities, and expert training activities were organized, bringing together students, early-stage researchers, experienced researchers, engineers, policy-makers, and representatives from different sectors. SMART4ENV also established strong collaborations with European research and innovation initiatives, contributing to the development of sustainable networking structures, joint project development activities, and international knowledge exchange. In addition, a sustainable SES technology platform was developed to support information exchange, matchmaking activities, and future collaborations among stakeholders, research organizations, and solution providers.
The SMART4ENV Final Conference was successfully held online on 17 April 2026, bringing together 106 participants from 10 countries. The conference showcased project outcomes, applied case studies, capacity building activities, and future collaboration opportunities, while providing an important platform for knowledge exchange and the development of new international collaborations among research, policy, public, and private sector stakeholders.
More information about the SMART4ENV project is available through the project website and social media accounts:
Website: SMART4ENV Website
LinkedIn: SMART4ENV LinkedIn Account
Picture credit: SMART4ENV Horizon Europe Project