Digital innovation for sustainable mountain

Great challenges for the mountain area of ​​Valle d'Aosta, Piedmont, Lombardy and Basilicata.

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Spoke 4 - Digital and Sustainable Mountain

Spoke 4 promotes the use of digital technologies to enhance the performance and sustainability of businesses located in mountainous areas.

Is coordinated by University of Valle d'Aosta in collaboration with University of Turin, Politechnic of Turin and University of Basilicata, along with LINKS and Montagna Sicura foundations.

Spoke 4 Montagna Sostenibile
Spoke 4 Montagna Sostenibile

News

News
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Clone of Spoke 4 organizes the educational workshop "Designing the Alps of tomorrow: new production scenarios"
NODES - Spoke 4 consolidates relations with the Aosta Valley area, introducing the design visions resulting from the educational workshop "Designing the Alps of tomorrow: new production scenarios"   The day of 11 July 2024 developed through the meeting of around forty students from the Polytechnic of Turin with local stakeholders from real municipalities in the valley. This design experience - the outcome of the six-monthly workshop which saw the students try their hand at designing pilot projects in some of the municipalities covered by the Nodes, Spoke 4, RM1 research - was articulated through a series of meetings in the area, including the the last one, which took place on 11 July 2024 at Skyway, in Courmayeur, which saw the participation of numerous stakeholders from the Aosta Valley area. Specifically, the educational exercise proposed to the forty students involved within the educational workshop "Designing the Alps of tomorrow: new production scenarios" (Polytechnic University of Turin - teachers Roberto Dini, Valentina Serra, Valerio Lo Verso, Francesca Thiebat ) was focused on the development of a series of pilot projects, with the aim of proposing possible processes for the recovery and reactivation of abandoned properties: the Linguistic high school of Courmayeur, the former railway station with the adjoining Morgex warehouse, the former barracks of Saint Marcel and the former mining complex of Ollomont.   The day - promoted by the Courmayeur Mont Blanc Foundation and the Polytechnic of Turin, and held at Skyway in Courmayeur - was a moment of reflection on these possible transformative scenarios, bringing together the local actors directly interested around the projects: mayors and municipal councilors, facilitators social, but also the local Order of Architects. The issues addressed on this occasion can be traced back to different dimensions and scales of the project: on a technological-energy level, wondering what sustainable materials and construction systems could be, in terms of both the impact of emissions and their presence or absence within the local production chains; but also in terms of the social and economic impact that these projects can have within territorial systems with variable networks. The day took place around two complementary moments: in the Pavillon's La Verticale conference room in the morning, during which the maquettes and graphic designs were set up in front of which the discussion took place, culminating in the award ceremony of the three projects deemed most interesting by the local jury (made up of Roberto Ruffier, Sandro Sapia, Michele Saulle). In the afternoon we moved to the highest Punta Helbronner, to admire the surrounding snowy landscape from a privileged point of view. The didactic dimension is therefore intertwined with both the research and dissemination dimensions, allowing students to plan through an experience that brings them as close as possible to reality, and to the territory to receive input and visions resulting from lenses different from those to which they are most accustomed.   Below are experts, local stakeholders, teachers involved in the process and present on the final day: Politecnico di Torino – Roberto Dini, Valentina Serra, Valerio Lo Verso, Francesca Thiebat, Silvia Lanteri, Alessandro Depaoli; Fondazione Courmayeur Mont Blanc - Roberto Ruffier, Elise Champvillair GAL Valle d’Aosta - Marta Anello; Comune di Saint-Marcel - Andrea Bionaz, Alessandro Grange; Comune di Ollomont - David Vevey; Comune di Morgex - Barzagli Federico; Comune di La Thuile - Mathieu Ferraris; Ordine degli Architetti della Valle d’Aosta - Sandro Sapia; Michele Saulle; Piero Brunod.  

