ChromDesign is an innovative and interdisciplinary network of 10 European academic and private institutions that will characterize how 3D chromatin organization affects gene regulation during cellular differentiation and in several human disorders. We will train 13 Early Stage Researchers (ESR), equipping them with the skills, knowledge, expertise, and enthusiasm necessary to develop successful future careers in the biomedical field (in academia or the private sector). Together with European experts in chromatin biology, 3D genomics, and research design, these ESRs will work towards the goal of identifying novel alterations in chromatin topology responsible for cellular malfunctions to: i) develop new diagnostic tools, ii) effectively communicate research results through specific toolkits; and iii) identify novel therapeutic targets with the potential to be exploited as treatments. Alteration of gene regulation occurs naturally during aging and underlies several human diseases. Its better characterization requires a deeper understanding of the spatial organization of the genome. We will investigate how the genome organizes in 3D over time, and how the 3D organization is related to gene regulation in health and disease. We will use and develop technologies in imaging, cell biology, genomics, and computational modelling and will focus on translating our results into clinical applications. ESRs will thereby receive training with state-of-the-art technologies in distinct research areas and in modules with theoretical and hands-on sessions on transferable skills: entrepreneurship, management, communication, and outreach. ChromDesign comprises 6 work packages: WP1–4 address the 4 main areas of chromatin biology and 3D genomics; WP5 applies the knowledge obtained from WPs1–4 into translational research; WP6 develops (with a dedicated ESR) a set of design toolkits for communicating results to scientists, the public, and schools; and WP7 ensures quality training for ESRs.

ContextFUEL4Design supports the discipline of Design and its MA/PhD students and teachers in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) to productively anticipate critical futures learning needs and change processes through sustained future making. We live in a world that is increasingly complex. Climate events and the practice of democracy challenge us as citizens. The future is unclear, yet the future has never been predictable. Design is one of the few disciplines that work​ pragmatically and creatively with the future. It does so through acts of making and projection that aim to produce products, services and interactions beyond the strategies and systems of the here-and-now. 21st-century design pedagogy needs to be urgently reframed in an approach that we call ‘Design Futures Literacy’. This is a literacy that connects teaching and learning to provide an education for young designers for designing for complex tomorrows. This is a matter of Design taking on a far more proactive role in working to anticipate these tomorrows through acts of situated making that understands use and users and Design as working prospectively to look ahead of the immediate or short term (Celi & Morrison, 2018).Main objectivesThe main objectives of the project are to develop, test and implement new approaches and resources to provide learners and educators with innovative and adaptable tools to imagine, perform and enact a plurality of futures by design. This is to equip design learners and educators to deal with real-world issues on techno-digital futures, climate crisis, and political instability. We will connect experimentation and design theory via invention, imagination, speculation, and through design making activities such as via prototyping, scenario building, and foresight.ActivitiesThe ‘devices’ we will develop for a Design Futures Literacy initiative include the making of a ‘Design Futures Lexicon’ to build a bottom-up and shared vocabulary for working with design futures, supported by a set of ‘Futures Philosophical Pills’ that allow educators to better diagnose ideas, and practices of the future to inform future design education. We will develop student-centred, hands-on training approaches called ‘Design Futures Scouting’ to support development and empower teachers to teach future related design, and a Design Futures Toolkit of innovative practices and pedagogies to nurture and connect design curricula with design future driven activities. ‘Futures Literacy Methods’ will provide a training course of modular units in multidisciplinary futurist design learning. Our ‘Design Futures Manual’ draws together content and experience and provides routes to work with other HEIs, policymakers and EC level futures literacies strategies and programmes. We will deliver two short term design teacher training events and two intensive study programmes with Master’s and PhD students to test and circulate our inputs and their outputs, along with two transnational ‘multiplier event’s for futurists and design educators and professionalsParticipantsOur team draws on leading design-educator-researchers from the Oslo School of Architecture and Design (NO), Politecnico di Milano (IT), University of the Arts London (UK), and ELISAVA (ES). We will work with design teachers and students at Master’s and doctoral levels and connect existing and emerging courses that address design futures. We will extend our innovations to other HEIs, educational organisations and professionals (designers, futurist foresight experts, innovation specialists) and to policymakers in education, research and culture, education governmental departments, design councils, innovation agencies and civil society organisations.Methodology Our socio-cultural pedagogical approach includes connecting making, engagement, collaboration and critique in an anticipatory view on design learning, supported by qualitative inquiry methods to ensure feedback can be connected to individual and wider educational change and innovation processes. Close collaboration, exchanges in meetings and scheduled project and public events will happen across the project, mediated through its website.Results, impact and benefitsLearners will be able to shift strategic, given practices and views to anticipatory ones in longer term professional design horizons to meet Europe’s societal futures. Teachers will apply futures design curricula and pedagogies to meet challenges of teaching design for the future. A key impact will be connecting Design Education, Futures Studies, professions, organisations and future-oriented HEIs. We will link to Erasmus and Design Education networks to multiply impact, from local to top European levels and to professional bodies and public dissemination avenues to maximise reach and uptake. Finally, we will position and project inputs into key education policy and strategy actions and UN sustainability goals and related social innovation programmes.

