UNIVERSIDAD DEL VALLE

Their core work

Universidad del Valle is a major Colombian public university based in Cali, contributing to European research through specialized knowledge in electrical engineering and tropical infectious diseases. In H2020, they brought Latin American expertise to international consortia — working on Zika virus preparedness and epidemiology, as well as power transformer technology using biodegradable oils. Their role has been as a knowledge partner providing regional context and scientific capacity that European-only teams would lack.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

With only three projects spanning 2016–2023, the evolution is limited but visible. Their earliest funded work (ZikaPLAN, 2016) was a direct response to the Zika public health emergency, placing them in global health networks. By 2019, BIOTRAFO shifted their H2020 footprint toward electrical engineering and sustainable materials — a markedly different domain that likely reflects a separate research group within the university engaging with EU frameworks.

Their trajectory suggests growing engagement in green electrical engineering, though with only three projects it is too early to call this a firm trend.

How they like to work

Universidad del Valle has never coordinated an H2020 project — they join as a partner or third party, contributing specialized regional or technical knowledge. With 46 unique partners across 21 countries from just 3 projects, they operate in large, geographically diverse consortia typical of MSCA-RISE and RIA schemes. This suggests they are approachable collaborators comfortable working within big international teams rather than leading them.

Despite only 3 projects, they have connected with 46 partners across 21 countries — a remarkably wide network driven by the large MSCA-RISE and RIA consortia they joined. Their geographic links span Europe and Latin America, making them a bridge between the two regions.

What sets them apart

As a Colombian university in H2020, they offer something most European partners cannot: direct access to Latin American research infrastructure, clinical data, and regional networks. For Zika-related or tropical health research, their location in Cali is a genuine strategic asset. For power engineering, they bring expertise in biodegradable transformer fluids suited to tropical climates — a niche that European labs cannot easily replicate.

Highlights from their portfolio

• ZikaPLAN
  Their only directly funded H2020 project, addressing the Zika public health emergency through a Latin American preparedness network — a time-critical, high-impact response.
• BIOTRAFO
  Unusual combination of power transformer engineering with biodegradable oils, representing a sustainability angle in heavy electrical equipment design.