11 July 2025, Belgrade, Serbia - The SPARKUP Project officially started with a successful launch event held in Belgrade on 5-6 June, bringing together key partners and stakeholders from across Southern, Central, and Eastern Europe.

Amid evolving Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives (CBRNE) risks in Southern, Central, and Eastern Europe, SPARKUP aims to enhance regional preparedness and response capacities through strengthened collaboration and knowledge exchange. The project is designed to foster cross-sectoral career pathways and build lasting innovation capacity in Widening countries by equipping CBRNE professionals with advanced skills, strategic exposure, and access to an international, interdisciplinary network.

SPARKUP’s key objectives include enhancing career interoperability between academic and non-academic actors in the CBRNE domain; equipping research and innovation professionals with entrepreneurial, managerial, and soft skills to boost employability and leadership; strengthening cross-border collaboration among CBRNE and law enforcement institutions; facilitating secondments and exchanges to foster knowledge transfer and an innovation-driven culture; and mapping and connecting flagship organisations to create a sustainable regional CBRNE ecosystem.

Funded by the Horizon Europe programme, the project addresses existing gaps within the European Research Area (ERA) by promoting career mobility between academic and non-academic sectors. By fostering synergies among universities, research institutions, industry, and government actors, SPARKUP is helping to build a skilled, adaptable workforce and a more interconnected research and innovation ecosystem, capable of addressing complex CBRNE-related challenges.

UNITAR is proud to contribute to this forward-looking initiative. Through its global capacity-building and professional development expertise, UNITAR supports SPARKUP by benchmarking training in soft skills, critical thinking, and global awareness, complementing participants' technical competencies. These efforts contribute to ERA talents in deepening their understanding of the ethical and societal dimensions of their work.

With its engagement in SPARKUP, UNITAR reinforces its commitment to cultivating a well-rounded CBRNE talent pool ready to respond to lead with both competence and conscience in addressing today’s most pressing transnational risks.