Research and Projects realized in 2020 by the Research Department of Link Campus University
- Research in collaboration with the Circolo di Studi Diplomatici on priority issues for the Italian Foreign Policy
- Diversity + - Governance, Benchmarking and Training tools for Diversity positive ECEC provision
- ECOLHE - Empower Competences for Onlife Learning in HE
- FACTIVE - Flipped classroom training Approach for Clothing and Textile Innovative VET Education
- RE-EDUCO - REthinkin EDUcation COmpetencies. Expertise, best practices and teaching in Digital Era
- Abu Dhabi Stage 2 - Physical Security and Cyber Consultant’s Services (industrial contract)
- LINKS - Strengthening links between technologies and society for european disaster resilience
- OPENFACTORY - Supporting innovation platforms and generating socioeconomic and open access opportunities for enterprise, research and innovators’ ecosystem in Egypt
- NEZAPOB - NEARLY ZERO AIR POLLUTION BUILDING (Contratto di ricerca)
- Foggia 4 Bike
Title: Research with the Circolo di Studi Diplomatici on priority issues for the Italian Foreign Policy
Duration: 12 months
Start date: 01/04/2020
Finish date: 30/04/2021
Partnership:
- Link Campus University
- Circolo di Studi Diplomatici
Project abstract:
The aim of the project is to contribute to the in-depth study of a number of priority themes for the formulation and conduct of Italian foreign policy, making use of the scientific contribution and knowledge of the Circolo di Studi Diplomatici. The research is organised in seven Diplomatic Dialogues, which constitute one of the traditional forms of expression of the Circle's research activities.
The following are the titles of the Diplomatic Dialogue, with the related date:
- “La sfida dei cambiamenti climatici e dei mutamenti nella biodiversità: loro implicazioni geopolitiche” (april 2020);
- “Diritto e Multilateralismo nei nuovi equilibri mondiali” (may - june 2020);
- “Il Corno d’Africa tra conflitti, crescita interrotta, crisi ambientali e sanitarie, migrazioni e interferenze esterne “ (july 2020);
- “Sicurezza e gestione delle crisi. La dimensione marittima” (september 2020);
- “La crisi libica: interessi e ruoli dell’Italia, dell’Europa e delle potenze regionali e globali” (october 2020);
- “Rapporti economici e di sicurezza tra Unione Europea e Stati Uniti con la nuova Amministrazione americana” (february 2021).
Specific activities:
Scientific, technical and administrative support through transcription and proof-reading of the proceedings of Dialogues and Conferences.
Activities of maintainance and update of the digital archive containing the Dialogues and Diplomatic Letters published since 1968, open for public consultation at the following link: circolostudidiplomatici.unilink.it
Funds: Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation - project contributions - ex art. 23 – bis of DPR 18/1967
Title: Diversity + - Governance, Benchmarking and Training tools for Diversity positive ECEC provision
Duration: 36 months
Start date:01/09/2020
Finish date:31/08/2023
Partnership:
- CIAPE - ITALIAN PERMANENT LEARNING CENTRE – Italy (Coordinator)
- INTERNATIONAL STEP BY STEP ASSOCIATION - Netherlands
- SKOLA DOKORAN - WIDE OPEN SCHOOL NO - Slovakia
- ASPIRE-IGEN GROUP LIMITED - United Kingdom
- FONDATSIYA NA BIZNESA ZA OBRAZOVANI - Bulgaria
- LINK CAMPUS UNIVERSITY - Italy
- SCHOLA EMPIRICA ZS – Czech Republic
Description:
The aim of the Diversity+ project is to develop skills related to governance, comparative analysis, recognition and professionalisation for operators of the Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) for the purpose of understanding and improving their approach to diversity inclusion.
Early childhood education and care can pave the way for future success in terms of education, well-being, career prospects and integration, especially for children from disadvantaged backgrounds. Therefore, they represent an effective and efficient investment in education and training.
