Events

The 0to1 Acceleration Sprint program, designed to strengthen the market positioning of innovative projects and build new strategic relationships, is nearing its conclusion. The Investor Day event concludes the 0to1 Acceleration Sprint training program promoted by Spoke 7 and operationally managed by ISIRES, *beeco, ToSeed & Partners to support innovation in agrifoodtech. Institutional partner InnovUp. The event is an opportunity to build strategic relationships and gain access to new growth and investment opportunities.   Here is the program for the final Investor Day, which will take place on November 18 at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo. Direct discussions with investors and investment funds will be possible thanks to the speed date option.   10:30-11:00--> Welcome coffee 11:00-11:30--> Reverse pitching. Investors and investment funds introduce themselves, detailing their investment areas. 11:30-1:00 PM -> Speed ​​dating. Organized slots where projects meet investors. 1:00-3:00 PM -> Networking lunch. Register here now to reserve your place: REGISTER HERE  

From November 17 to 21, the University of Insubria, Como Sant'Abbondio campus, will host the International Winter School: New Frontiers in Sustainable Tourism: Trends, Innovations, and Practices.   The event, organized by the Department of Law, Economics, and Cultures and specifically by professors Roberta Minazzi, Deborah Toschi, Daniele Grechi, Giulia Tiberi, Roberta Bogni, and Michela Segato, is designed to deepen knowledge of sustainable tourism practices and emerging trends. It will be an immersive learning experience in the hospitality and destination management sector, with a particular focus on the development of sustainable tourism globally and in the Lake Como area.   The winter school, thanks to speakers from international universities, will allow participants to reflect on the latest trends in tourism and its digital and sustainable evolution. Research findings developed by Spoke 3 - Tourism Industry and Culture will also be presented during the event.   Plan of the days: Day 1: Monday, November 17, 2025 11:00-17:00 New Generations and Market Dynamics in Sustainable Hospitality: Key topics: Lake Como transformation, Gen Z and sustainability; AI and tourism, sharing economy and traditional hotel accommodation Day 2: Tuesday, November 18, 2025 11:00-13.30 Hiding sustainability, missing opportunities: greenhushing explained 14.00-18:30 Sustainable Tourism and EU policies Key topics: EU tourism policy, implicit sustainability, funding programmes   Day 3: Wednesday, November 19, 2025 11:00-19:00 Regenerative Hospitality and Resilient Climate change communication Day 4: Thursday, November 20, 2025 10:00-11:30 European Film Festivals, Industrial cultural heritage Day 5: Friday, November, 2025 11:00-14:00 Sustainable Destinations and Brand Management Registration   For more information, see the attached poster.

From November 13, 2025, to December 4, 2025, a series of three seminars will be held at the University of Valle d'Aosta, Campus Via Monte Vodice, Aosta. The series of seminars, "Measuring the role of destination marketing in the tourism and cultural industries," was created with the aim of exploring, from an interdisciplinary perspective, the role of destination marketing in the development of the tourism and cultural industries. The initiative integrates statistical approaches and marketing analysis tools, offering a path that combines scientific rigor and practical applications to support the strategic decisions of local stakeholders. The discussion focuses not only on measuring the impact of communication and promotion strategies, but also on identifying indicators and forecasting models capable of guiding governance choices, sustainable management, and the valorization of local resources.   The seminars aim to create a space for discussion and knowledge transfer between academia, institutions, and operators, stimulating new synergies and providing innovative tools to address the challenges of contemporary tourism.   Detailed Program November 13, 5:15 PM - 8:00 PM Jordy Bollon Asking the Right Questions: Survey Design and Analysis in Tourism Asking the Right Questions: Questionnaire Design and Analysis in Tourism The seminar "Asking the Right Questions: Survey Design and Analysis in Tourism" focuses on the fundamentals of questionnaire design and analysis techniques, including the relationships between variables in the tourism sector. The principles of good survey instrument construction will be explored, from identifying objectives to formulating questions, and data collection and management. Basic methods for descriptively exploring data, associations, and correlations will then be introduced, demonstrating how collected data can reveal connections between visitor satisfaction, destination characteristics, services offered, and consumer behavior. Through practical examples and applications to tourism and culture, participants will understand how to transform simple answers into useful knowledge to improve the tourism experience and support strategic decisions.   November 24, 9:00 AM to 11:45 AM Gulbin Durmaz, Strategic Marketing: Principles and Measurements Strategic Marketing: Principles and Measurements The seminar "Strategic Marketing: Principles and Measurements" offers an introduction to the fundamental principles of strategic marketing, with a focus on useful tools for understanding, planning, and evaluating market strategies. Topics such as segmentation and positioning, customer value analysis, building competitive advantage, and measuring marketing performance will be addressed. Through practical examples and applications to the tourism and culture sectors, we will discuss how to translate data and indicators into effective strategic choices capable of guiding organizations toward sustainable and results-oriented growth.   December 4th from 5:15 PM to 8:00 PM Jordy Bollon Customer Satisfaction: Principles and Measurements Customer Satisfaction: Principles and Measurements The seminar "Customer Satisfaction: Principles and Measurements" addresses the key concepts related to customer satisfaction as a strategic lever for organizational competitiveness. The fundamental principles that define customer satisfaction, the factors that influence it, and the ways in which it can be observed and interpreted will be introduced. Particular attention will be paid to measurement tools—from traditional questionnaires to digital surveys to online review analysis—and useful indicators for transforming feedback into improvement actions. Through case studies, especially in the tourism and cultural sectors, we will demonstrate how assessing visitor satisfaction can serve as a compass for guiding service strategies, strengthening loyalty, and generating shared value.   You can participate in the online seminars by scanning the QR code on the poster. Certificates of participation will be issued upon request.

