The LIGNOSILVA Centre of Excellence for Forest-based industry stands for a systematic and structural change in the research landscape of the forest-based sector (FBS). The EU has made a strategic turn towards a circular bioeconomy, striving for a low-carbon society based on renewable sources, including wood biomass. It requires to transfer of knowledge and brings new innovation into FBS practice. FBS research landscape in Slovakia - as well as in countries with similar political histories - is highly fragmented and loses much of its potential due to insufficiently organised structures and strategies. Moreover, it is not linked to collaboration with Western/Northern EU countries. In the long run, this affects the entire value chain. The overall objective of the CoE is to contribute to overcoming these shortcomings by upgrading the existing LignoSilva Center of Excellence (CoE). The essence of upgrade lies in institutional reform that introduces European science management standards, increases excellence, expands research capacities, digital transformation based on the implementation of Forestry 4.0 and Pulp & Paper 4.0 into CoE research-innovation activities, support for open science and more efficient knowledge transfer to FBS. The main goal is to bring excellent research and applicable innovation into FBS in three research areas: - Intelligent technologies and systems supporting wood production and industrial wood processing. - Pulp and paper technologies for biodegradable packaging and special papers development with multifunctional properties - Recycling technologies and use of cellulose sludge and wood ash CoE LignoSilva's objective will be reached by concentrating the research and infrastructure capacities of the National Forestry Centre and the Pulp and Paper Research Institute in Bratislava. They will build up and foster cooperation with the advanced partners Fraunhofer Wilhelm-Klauditz-Institute (Germany).