The ECEC - Early childhood education and care - is recognized as fundamental for the provision of basic educational services throughout the life span. “The European Pillar of Social Rights”, an initiative launched by the European Commission in 2017, confirms that "All children in the early childhood period have the right to good quality and affordable education and care".
The participation to high quality ECEC has proven to be particularly beneficial for children from disadvantaged and/or marginalised groups.
However, the structure, the approaches and services provided by ECEC have not always been designed to meet the pluralistic needs of all children, and this can be explained by the fact that disadvantaged minorities remain underrepresented. Furthermore, although there are examples of training in Europe to help ECEC organisations address these issues, a 'bottom-up' approach focusing on one marginalised group is usually required. The problem with this approach is that it leaves ECEC practitioners uncertain on how to develop inclusive services for the full range of marginalisation: migrant or minority groups (e.g. Roma) and refugee children, children with special needs including disabilities, children in alternative care and street children, children of imprisoned parents, as well as children within families particularly at risk of poverty and social exclusion, such as single parents or large families.
As a consequence, Diversity + develops a complementary "top-down" approach, enabling the ECEC organizations to understand the fullest how to adapt their services to different identities and develop inclusive approaches. This can be achieved by calibrating the EU quality framework for ECEC in the light of the inclusiveness of the offer.p>
Diversity + resources will create a structured approach supported by the design of quality inclusive services. The partners will first develop a Diversity+ Charter that will set out the minimum requirements to which the ECEC organisation must conform in order to consider its diversity provisions positive. This will be achieved through desk and field research on best practices and emerging trends across Europe. The Charter will then be used as an interactive digital assessment tool that ECEC professionals can use to evaluate their current services and thus monitor their improvement.
The project will seek to engage with ECEC leaders, educators and assistants, human resource managers, and equality and diversity officers from across Europe. Therefore, it will produce highly transferable resources that can be used in a variety of contexts. This will help Diversity+ achieve a broad impact on the governance structures in ECEC institutions, helping these organisations to become more welcoming and inclusive of various identities and diversities, helping to address the current under-representation of minority groups. As a result, more people within these groups will develop key social skills, empathy, compassion, mutual respect and awareness in relation to equality and rights, something that will ultimately improve long-term social inclusion in the countries involved.
LCU Activities:
LCU will design and develop a recreational activity aimed at ECEC professionals for the purpose of helping the children to recognize and address prejudice rather than internalizing them, for the puprose of giving a positive value to said differences and treating all people with respect.p>
Funds:
European Union – Erasmus +
Title: ECOLHE - Empower Competences for Onlife Learning in HE
Duration: 36 months
Start date: 01.09.2020
Finish date: 31.08.2023
Partnership:
- Foundation Link Campus University (coordinator)
- Università degli Studi Roma 3– Italy
- FUNDACIO PER A LA UNIVERSITAT OBERTA DE CATALUNYA- Spain
- UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK – NATIONALUNIVERSITY OF IRELAND – Ireland
- PANEPISTIMIO PATRON– Greece
- European Association of Erasmus Coordinators -Cyprus
- LAUREA-AMMATTIKORKEAKOULU OY– Finland
Project abstract:
The aim of the ECOLHE project is to examine how the idea of a European Higher Education (HE) Space for e-learning (within the broader framework of the Bologna Process) has been translated into practice in the national context by academic bodies. Our aim is to identify how digital challenges to promote lifelong learning (LLL) through Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in HE are shaped in specific contexts. ECOLHE is an action-research project that aims to create the best conditions for the exchange of best practices in:
- teaching digital skills in HE;
- training course for teachers and tutors for the improvement of online teaching in HE in the logic of LLL, inclusion and innovation called for by the High Level Group on HE Modernisation;
- recognition and verification of teaching competences in HE for teachers' professional development;
- recommendation for academic bodies.
The aim of ECOLHE is to understand the way in which national policies have translated European policies, and how universities have translated regulatory constraints into practice with the intention of intercepting useful suggestions for policy makers and academic bodies in order to build a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) based on the professionalisation of the teacher.
