ETHNIKO KAI KAPODISTRIAKO PANEPISTIMIO ATHINON

Their core work

The National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (UOA) is Greece's largest and oldest university, with strong research groups spanning computational neuroscience, artificial intelligence, health informatics, and open science infrastructure. Their H2020 portfolio shows deep capabilities in building data platforms and e-infrastructures (OpenAIRE, BigDataEurope, RAWFIE), applying machine learning to biomedical and health challenges, and running large-scale brain simulation and neuroinformatics projects. They also contribute significantly to energy efficiency research for buildings and settlements, and to security and crisis preparedness systems. In practice, they serve as both a technology developer — creating AI models, data integration tools, and IoT platforms — and as a research infrastructure operator connecting European scientific communities.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the early H2020 period (2014–2018), UOA focused heavily on computational neuroscience (brain simulation, neuroinformatics, neuromorphic computing) and building open science infrastructure (OpenAIRE, e-infrastructures, research information systems). From 2019 onward, their portfolio shifted decisively toward applied artificial intelligence and machine learning, with deep learning and big data becoming dominant themes, alongside new interests in connected health, gut microbiota research, IoT, and blockchain. This reflects a broader university-wide pivot from foundational computational science toward data-driven applications in health and security domains.

UOA is rapidly consolidating around AI/ML applications in health informatics and security preparedness — expect them to seek consortia combining clinical data, machine learning, and decision-support systems.

How they like to work

UOA operates primarily as an active partner (121 of 156 projects) but has meaningful coordination experience with 28 projects led, including some of their largest grants like RAWFIE (€4.15M) and OpenAIRE2020 (€574K). With 1,888 unique consortium partners across 60 countries, they are a genuine network hub — one of the most connected Greek institutions in H2020. Their participation across 14 different H2020 pillars and heavy use of MSCA (28 projects) and RIA (76 projects) schemes shows they are comfortable in both training networks and large research consortia, making them a flexible and experienced partner.

With 1,888 unique consortium partners spanning 60 countries, UOA has one of the broadest collaboration networks among Greek universities. Their reach is thoroughly pan-European with significant global connections, particularly through MSCA mobility programs and large-scale infrastructure projects.

What sets them apart

UOA combines three capabilities rarely found together: deep computational neuroscience expertise, mature open science infrastructure operations (they helped build OpenAIRE, a backbone of European research data), and rapidly growing applied AI capacity. For consortium builders, this means a single partner that can handle both the data infrastructure layer and the AI analytics layer, with strong domain knowledge in health and brain science. Their sheer scale of partnerships (1,888 unique collaborators) also means they can broker introductions and connect disparate research communities effectively.

Highlights from their portfolio

• RAWFIE
  Largest single grant (€4.15M) as coordinator — built a cross-domain IoT experimentation platform for road, air, and water-based systems.
• OpenAIRE2020
  Coordinated the flagship European open access infrastructure that became a cornerstone of EOSC and EU open science policy.
• PULVAD
  Coordinated a medical device project (explantable heart assist device) — shows UOA's reach into translational biomedical engineering beyond pure computational work.