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UCY Summer School To Focus On Management And Economics Of Research

The University of Cyprus (UCY) is set to host its inaugural Twin4Merit summer school from September 2-10, 2024, in Nicosia. This event, part of the Horizon Europe-funded Twinning for Excellence in Management and Economics of Research and Innovation (Twin4Merit) project, aims to enhance knowledge in research management and economics through expert-led lectures and methodology training sessions.

The Twin4Merit project focuses on critical meta-research areas, including research assessment, open science, and gender equality. Collaborating with Maastricht University’s UNU-MERIT and the University of Carlos III of Madrid, with dissemination support from the European Office of Cyprus, the initiative seeks to elevate Cyprus’s research landscape.

The summer school will benefit not only UCY members but also the broader Cypriot scientific community, including researchers and Early Career Researchers (ECRs) from all Cypriot universities and relevant organisations. It also welcomes applications from other EU countries and the EMMENA region.

The programme begins with Transferable Skills Sessions on September 2-3, covering grant writing, project management, and research networking. A joint research conference on research assessment will follow on September 4-5, in collaboration with the SInnoPSis project. The final sessions on September 6, 9, and 10 will offer scientific skills training by advanced partners and local experts, focusing on ethics in research, open science principles, and gender in research assessment.

“The 1st Twin4Merit summer school aims to enhance the impact of UCY’s role as a major research and educational hub for the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East, and North Africa (EMMENA) region,” the statement explained. The agenda will be finalised and published in early July, with a preregistration form available for interested participants.

Toyota’s Global Production Declines For 10th Consecutive Month, Yet Sales Show Growth

Despite a consistent drop in global production, Toyota Motor reported an uptick in worldwide sales for the second month in a row, driven by strong demand in the United States and China.

In November 2024, Toyota’s global output fell to 869,230 vehicles, a 6.2% decrease compared to the same month the previous year. This decline was steeper than the 0.8% drop observed in October.

The company’s production in the U.S. dropped by 11.8%, showing slow recovery. However, the production of models like the Grand Highlander and Lexus TX SUV resumed after a four-month hiatus in late October.

In China, Toyota’s production decreased by 1.6%, a smaller drop compared to the previous month’s 9% decline. The company benefited from higher local sales of models such as the Granvia and Sienna minivans, as well as the electric sedan bZ3, developed jointly with BYD.

As Chinese automakers like BYD gain ground, Toyota has decided to establish an independent plant in Shanghai and plans to start manufacturing electric vehicles for its Lexus luxury brand by 2027, according to a report from Nikkei.

Production in Japan, which accounts for about a third of Toyota’s global output, was down 9.3% in November. This was partly due to a two-day production halt at the company’s Fujimatsu and Yoshiwara plants.

Despite the production challenges, Toyota saw a 1.7% increase in global sales, reaching 920,569 vehicles in November, setting a new record for the month. However, for the period from January to November 2024, global production fell by 5.2% year-over-year, totalling around 8.75 million vehicles. During the same period, global sales declined by 1.2%.

These figures include Toyota’s Lexus brand but exclude sales from its group companies, Hino and Daihatsu.

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