Under the title ‘Europe, Security and Defense: the role of territories and the university in the new European architecture’, the event, organized by the UAL, the Provincial Council of Almería, and the Subdelegation of Defense, solidifies the academic institution as a forum for debate on current geopolitical challenges.
The rector of the University of Almería, José J. Céspedes, highlighted the importance of strengthening strategic alliances and the need for a dynamic and connected ecosystem to achieve strategic autonomy. "There is no doubt that this is a strategic matter in which knowledge and innovation generators will undoubtedly play a decisive role in the coming times. A role that is destined to be developed in local environments, like our province, but whose action has effects on a global scale. And for which, moreover, institutional cooperation is absolutely necessary," he stated.
Céspedes also emphasized the value of the complete innovation cycle, noting the role of the University, technology centers like Tecnova, and industry in developing business projects focused on Defense's strategic autonomy, which are then applied by the Armed Forces.
The vice-president of the Provincial Council of Almería, Eugenio Gonzálvez, explained that the conference aims to be informative and academic, seeking for engineering and economics students to learn firsthand about the European Union's security and defense challenges and to debate them with institutional, business, and citizen representatives.
The chief of the Legion Brigade, Juan Carlos Moreno, expressed pride in collaborating with the University of Almería and the Provincial Council on these security conferences, noting the participation of Lieutenant Gómez Palomino to discuss the capabilities required by the new Experimental Brigade based on lessons learned from the Ukraine conflict.
The event included a keynote lecture by Colonel Pedro Sánchez Herráez from the Institute of Strategic Studies, titled ‘A Planet in Conflict and Disorder! Europe?’. Subsequently, a round table discussed opportunities for Almería within the European defense ecosystem, featuring military, academic, and technological experts including Francisco Manuel Palomino Benítez, José Antonio Piedra Fernández, José Miguel Escobar Castañeda, Diego Teruel Giménez, and Eugenio Marruecos Sola.
The conference concluded by demonstrating how the EU's policy to strengthen technological capacity is taking shape in the province, serving as an example of territorial integration and wealth generation, and reaffirming the University of Almería's commitment to socioeconomic development and national security.