Funds: European Union – Erasmus +
Title: FACTIVE - Flipped classroom training Approach for Clothing and Textile Innovative VET Education
Duration: 24 months
Start date: 01.09.2020
Finish date: 31.08.2022
Partenership:
- Centro Tecnologico das industrias textil e do vestuario de Portugal – Portugal (coordinator)
- Centro de Formacao Profissional da Industria Textil Vestuario Confeccao e Lanificios (MODATEX) – Portugal
- STEP Institut, zavod za psihologijo dela in podjetnistvo - Slovenia
- Link Campus University– Italy
- CIAPE - Italian Permanent Learning Centre – Italy
- Institut Guillem Catà – Spain
- Instituut Voor Vorming en Onderzoek in de Confectie - Institut pour la Recherche et l'enseignement dans la confection – Belgium
- Creative Thinking Development – Greece
- Associacio Agrupacio d'Empreses Innovadores Textils - Spain
Project abstract:
The FACTIVE project aims to take a further step along the path traced by the TECLO project, reusing and implementing its good results, as well as completing the ongoing work implemented under the Skills4Smart TCLF Industries 2030 project.
The main purposes of the project are the following:
- improve the quality and relevance of the educational offer related to the textile and clothing sector, developing an innovative learning approach based on flipped classroom methodology and scenario-based learning;
- improving the level and the evaluation of competence of the learners, including entrepreneurship, non-technologic innovation and internationalization;
- promoting the adoption of innovative practices, using open and flexible learning tools.
LCU Activities:
Design of the gamification component to be included in the teaching model to maximise the effectiveness of the flipped classroom approach.
Development of multimedia and interactive training modules.
Funds: European Union – Erasmus +
Title: RE-EDUCO - REthinkin EDUcation COmpetencies. Expertise, best practices and teaching in Digital Era
Duration: 34 months
Start date: 01.09.2020
Finish date: 31.06.2023
Partnership:
- Link Campus University (coordinator)
- Italian Digital Revolution – Italy
- HELLENIC OPEN UNIVERSITY - Greece
- INSOMNIA CONSULTING SOCIEDAD LIMITADA– Spain
- CYPRUS COMPUTER SOCIETY – Cyprus
- ESPOON SEUDUN KOULUTUSKUNTAYHTYMA OMNIA - Finland
Project abstract:
REthinkin EDUcation COmpetencies. Expertise, best practices and teaching in Digital Era is a research project that actively aims to create ideal conditions for the exchange of best practices to produce innovation and cooperation in education at all levels within the partner countries (Italy, Spain, Finland, Greece, Cyprus).
The main objective of RE-EDUCO is to improve the socio-economic environment through:
- the creation of a bridge between different systems (such as education-training-work, research-innovation-development) necessary to form a complete educational community;
- innovation in organisational and educational processes to reduce the mismatch between labour supply and demand in the digital age;
- promotion of excellence in teaching and skills development;
- the dissemination of best practices at European level;
- the dissemination of a broader digital culture useful for managing new technologies responsibly.
RE-EDUCO has established a partnership amon universities, research centres, training istitutes, schools, associations, business accelerators and incubators, including experiences, approaches and different perspectives.
Funds: European Union – Erasmus +
Title: Abu Dhabi Stage 2 - Physical Security and Cyber Consultant’s Services (industrial contract)
Duration: 3 years
Clients:
- HITACHI RAIL STS (ex ANSALDO STS)
Description of the context:
The Etihad Rail industrial project consists in developing, with the contribution of HITACHI RAIL STS, a railway network in the United Arab Emirates, connecting freight facilities and passenger stations and becoming part of the wider Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) network.
Said network will extend from the borders of Saudi Arabia (city of Ghweifat) westward, through or near Gulf coast cities to the Northern Emirates (east coast). A line from Abu Dhabi to Al Ain is also planned, which could be projected into the Sultanate of Oman, as well as a branch line to the Shah and Habshan gas plants.
