On 19 February 2026, the Ionian University hosted the closing event of the project “Strategic Research Plan for the Strengthening and Development of Excellence and Innovation at the Ionian University”, implemented under the SUB.2 “Universities of Excellence” action of the Recovery and Resilience Fund “Greece 2.0.” The 18-month programme marked a significant investment in research capacity across the institution.

Within this framework, the Interactive Arts Laboratory (InArts Lab) of the Department of Audio & Visual Arts was among the research units equipped with new infrastructure. The programme enabled the acquisition of specialized equipment supporting hybrid arts, art–science research, digital production, and experimental practices, substantially enhancing the Lab’s ability to host advanced research, teaching activities, artistic experimentation, and international collaborations.

Representatives of innovation bodies visited research laboratories during the event, followed by presentations highlighting the project’s outcomes. The equipment of 22 established laboratories across eight departments and three islands was emphasized as a key achievement, alongside new networks of interdisciplinary cooperation and innovation initiatives.

InArts Lab was represented at the event by Professor Ioannis Deligiannis, a founding member of the Lab and coordinator of the Node Gaming Gamification.

For InArts Lab, the programme’s completion marks not an endpoint but a transition into a new phase: the activation of these resources in support of artistic research, postgraduate education, public engagement, and collaborative projects. The strengthened infrastructure contributes to the Lab’s long-term mission to operate as an open platform for hybrid arts, technological experimentation, and socially engaged creative practice.

The closing event underscored that “Excellence” functioned as a catalyst for a sustainable research and innovation ecosystem in the Ionian Islands—an ecosystem in which InArts Lab will continue to play an active role.

The event was livestreamed and remains available online via the Ionian University’s official channels here.