News
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Small and Medium Enterprise Management Advanced Course will begin in October
The Small and Medium Enterprise Management Advanced Course will begin in October. The schedule will be published shortly.   The Master will cover seven areas of specialization: 1. Organization and digitalization: management of online meetings, smart working and staff motivation, use of big data for SMEs, cyber security and cloud working. 2. Strategy and marketing: business strategies for SMEs, customer segmentation and targeting, operational marketing, social media marketing and dynamic pricing. 3. Performance management: financial statements, cost analysis, ratio analysis for economic evaluations and management of company performance. 4. Management and finance: exchange rates and financial investments in goods, lobbying and advocacy, green public procurement and new procurement code, blockchain and cryptocurrencies. 5. Law, tax and business: new institutions of labor law in a European perspective, discipline of the logistics contract, legal profiles of financing SMEs, tax relief and incentives for SMEs. 6. Sustainability and competitiveness: sustainability for business competitiveness, measurement of the ecological footprint, reporting, indicators and certification of sustainability. 7. Scenario analysis: green and digital economy, geography of energy resources, new global political balances, extra-European markets for SMEs, nationalisms, ideologies and globalization.   Discover the program on University of Valle d'Aosta website.    

News
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The NODES project presented to President Mattarella
The NODES project was presented to President Mattarella during a visit to the University of Valle d'Aosta On the morning of Saturday, September 7th, the President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, visited the new campus of the University of Valle d’Aosta.   During the visit, the NODES project (which has received funding from the MUR – M4C2 1.5 of PNRR funded by the European Union - NextGenerationEU) was presented to him, with a detailed description of the objectives, the seven universities of the Northwest leading it, and the network of collaborations involving both the local ecosystem and the South of Italy. The main themes and activities related to the project were also illustrated.   Professor Marco Alderighi, scientific director and project manager for the University of Valle d’Aosta, highlighted the resources allocated to businesses within the ecosystem and the research activities carried out in the flagship projects in which the University is directly involved: as leader in Spoke 4 – Digital and Sustainable Mountain, and as associate in Spoke 3 – Tourism and Cultural Industry.   Subsequently, during a meeting with the university community, President Mattarella reiterated the importance of mountain territories and the European democracy, stating: “Mountains do not divide, but unite. These meetings, lived together and not in opposition, benefit everyone and lead to growth. This is, after all, the essence of life in Valle d’Aosta. This is the essence of European democracy.”   Professor Alderighi then commented: “The interest that President Mattarella has shown in the NODES ecosystem rewards the professors and technical-administrative staff of this University for their dedication and for the results already achieved, with about two-thirds of the project completed. Together with the other NODES partners, we are making the best use of the resources provided by the European Union for the dual ecological and digital transition.”

Boost your competence

4. Digital innovation toward sustainable mountain
Climate Policy, Ecomics and Finance
Course holder
Politecnico di Torino – Prof. Valeria Costantini (Roma Tre University)
Upskilling
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4. Digital innovation toward sustainable mountain
Corporate Social Accountability
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Politecnico di Torino – Prof. Ericka Costa (University of Trento)
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4. Digital innovation toward sustainable mountain
Climate-Resilient Supply Chain
Course holder
Politecnico di Torino – Prof. Marco Formentini (Associate Professor in Management Engineering, University of Trento) - Lecturer contributing to the module: Dr. Melissa Demartini (Assistant Professor, EADA Business School)
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4. Digital innovation toward sustainable mountain
Climate-Resilient Cities and Communities
Course holder
Politecnico di Torino – Prof. Lorenzo Chelleri (lnt. University of Catalunya, and Urban Resilience Research Net, Barcelona)
Upskilling
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Eventi

Incontri
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Networking e Accelerazione sulla Montagna Digitale e Sostenibile
A Torino, il 16 gennaio 2025, dalle ore 15 alle ore 18, presso la sede di Fondazione LINKS, in via Boggio 61, avrà luogo l'incontro di Networking e Accelerazione sulla Montagna Digitale e Sostenibile, organizzato da “NODES” – Nord Ovest Digitale e Sostenibile – Spoke 4.   L’evento è un'importante occasione per le aziende e le startup del territorio per presentare le proprie attività, competenze e opportunità di mercato, e per confrontarsi con un pubblico variegato di aziende, startup, potenziali investitori e venture capital, creando spazi per nuove collaborazioni e opportunità di crescita. L’incontro avviene nella fase centrale di sviluppo dei progetti finanziati sui bandi a cascata di NODES sulla tematica dello SPOKE 4 dedicata alla Montagna Digitale e Sostenibile. Sarà quindi un'opportunità per le aziende coinvolte nei progetti di presentare i primi risultati raggiunti, i progressi in corso, nonché le competenze sviluppate e le potenziali aree di collaborazione con altri attori dell'ecosistema.

