The global agri-food system has transformed significantly in recent decades. Supply chains (SCs) have evolved from linear structures into complex networks with dynamic roles and behaviors. These changes have consolidated power among major food processors and retailers, leaving farmers with a smaller share of the added value of their produce [1]. This economic landscape discourages newcomers who see limited growth opportunities. Factors like climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and geopolitical events have exposed the vulnerability of Mediterranean food systems, impacting consumers' purchasing power and prompting discussions about policies for more resilient supply chains. This has reinvigorated national dialogues concerning how to best frame our policies and regulatory environment to create more diversified and resilient food SCs [2]. In this context, many rural agri-food economies, especially in MENA countries, struggle due to low incomes, unfavourable environmental conditions, ageing farmers, inefficient agricultural practices, low interest of the younger generation in agriculture, lack of manpower, and limited digital education. These issues affect their livelihoods and lead to land abandonment and degradation. Furthermore, operators located in MENA countries often work under extremely challenging conditions, with inadequate infrastructure, complicated access to credit, limited business growth opportunities, and underdeveloped policy conditions. As the frequency and magnitude of disruptions increase, food organizations of any size and individuals, particularly farmers and smallholders, need to consider a novel range of options and adopt a comprehensive strategy to build resilience and ensure the viability of their businesses and cereal SCs.

INITIATE is a project that aims to empower higher education institutions to develop R&I through institution transformation. INITIATE, in its widening dimension, seeks to raise excellence in science and knowledge valorisation of Europe's universities through cooperation and knowledge circulation. Through stakeholder inclusion and co-design approach, INITIATE will design an approach for institution transformation that will reflect on the current needs and resources of the institution, external elements such as policy barriers, good practices from other initiatives and identification of possible collaboration areas with other institutions including local ecosystems. Through iterative process and R&I Labs supported by online tools such as Knowledge Hub, INITIATE will generate policy recommendations for helping stimulate R&I development and scientific excellence in Widening countries, in addition to research outputs and creation of joint applications for other funding sources (e.g. Horizon Europe). The approach will be demonstrated in Croatia, Portugal and north Macedonia. This will finally result in a roadmap for long term uptake of R&I in widening countries with identified replication cases and forming of the Alliance for green energy transition that will assure the long-term sustainability of INITIATE results. The action focuses on universities in Widening countries, in which the cases for the implementation of INITIATE approach will be conducted. Additionally, the project aims to achieve several outcomes, including the successful institutional reform and upgrade of higher education institutions in the R&I dimension, empowerment to be actors of change, and the mainstreaming of a culture of excellence in science and value creation amongst higher education institutions, particularly in less research-intensive institutions and countries. To achieve these outcomes, the project will engage universities as well as local ecosystems.

O projeto CATALYST “European VET Excellence Center for Leading Sustainable Systems and Business Transformation” foi concebido com forte visão e motivação para contribuir para a realização do Pacto Ecológico Europeu e das novas Estratégias Industriais e PME. (mais informação disponível no website do projeto.

O Projeto Athena visa o desenvolvimento de competências digitais dos docentes universitários, reforçando a sua resposta aos desafios que as universidades enfrentam atualmente e no futuro. O projeto procura fomentar ambientes de aprendizagem cooperativa, tornando-os transformadores e inclusivos através da adoção de novas tecnologias, como e-learning, plataformas de jogos, realidade virtual e aumentada, modelados sistematicamente para ativar competências-chave na aprendizagem digital. O projeto irá criar modelos que os docentes podem adotar e adaptar às suas aulas, utilizando diferentes abordagens pedagógicas.

In the current business environment, increasingly dynamic, with numerous technological innovations, human resources and the know-how generated are volatile. Knowledge and the way it is shared and retained in organizations has become a source of competitive advantage. It is, therefore, necessary to develop tools to help companies manage their knowledge and use it to leverage value creation.  As a result of Additive Manufacturing (AM) being an emergent disruptive technology, studies on the impacts of this technology on business models are still scarce or even non-existent. Hence, it is necessary to develop research about this technology in order to identify and characterize knowledge management strategies that should be adopted to increase competitiveness and sustainability in new business models. The project also aims the development of a roadmap for the analysis of the impacts of the various alternatives that can improve decision-making processes.