With more than 18,000 plants worldwide, seawater desalination is the most reliable and sustainable way to produce drinking water in Mediterranean countries under water stress. EXTRASEA’s challenge is to innovate in membrane desalination, to recover more water by consuming less fossil energy, reduce the ecological and toxicological impacts of rejected brines while enhancing the nutrients and energy of brines and finally promote access to water in remote areas, using solar energy. EXTRASEA specific objectives are: 1) enhance thermal efficiency of Membrane Distillation/Crystallization (MDCr) via next-generation thermoplasmonic membranes operated under solar radiation, and applying MDCr at > 90% water recovery to extract salts from hypersaline desalination brine; 2) develop next generation of silicon solar cells based on ultra-thin transparent conductive oxide (TCO) films with less solar cell base/low cost materials; 3) integrate Reverse Electrodialysis (RED), an innovative membrane technology able to extract electrochemical energy from Salinity Gradient Power, with MDCr unit to harvest salinity gradient power energy from desalination brine; 4) transfer innovation into a mobile solar-powered prototype for use in remote locations. The implementation of the revolutionary technological concept of EXTRASEA will significantly contribute to the transition towards a Circular Economy, where raw materials and resources are cyclically generated and wastes minimized and valorized, in the logic of Process Intensification and Zero-Liquid Discharge (ZLD). The contribution of INSA Toulouse in the project is mainly relative to objectives 1 and 4 and to dissemination. A transnational team of leading institutions (University of Calabria, Italy; INSA Toulouse, France; University Center Belhadj Bouchaib, Algeria; Tubitak MRC, Turkey; University Hassan II Casablanca, Morocco; University of Carthage,Tunisia) and SMEs (Nanometer SrL, Italy; PC Cell GmbH, Germany) based on 7 European-Mediterranean countries has been assembled synergistically and complementarily. Methodologies include : manufacturing of mixed membranes including thermoplamonic nanoparticles (NP), characterization of their properties,stability under operation and performances for MDCr, modelling of the effects of NPs on the membrane properties and the process, development and testing on site of new PV panels, implementation and testing of RED when coupled with MDCr, collective design of the solar –powered demo pilot plant, by assembling MDCr, RED and the new solar panels, thermo-economic analysis and Life cycle analysis of the integrated desalination system. The expected results are : - New knowledge and publications on membrane processes and their coupling when operated on saline and hypersaline waters (highly concentrated brines) for water, salt or energy recovery - Advanced membranes for Membrane Distillation/Crystallization functionalized with nanoparticles to activate local heating via plasmon resonance, allowing both a good productivity and drinking water quality in compliance with WHO standards - Adaptation of the Reverse Electrodialysis technology to energy production by using salinity Gradients, and its integration with MDCr. - A mobile, solar-powered integrated desalination prototype, powered by TCO thin-film PV technology and with a water recovery factor > 90% - This prototype will be installed in Algeria. - Proof of the interest of an integrated and intensified treatment route, based on the valorization of desalination brines, considered as a source of sea salts.

The extension of the responsibilities of universities recommended by the university reforms and the strategy ’Maroc Innovation’ in Morocco require the definition of a overarching tool combining the teaching of transversal competencies, research and innovation. The 3-year project INSITES coordinated by UH1 et having support from both the MESRSFC and MCINET will associate 17 partners from Morocco and EU member states. It aims at enhancing the university governance by institutionalizing the structures for innovation, knowledge transfer and valorisation of research. This should be approved by the CPU and the university councils. The results attended:- Assessment of the current situation of training methods for transversal competencies in Moroccan universities;- Summary of national strategies on innovation, valorisation and entrepreneurship;-Benchmarking of European experiences;- Competency references and guidelines for good management of the SITES;- Decisions of the Councils of Moroccan Universities on the approval of the setting up of the SITES and determining the chosen profiles based on the formerly approved references;- Training manual for specific transversal competencies in the Moroccan context in line with the European referencies;- Training sessions for training the trainers;- The SITES functions operationally at the Moroccan Universities;- Data base of trainers as resource persons for the generalization of experiences for all Moroccan universities;- National platform of the SITES serving as interface between institutional and economic actors;- Evaluation of the SITES;- A Communication and a Project QA Plan will be set up to ensure the quality, the dissemination and the sustainability of the project beyond its implementation period. A Charter of Good Conduct will be defined to ensure the involvement of all stakeholders and that the realization of activities of the project complies with the general rules and good project management principles.

TARGET will initiate institutional change in seven gender equality innovating institutions (GEIIs) in the Mediterranean basin – including research performing organisations (RPOs), research funding organisations (RFOs) and a network of universities. TARGET takes a reflexive approach which goes beyond the formal adoption of a gender equality plan by emphasising an iterative reflection of progress made as well as establishing a community of practice to effect institutional transformation. Actual change is the result of increased institutional willingness and capacity to identify, reflect on and address gender bias in a sustained way. Starting point and anchor of the process is a tailored Gender Equality Plan or Strategy (GEP/GES) in each GEII. TARGET will build the institutional capacity for a reflexive gender equality policy by: developing effective tools for each stage of the GEP/GES (audit, planning, implementation, monitoring, self-assessment) to be customised to the specific institution; supporting the development of competences to conduct a gender audit, to design, implement, monitor and self-assess a tailored GEP/GES; establishing a community of practice of relevant stakeholders within each GEII; initiating an organisational learning process within each GEII which combines self-assessment with GEP/GES evaluation. The TARGET countries have been characterised as relatively inactive in developing gender equality policies in R&I. To ensure that action taken has a multiplier effect, each GEII will undertake targeted dissemination activities to initiate a national/regional discourse on gender equality in R&I. Furthermore TARGET will develop new knowledge for institutions, practitioners and policymakers based on a comparative analysis of GEP implementation and sustainability to provide a basis for effective sharing of practice in both proactive and relatively inactive countries - taking into account differences in cultural, socio-economic and political settings.