Projects

According with the objectives of the European Green Deal, our society needs to boost the efficient use of resources by moving to a clean, circular economy. The aim is to stop climate change, reverse biodiversity loss and reduce pollution.

New strategies for economic growth imply an active role by Higher Education Institution - HEIs: from promoters of talent and collaborations and developers of research-driven solutions addressed to industries (industrially relevant research, technology commercialisation, high-tech spin-offs…), HEIs should become also more consistent with the principles of the regenerative economy. However, only the 24% of HEIs works to include the valorisation of ecological knowledge in university policies.

The REGENU project addresses this need through innovative and entrepreneurial learning approaches, tackling the necessity for a systemic implementation of the European Green Deal through the development of business models that move from an extractive towards a regenerative economic model.

Ca' Foscari University of Venice is the project coordinator and the Ca' Foscari research group will:

• increase understanding of regenerative green economies & tools as well as the potential role of the university to support the transition from extractive to a regenerative green economy;
• design a training programme and toolkits to advance skills, knowledge and attitudes of researchers, teachers, and business professionals towards entrepreneurial activities in the regenerative greening economy field;
• develop an innovative challenge programme that develops solutions and entrepreneurial projects for regenerative economies;
• implement and validate training and mentoring programme and develop & accelerate regenerative solutions;
• create local and international impact, to disseminate project outcomes and sustain the programme beyond the life of the project.

The Time4UNIchange project tackles the need for cultural change within universities towards external engagement and entrepreneurial activities, raising awareness about the benefits of becoming innovative, entrepreneurial and engaged higher education institutions (HEIs) closely connected to their regions.

To do so, it will develop for HEIs, and particularly for HEI leadership and professional staff, the necessary tools and guidelines for promoting and implementing an open culture and a more positive attitude amongst academics (awareness, communication, motivation), so as to support them in undertaking more activities outside their institutions but directly connected to the traditional academic domain, including innovation, entrepreneurship and valorisation activities.

The Ca' Foscari research group will:

• conduct research on cultural change towards engagement and entrepreneurial activities, including analysis of the scientific literature, identifying the academics’ needs and perceptions, reviewing the change management concepts and tools, and selecting of good practice examples of awareness raising and cultural change within HEIs.
• Develop and validate the toolkit for cultural, identifying what can be effectively nurtured and development of the strategy guides for raising awareness, enhancing communication, incentivisation and navigating support environment.
• Lead the showcase and sustain action plan, including the coordination of the communication, dissemination and exploitation strategy, developing the sustainability plan, managing the website, social media channels and communication material, as well as coordinating the organisation of 3 showcase events.

How can we support the regeneration of the European cultural heritage (CH) sector, in a highly-digitized and post-COVID19 era? Can digital transition and new entrepreneurial capabilities help to rapidly transform the rigid traditional business models, even of smaller players? The CH 2.0 project thinks so, and will accompany the six project partners in developing a new model for HEIs (Higher Education Institutions) to engage with CH organizations. The collaboration shall, on one hand, equip the academic staff with on-topic knowledge, skills and resources, on the other hand provide new business models, knowledge transfer, innovative tools and digital skills, while implementing new approaches and synergies.

The Ca' Foscari research group will: 

• analyse the post-COVID needs of the CH sector and develop forward-looking scenarios of potential for the digital transformation of the sector, with a special focus on the redefinition of business models;
• collaborate to develop the "Future of Cultural Heritage Sector Scenarios" book;
• deliver educational activities focused on digital consultancy to professors and academic staff, to facilitate the student consultancy and problem-based learning interventions, including real-life practical examples from local CH organizations;
• realize educational pilot-test programmes and business models of institutions in Italy, Denmark and Austria;
• present inspirational examples of successful business model digitization and transformation solutions derived from the students' projects within the pilot-test.

Ca' Foscari takes part in the international research project UCAMP, to tackle pressing urban challenges by creating and actively engaging urban communities. Ca' Foscari will operate alongside main local stakeholders and a network of seven European cities, with whom to develop solutions and best practices.

Success in urban development can only be achieved through an integrated approach, where strong partnerships between local citizens, civil society, industry and various levels of government are deemed necessary. The role of HEIs (Higher Education Institutions) is crucial in acting as the anchor to these organizations, and leading transformational change in their urban environments.
The Urban GoodCamp (UCAMP) project aims to empower HEIs and their collaboration with urban stakeholders to develop real-life solutions to their pressing urban challenges. Among the objectives there is the development and implementation of multidisciplinary learning interventions for university students, young researchers and life-long learners.

The project will be conducted in seven European cities – six of which are capital cities: Madrid, Amsterdam, Copenaghen, Helsinki, Ljubljana, Paris, Venice, grouped in three areas of urban focus: Circular economy - Waste Management, Urban Biodiversity, and Sustainable Communities.

Venice is a unique city and needs and integrated approach linking the economic, social and environmental perspectives to create a sustainable community; Ca' Foscari's research team has therefore defined as main urban challenges the overtourism, the depopulation and the safeguard of the environment and the lagoon. Along three years, researchers will analyse these challenges with participative project design and co-design techniques, to elaborate possible solutions with the stakeholders involved: local public administration, universities and schools, cultural institutions, industries, residents, workers and students.

The project was realized on one hand through group sessions and seminars with international main business companies, to stimulate the discussion and the exchange of best practices and to better understand the internal state of the art of our strategic partnerships. On the other hand, internal brainstorming and guided sessions led us to the development of a dedicated strategy that considers all stakeholders (academic, university leadership and staff and external entities).

The project led to the definition of a five-year roadmap, to be included in the University strategic plan, as a new guide for future partnerships with particular attention to the Social Sciences and Humanities area.

The programme was attended by international universities and research institutes who are part of UIIN, the network involving over 80 partners to build an active ad log-term interaction between research, industries and society.