Workshop
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25th Workshop "From Objects to Agents" (WOA 2024)
WOA “From Objects to Agents” is an international workshop in the IT field which, every year, serves as a forum for Italian and international researchers and professionals working on all aspects of intelligent agents and multi-agent systems (MAS). The conference has reached its 25th edition, which will be celebrated in 2024, at the Forte di Bard (AO) from 8 to 10 July 2024. It is an event typically appreciated by young researchers for its constructive and interactive environment. Multi-agent systems are computing structures composed of multiple autonomous agents that interact with each other and with their surroundings to achieve specific objectives.   Following the considerable interest that all aspects of Artificial Intelligence (AI) are recently obtaining, and the specific relevance of the topic also within the “Smart West” flagship project, as part of the NODES – Spoke 4 project, the 2024 edition of the workshop will focus on the theme Smart and Agile Agent Technologies for a Sustainable Model of Distributed Working.   Specifically, the COVID-19 pandemic has acted as an accelerator in the digitalization process of small-medium enterprises and public administrations, promoting new forms of hybrid/remote work. This requires the design and implementation of new processes and adequate technological infrastructures to address new challenges, including, but not limited to, the transformation of leadership and control, the shift towards a goal-oriented work organization (due of a reduction in the difference between employed and self-employed workers), the reduction of informal in-person interactions, the need for support to find an adequate work/life balance, the worker's well-being, his safety, and his lifelong learning. The systems and technologies developed in the field of agents and multi-agent systems can provide fundamental support in creating a new and sustainable working model at multiple levels: economic, but also technological, environmental and social, with particular reference to the peculiarities of mountain territories.   During the workshop, thematic sessions will be organized (keynote talks, panel discussions) specifically focused on the challenges of remote/hybrid working in a mountain environment, and on the solutions made available by research on agents and multi-agent systems. There will also be a moment of discussion with local stakeholders, in order to involve them and identify which technological tools can best respond to their needs.   Among the topics of interest identified for this edition it is possible to highlight:      Agent-oriented software engineering      Agents and sensor networks      Agent-based modeling and simulation      Business process management      Compliance      Hardware and software infrastructures for agents and multi-agent systems      Industrial applications of agents and MAS      Next generation socio-technical systems      Agent-based enabling technologies      Intelligent tools and devices for smart collaboration      AI-supported models and tools for remote working      Digital and Sustainable Mountain      Multi-agent systems for remote working in mountainous territories

Incontri
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Spoke 4 Assembly: appuntamento a Torino per il 17 Gennaio 2024
Lo Spoke 4 - Montagna digitale e sostenibile - si riunirà il 17 Gennaio 2024 a Torino per valutare da vicino, con i gruppi e i propri Partners, lo stato dei lavori dello Spoke in vista della General Assembly dell'Ecosistema. Il dettaglio del programma è in corso di definizione e sarà reso disponibile nei prossimi giorni. Tra le attività previste, lo Stato di avanzamento per i Work Package (Booster), l'analisi dello stato dell’arte e dei progressi compiuti dallo Spoke per ciascuna task e da ciascun partner secondo il Programma del Progetto NODES - Nord Ovest Digitale E Sostenibile - finanziato dai fondi MUR del PNRR-NextGenerationEU in cui saranno esaminati:   Ecosystem’s engagement and development by Spoke Research Booster Competente Booster Innovation Booster Acceleration Booster Monitoring, evaluation and impact

Meeting
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Regenerating Communities, Territories, Architectures
In St. Marcel, seminar meeting on the regeneration of communities, territories, and architectures. The meeting aims to initiate a multidisciplinary reflection on the enhancement of local production chains (particularly those related to the forest resource) as a possible engine for urban-architectural, social, and economic regeneration of the territory. The morning seminar will be a meeting point for experts who will discuss the potential and issues related to the need to integrate the enhancement of local production resources, constructive cultures, and the redevelopment of spaces serving communities. In the afternoon, through an excursion in the woods of Saint-Marcel guided by industry professionals, there will be an opportunity to delve into the theme of the local forest resource in relation to the development of future scenarios. The meeting will take place in St. Marcel on October 27, 2023, starting at 9:00 AM. Event promoted by the Polytechnic University of Turin - Department of Architecture and Design - research center Institute of Mountain Architecture. With the patronage of the Municipality of Saint-Marcel, GAL Valle d'Aosta, Consortium of Local Authorities of Valle d'Aosta – CELVA