Project “Enhancing capacity of universities to initiate and to participate in clusters development on innovation and sustainability principles” (UniClaD)

Project “Enhancing capacity of universities to initiate and to participate in clusters development on innovation and sustainability principles” (UniClaD) - EU Program Erasmus +, Project KA2 - n° 609944-EPP-1-2019-1-LT-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP

Start of the project: 15/01/2020

End of the project: 14/01/2023

General objective

Development of the potential of universities as an integral part of agro-industrial clusters. Creation of the innovative centers as pre-conditions for the development and successful functioning of agro-industrial clusters.

Main tasks

- development of the chain: master - PhD - researcher as a primary part and researcher - projector - executor as a secondary part;

- sensibilisation of business, local authorities, science and education to the cooperation in the framework of clusters based on win- win principles;

- enhancing capacities of business, science and education to develop and to work within the cluster (through special trainings and special modules included into master and PhD curricula);

- implementation of special structural measures at the universities as a base for activities performed within clusters;

- enhancing of practical value of researches, theses and students' master works as well as students employability;

- creation of conditions for better integration of innovations into agro-industrial production on the sustainability principles.

Activities

- to develop special modules for master and PhD students such as: statistics, project development, econometrics, modules aimed to up-to-date challenges: climate changes, COP 21 commitment, food security, fight against poverty.

- to study EU experience of universities activity within clusters and to disseminate this information among stakeholders;

- to organize special trainings, study visits for business, science and education representatives in order to show advantages and to create the capacity for the cooperation within the cluster;

- to develop the legal base defining rules, modalities for universities functioning within clusters in compliance with the national legislation;

- to create preconditions for the creation of four cluster (water management and aquaculture, new technologies (IT) in agriculture, agro-tourist cluster and milk production and processing with the focus on traditional local products, biotechnologies in poultry production);

- development of master works and PhD thesis in line with the pilot projects.

CIHEAM Bari Program and Contact reference: 
Dr. Nouredin Driouech , Tel.:  +390804606203 Email: driouech@iamb.it 

Project consortium