The Polytechnic University of Marche (UNIVPM), established in 1971 in Ancona (Adriatic coast), has a clear scientific and technological focus and is very active and performant in the European R&D&I. UNIVPM is currently coordinating 3 and managing further more than 40 Horizon2020 projects, mainly in the area of engineering, agriculture and life science, here focusing on marine biology/ecology. Three Doctoral Schools (Engineering, Agriculture and Economics) support doctoral students during their research training at UNIVPM. UNIVPM fosters internationalization as one of the top priorities of the university strategic development plan and has several international partners. Within the Mediterranean basin, UNIVPM has key coordinating roles being the seat of the UniAdrion Secretariat (www.uniadrion.net), which is a "Network of Universities" established with the purpose to create a permanent connection among Universities and Research centers from the Adriatic-Ionian Region.

The interdepartmental UNIVPM cluster for water science and engineering includes R&D&I experts about advanced wastewater treatment, valorization and reuse, circular economy in the water cycle, water-energy-carbon-food nexus. As coordinator of the Horizon2020 SMART-Plant innovation action (www.smart-plant.eu), UNIVPM is a member of the steering committee of the first signed Innovation Deal concerning water reuse for fertigation and of the European Sustainable Phosphorus Platform to support the sustainable management of phosphorus and other nutrients for agriculture, food, industry, water and the environment.

The Group of Water and Waste Environmental Engineering at SIMAU Dept. (www.simau.univpm.it) can count on a 200 m²-large pilot/demo hall located in the municipal wastewater treatment plant of Falconara Marittima (Ancona), where advanced treatment and reuse/valorization technologies for wastewater, wastes and sludge are validated in real environment (www.simau.univpm.it/node/185). The Pilot and Demo hall is associated with the Research Laboratory of Water and Waste Environmental Engineering, located in UNIVPM. Currently, the group is involved in projects such as Horizon2020 Innovation Actions "SMART-Plant" (Coordinator), “DWC” (WP leader), “HYDROUSA” (WP leader), “ULTIMATE” (WP leader); H2020 PRIMA Project “FIT4REUSE” (WP leader); EU LIFE Project “BLUELAKES” (WP leader); ENI CBC Med Project “DECOST” (WP leader), WATER JPI Project “BLOOWATER” (WP leader).

The main activities of the Laboratory of Ecotoxicology and Environmental Chemistry at the Department of Life and Environmental Sciences (DISVA) include the use of aquatic organisms as bioindicators of environmental quality with particular attention on the effects of emerging contaminants including drugs, bioactive molecules of natural origin (biotoxins and algal metabolites) and microplastics, development and use of application software for environmental risk analysis (www.disva.univpm.it). The group is involved in projects such as EU LIFE Project “BLUELAKES”; WATER JPI Project “BLOOWATER”; RF Ministry of Health Project “EMMEBIO” (WP leader); MIUR-PRIN 2018 Project “EMME” (Coordinator), JPI OCEANS Project “RESPONSE” (Coordinator).