<< Objectives >>Promoting social innovation and intercultural dialogue with a new training path that can map and enhance migrants, social workers and local artisans craft skills, relating them to craft knowledge of EU host territories. Objectives are:development of a new training method to enhance the skills of migrants, social/youth workers and local artisans in the craft sector put in contact migrants and local craft professionalsenhancement of green, soft and digitals skills<< Implementation >>Partners organized the activities to be implemented according to the following work packages:WP1. Project management (Terra di Tutti social enterprise) WP2. Atlas + Joint Curriculum (Odyssea + ELISAVA)WP3. Pilot Action (Terra Vera) WP4. Digital tool (DIDA UNIFI) WP5. Dissemination, Quality assurance and Impact (CSM + CENFIM)Intellectual achievements and main activities are all interconnected so that partners can make continuous progress towards achieving the objectives of the project.<< Results >>Project results:-Atlas Map, an infographic tool of intercultural craft experiences at EU level-Joint Curriculum, definition of interdisciplinary, transcalar and modular method box-Pilot Action, definition of training kit with all the learning and training materials developed and tested-Digital Tool, creation of dynamic place for sharing training materials and dissemination toolsOther outcomes:-Partners MoU-Quality plan-Dissemination plan-Impact framework

TEACH4SD is oriented towards the ambitions put forward by the European Green Deal on tackling climate and environmental-related challenges. The objective of TEACH4SD is to mobilize industry, research and innovation capacities and link them in new and innovative ways to the education and training sector. For sustainability transitions to become successful, the guiding principle for TEACH4SD is to empower and educate teachers to take on a leading role as change-makers and thereby contributing to the European ambition of a socially fair and just green transition. TEACH4SD will launch five regional Centres of Vocational Excellence each responding to the needs and challenges of one of five sectors forming part of the backbone of the European labour market: health, trade, entrepreneurship, clothing & textiles, and construction. The link between the five CoVEs consists of a European Platform of Centre of Vocational Excellence containing a Digital Hub for collaboration, networking and mobility. Externally, the Digital Hub makes available the sustainability competences by setting up a Digital ESD Academy for the five CoVEs to activate education and training, promote re- and upskilling as well as facilitate exchange of best and next practices in EU networks. These regional and digital hubs of sustainability knowledge and its outreach to 400 teachers will become a tool to shape the future skills governance systems by activating and moving regional development strategies forward in close collaboration with TEACH4SDs five labour market sectors. The TEACH4SD approach will empower teachers and youth in the green transition and shape an ESD movement for schools in Europe through the regional-anchored knowledge hubs and the European Digital Hub offering upskilling activities and continued education. TEACH4SD consists of 16 partners from five countries spanning EQF level 3-8 as well as industry and policy representatives.

<< Objectives >>The Change Agents project wishes to bring the academic sector and the NGO ecosystem closer to one another and generate deeper understanding between these important stakeholders, allowing stakeholders to advance a more collaborative, inclusive and participatory practice of design and design education, while recognizing the already existing knowledge of activists and various stakeholders, using innovative approaches of social design.<< Implementation >>The Background mapping activity aims to gain a deeper understanding on the already existing practices on the cross-section of social design and NGO related field work. The Implementation piloting activity seeks empirical knowledge and creates innovative results on the theoretical and structural approach by testing its feasibility in a form of local pilot events. During the Syntheses and recommendation activity a comprehensive methodological recommendation (blueprint) will be created.<< Results >>The project produces a methodological recommendation blueprint on how to establish qualitative approaches for participatory collaborations between the HEI and NGOs using social design tools, which will be achieved by background mapping, piloting, syntheses. Results will contribute to the improvement of innovative practices at the intersection between HEIs and other sectors to develop pilot cooperation strategies that will later present the potential to be integrated within educational modules.