UNIVERSIDAD DE LA LAGUNA

Their core work

Universidad de La Laguna is a public university in Tenerife, Canary Islands, with deep expertise in archaeology, palaeoecology, and neuroscience, alongside growing involvement in energy transition and climate resilience for island territories. Their research strength lies in understanding human-environment interactions across time — from Palaeolithic hunting strategies to modern urban food systems. As a university located in an EU outermost region, they bring unique perspectives on island-specific challenges including energy isolation, biodiversity, and sustainable development. They also contribute applied research in building energy efficiency (BIM/LiDAR), underwater noise mitigation, and natural antimicrobial compounds from grape extracts.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In 2015–2018, ULL focused heavily on fundamental research excellence — Neanderthal archaeology (PALEOCHAR), ion channel biophysics (NANOPDICS), palaeoecology (ISLANDPALECO), and outermost region research capacity building. From 2020 onward, the portfolio diversified significantly into applied societal challenges: urban food systems, green hydrogen deployment, climate resilience, underwater noise, and Latin American urban studies. The university is clearly transitioning from a primarily archaeology/neuroscience research institution to one that also addresses pressing environmental and energy challenges, particularly those relevant to island territories.

ULL is pivoting toward applied island sustainability — hydrogen, climate adaptation, and food systems — making them an increasingly relevant partner for projects targeting EU outermost regions and island energy transitions.

How they like to work

ULL coordinates 30% of its projects (6 of 20), mainly in their core archaeology and neuroscience strengths where they hold ERC-level grants. In applied domains (energy, climate, food), they join as participants in larger consortia. With 251 unique partners across 38 countries, they maintain a broad and non-repetitive network, suggesting they are open to new partnerships rather than locked into fixed clusters.

ULL has collaborated with 251 unique partners across 38 countries, an exceptionally wide network for a university of its size. Their geographic reach extends well beyond Europe into Latin America, reflecting both their Macaronesian location and their research interests in post-colonial and development studies.

What sets them apart

ULL's location in the Canary Islands — an EU outermost region — gives them first-hand expertise on island-specific challenges that mainland universities simply cannot replicate: energy isolation, volcanic hazards, limited resources, and unique biodiversity. They combine this with genuine research depth in archaeology and neuroscience (two ERC-level grants totalling EUR 4M). For any consortium needing an outermost region partner with real scientific capability rather than a token presence, ULL is one of the strongest choices in the EU.

Highlights from their portfolio

• NANOPDICS
  Largest single grant (EUR 2M ERC Consolidator) — demonstrates ULL's capacity to lead top-tier fundamental research in biophysics and ion channel dynamics.
• GREEN HYSLAND
  Part of a flagship hydrogen deployment project in Mallorca, positioning ULL within the EU's island energy transition strategy despite a small budget share.
• PALEOCHAR
  EUR 2M ERC grant on Neanderthal demise — showcases ULL's world-class standing in prehistoric archaeology and molecular analysis.