Project title || SPARKUP – Strengthening CBRNE Talent Development and Cross-Sector Innovation for a Safer Future

 Funding Programme  || Horizon Europe ­– WIDERA TALENTS

 Referene || 101217399 
 Start Date || 1 June 2025 

 Period || 36 months
 Coordinator  || Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences (VINS), Serbia
 ROHEALTH role  || Work Package 2 Lead – Upskilling & Talent Circulation

SPARKUP is a Horizon Europe project designed to strengthen Europe's resilience against CBRNE (Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosive) threats by investing in talent development and cross-sector innovation.

With a focus on Southern, Central, and Eastern Europe — regions particularly exposed to emerging risks — the project supports 48 research and innovation professionals from Widening countries to develop skills that bridge academia, industry, and the public sector.

SPARKUP’s main objectives include:

• Implementing a structured secondment programme, enhancing employability and real-world experience in CBRNE-related fields.
• Establishing a Centre of Excellence dedicated to research, training, and knowledge-sharing on CBRNE threats.
• Creating personalised Career Development Plans for each participant to foster professional growth.
• Promoting long-term talent retention and transnational collaboration across sectors.

ROHEALTH leads the design and implementation of Work Package 2, coordinating talent circulation, training catalogues, and collaboration between academic and non-academic stakeholders.

The project officially started on 5–6 June 2025 with a two‑day Kick‑off Meeting in Belgrade. The event was hosted by the VINČA Institute of Nuclear Sciences, the project coordinator, and brought together all project partners for a comprehensive overview of objectives, responsibilities, and upcoming milestones.
ROHEALTH was prowdly represented by Mădălina Argăseală (Project Coordinator) and Nicolae Mărunțelu (Scientific Coordinator). 

We invite you to stay updated on SPARKUP’s progress by visiting the official Website and following the social media channels: LinkedIn or Instagram .

Consortium:

• VINS – Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Serbia – www.vin.bg.ac.rs
• University of Public Service (NKE), Hungary – www.uni-nke.hu
• University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies (UCIPS), Serbia – www.kpu.edu.rs
• University of Rome "Tor Vergata" (UNITOV), Italy – web.uniroma2.it
• Core CBRN International BV, Netherlands – corecbrn.com
• Privanova SAS, France – www.privanova.com
• EX-ON Mérnökiroda Kft., Hungary – ex-on.hu
• ISEMI – Institute for International Security and Crisis Management, Slovakia – isemi.sk
• UNITAR – United Nations Institute for Training and Research, Switzerland – unitar.org
• ROHEALTH – The Health and Bioeconomy Cluster, Romania – rohealth.ro