As anticipated, the network will be interoperable with the GCC regional railway and will be developed in several stages.
Stage 1 has already been completed, while the next phase (Stage 2) - in which LCU's contribution is included - extends the rail network as far as the port of Jebel Ali.
Stage 3 provides for a further extension northwards via Dubai, ending at the port of Fujairah.
Services provided:
LCU, along with its research centre CYRCE, is a consultant specialising in physical and IT security for the protection of critical infrastructures. The purpose is to define the requirements for the design, delivery, support, testing and commissioning of the service.
Funds:
Private financing of the client
Title: Strengthening links between technologies and society for european disaster resilience
Duration: 42 months
Start date: 01.06.2020
Finish date: 30.11.2023
Partnership:
- STICHTING VU – Holland (coordinator)
- KOBENHAVNS UNIVERSITET – Denmark
- UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI FIRENZE - Italy
- SAFETY INNOVATION CENTER E.V. – Germany
- KOBENHAVNS PROFESSIONSHOJSKOLE – Denmark
- Frederiksberg Kommune - Denmark
- Hovedstadens beredskab – Denmark
- SAVE THE CHILDREN ITALIA ONLUS ASSOCIAZIONE – Italy
- Disaster Preparedness and Prevention Initiative for South Eastern Europe – Bosnia Herzegovina
- FEDERATION OF EUROPEAN UNION FIRE OFFICER ASSOCIATIONS – Luxembourg
- DEUTSCHE HOCHSCHULE DER POLIZEI-Germany
- Sitech Services B.V. – Holland
- EUROPEAN ORGANISATION FOR SECURITY SCRL – Belgium
- PROVINCIA DI TERNI – Italy
- Veiligheidsregio Zuid-Limburg – Holland
Description:In recent years, social media and crowdsourcing (SMCS) have been used to address different types of crises in order to improve information gathering and collaboration. However, the effectiveness of the application of crowdsourcing in this context remains uncertain, due to differences in the perception of disaster risk and vulnerability. The LINKS project aims to understand and evaluate the effects of social media and crowdsourcing on European disaster resilience. Said project will develop a framework which can be used to understand, measure and direct crowdsourcing in disaster situations, taking into account the diversity between disaster risk perception and vulnerability (DRPV), disaster management processes (DMP) and community-applied technologies in disaster situations (DCT), within the European Union. For this purpose, the LINKS project will employ scientific methods, practical tools and guidelines targeting researchers, practitioners and policy makers. The framework will be developed and evaluated through five European case studies, representing different disaster scenarios (earthquake, flood, industrial disaster, terrorism, drought), spanning all phases of disaster management and different socio-economic and cultural configurations in four countries (Italy, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands). In addition, the LINKS project aims to create a Europe-wide community, the LINKS Community, bringing together relief workers, public authorities, civil society, business communities, citizens and researchers, committed to improving European disaster resilience through the use of crowdsourcing. The execution and success of the project depends on the different levels of investor involvement and knowledge exchange within the LINKS Community, accessible online through the LINKS Community Centre and in person through the LINKS Community Workshops. Overall, the LINKS project will provide sustainable and advanced knowledge on crowdsourcing in disaster situations, thus strengthening the links between technologies and society to improve European disaster resilience.
LCU Activities:
- Coordination and management of the dissemination strategy and communication of the project
- Execution of the sustainability strategy of the LINKS framework
- Support to the development and evalution of the LINKS framework
Funds:
European Union – Horizon2020
Title: OPENFACTORY - Supporting innovation platforms and generating socioeconomic and open access opportunities for enterprise, research and innovators’ ecosystem in Egypt
Duration: 3 years
Partnership:
- Cairo University (Faculty of Computers & Information)
- Chamber of Leather Industries
- Chamber of Textile Industries
- National Research Center (EGY)
- Progetto Sud (ITA)
- Industrial Modernization Centre IMC (EGY)
- Sercam Advisory Srl (ITA)
- Diesis Coop (BE)
- EGY Ministry of Trade and Industry (EGY)
Description:
The project provides for the development of an innovative and collaborative entrepreneurial ecosystem in Egypt, characterised by a coherent and comprehensive approach for the Egyptian manufacturing sector (especially SMEs). Said project will enable entrepreneurs to initiate new partnerships, create eco-friendly and digital business models, test new products and production processes, and avoid duplicating existing business and industrial realities.
