On February 25, InnoRenew CoE hosted an event organized by the University of Primorska at their facilities in Izola. The event, titled "FRISSBE: Better Together – Advancing Research in Slovenia and Beyond through Institutional Collaboration", was arranged within the framework of the KRPAN project, which aims to enhance research support and improve the quality of project applications to Horizon Europe and other European programs.

The event gathered 28 participants, including researchers, administrators, and experts. The opening remarks were delivered by Dr Tomaž Boh, followed by presentations from Prof Klavdija Kutnar, Prof Andreja Kutnar, Assist Prof Aleš Žnidarič, Assist Dr Andrea Lucherini, Prof Grunde Jomaas, and Assoc Prof Andraž Legat. The afternoon session featured a panel discussion moderated by Assoc Prof Mike Burnard, with the participation of Tanja Vertelj.

Throughout the discussions, key topics included:

• Research collaborations across institutions
• Accessibility to outstanding facilities and state-of-the-art equipment
• Support from world-leading experts
• Multidisciplinary research initiatives
• Education, training, and talent development
• Outreach, visibility, and public engagement

This event served as a valuable platform to assess and strengthen the ongoing collaboration between ZAG, InnoRenew CoE, and UP FAMNIT, reinforcing their shared commitment to advancing research excellence in fire-safe sustainable built environments.

The KRPAN project, which facilitated this event, is co-funded by the Republic of Slovenia, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, and the European Union – NextGenerationEU. Its primary goal is to enhance professional research support within partner institutions, ultimately increasing the success rate of project proposals in major European funding programs.

This meeting highlighted the importance of strong institutional partnerships in addressing research challenges and fostering innovation. The FRISSBE ecosystem will continue working towards expanding collaborations, sharing knowledge, and supporting a new generation of researchers dedicated to fire safety and sustainable construction.