The project promotes an intelligent ECO-ICT business strategy for the growth of the country, to be applied initially in pilot projects in the textile, clothing and leather sector, to be then extended to other industrial sectors (food, agriculture, metallurgy, machine tools, etc.).
In a nutshell, the project will develop a business ecosystem through the integration of technological solutions and virtuous processes, enabling companies to evolve, protect the environment, improve competitiveness, and offer more job opportunities.
LCU activities:
- Creation of an e-learning platform
- field training
Funds: EuropeAid
Link to the website
Title: NEZAPOB - NEARLY ZERO AIR POLLUTION BUILDING (Research contract)
Duration: 36 months
Clients:
- EVOLVEA S.R.L.
- IS CLEAN AIR ITALIA S.R.L.
Description:
The NEZAPOB R&D project is financed under ASSE 1, action 1.1.3 of the NOP 'Enterprise and Competitiveness' ERDF2014-2020, as part of the 'Intelligent Factory' call for proposals launched by the Ministry of Economic Development.
The aim of the project is to develop specific air and environment purification solutions called APA – Air Pollution Abatement (from TRL 7 to 9 for industrial sites) integrating them with multi-level applications, according to a multidisciplinary model of using technologies predominantly in 'indoor' environments (meaning productive work and office spaces), but also considering their use in appropriate 'outdoor' spaces.
Said spaces present strong pollutant characterisations, poor air quality, objective impacts and various risk situations for people's health. The application is oriented on a defined industrial complex (understood in a broad sense), as an end user, aiming to apply the complementary solutions of design, plant optimisation, energy efficiency and artificial intelligence - AI.
LCU Activity:
- Environmental data collection;
- analysis and study of a platform for monitoring environmental and energy parameters;
- functional design verification.
Funding:
Funds from the commissioning bodies.
Title: Foggia 4 Bike
Duration: 24 months
Start date: January 2020
Finish date: January 2022
Partnership:
- Municipality of Foggia
- Cras – Centre for Applied Research for Sustainable Development
- Movesion
- Link Campus University (LCU)
- Prometeo
- Emisfera sistemi Srl
- Sistemi energetici SPA
- Sicme Energy Gas
- Associazione FIAB Cicloamici Foggia
Description:
"Foggia4Bike" is a project project proposal developed by a strong public-private partnership, consisting of the Municipality of Foggia and a group of local and non-local private individuals, willing to implement a programme of integrated actions to promote sustainable mobility for home-school and home-work trips.
The objective is to attain an effective reduction of polluting emissions and the gradual abandonment of excessive car use, as required by the EU directive and set out in the 'National Experimental Programme for Sustainable Mobility'.
The activities of Foggia4Bike can be broken down as follows:
- Bike sharing;
- Bicycle and pedestrian paths;
- Redevelopment and securing of green areas;
- Mobility Management activities (MobilityCity App);
- Specific activities for students and workers;
- Communication, awareness-raising and gamification.
LCU Activities:
- Implementation of gamification systems for schools;
- Organisation and coordination of communication campaign;
- Realisation of online (website, social etc.) and offline information materials.
Funds:
Ministero dell'Ambiente e della Tutela del Territorio e del Mare - Programma Sperimentale Nazionale Di Mobilità Sostenibile Casa-Scuola E Casa-Lavoro (Law 28 December 2015, no. 221 "Disposizioni in materia ambientale per promuovere misure di green economy e per il contenimento dell'uso eccessivo di risorse naturali" art. 5, comma 1 - Implemented by Ministerial Decree no. 208 of 20 July 2016).