Confagricoltura and the University of Pavia are organizing the conference “Vineyards and Abandonment: Tools for Mapping” to present the results of the industrial PhD project in which they are involved.   The doctoral project is titled Innovative Evaluation and Study of the Vine according to New Agronomic Scenarios for the Oltrepò Pavese (VIVO) and is being carried out by PhD candidate Giovanni Marchese under the supervision of Massimiliano Bordoni and Valentina Vaglia (both from the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Pavia) and Alberto Lasagna (Director of Confagricoltura Pavia), in collaboration with the group led by Chiara Toffanin (Department of Industrial and Information Engineering, University of Pavia). PhD candidate G. Marchese is at the end of his second year at the University of Pavia and is about to begin his third year at Unagri srl, the initiative’s industrial partner.   Also speaking at the event will be Marta Sempio, President of Confagricoltura Pavia, and Lucia Marazzi, Head of the Third Mission Service at the University of Pavia and Deputy Manager of NODES Spoke 6.   Agenda 9:00 a.m. Reception and participant registration   10:00 a.m. Institutional greetings and introduction – Dr. Marta Sempio, President of Confagricoltura Pavia   10:20 a.m. “The PNRR project, NODES – North-West Digital and Sustainable: Innovation, sustainability, digitalization, and territorial development” – Eng. Lucia Marazzi, Third Mission Service, UNIPV   10:30 a.m. “Case studies of collaborations in applied research activities within the NODES project for the Oltrepò Pavese” – Prof. Massimiliano Bordoni – Dept. of Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNIPV; Prof. Chiara Toffanin – Dept. of Industrial and Information Engineering, UNIPV; Valentina Vaglia, PhD – Administrator, Soc. Agr. Regenerating Villa Fortuna and formerly RTDA PNRR NODES   11:00 a.m. “Presentation of the project: Mapping vineyard abandonment” within the project Innovative Evaluation and Study of the Vine according to New Agronomic Scenarios for the Oltrepò Pavese (VIVO) – Dr. Giovanni Marchese, PhD candidate at the Doctoral School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, UNIPV   Discussion and conclusions Networking event to follow   Free event   Date and venue: Wednesday, November 12, 2025, 9:00 a.m. – Centro Riccagioia, Via Riccagioia 48, 27050 Torrazza Coste (Pavia)

This Spoke 6 event is organized to celebrate the Students Challenges 2025 winners!   Moreover, Spoke 6 invites local SMEs in the primary agro-industry to propose marketing challenges to the students of the Advanced Digital Marketing course at the University of Pavia.      The Students Challenges offer students the opportunity to interact with the corporate world, public bodies, associations and third sector bodies of the NODES project territories through the “learning by doing” method and provide an opportunity for companies to meet young talents and discover innovative solutions applicable within their realities.   Agenda  17:00 Introduction to the Students Challenges of University of Pavia    17:15 Awards ceremony Students Challenges 2025   Challenge proposed by Az Agr Anna Frigerio Challenge proposed by Ax Agr Bonizzoni Challenge proposed by il Sabbione di Alice Zanaboni     Date and address:   Thursday 6 November 2025, 17:00 - Aula Disegno - Università degli Studi di Pavia (Piazza Leonardo Da Vinci, 5)   A unique opportunity to discover how local SMEs can benefit from Spoke 6’s Students Challenges!   Register here!          

On November 5, 2025, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m., an event dedicated to the tourism sector will be held in Lomazzo (CO) at the ComoNExT Innovation Hub at Via Cavour 2. Organized in collaboration with the University of Insubria, the event is titled: SMART TOURISM: Innovative Solutions for the Tourism and Hospitality Sector.   The initiative, aimed primarily at businesses in the sector, will consist of two main sessions: a series of presentations, which will provide an updated overview of the trends and challenges of contemporary tourism, and a session of company testimonials, in which representatives from operating companies will share practical experiences, best practices, and innovative strategies adopted in the field.   Thanks to the participation of experts and professionals in the sector, the event will alternate analytical presentations with moments of direct discussion with companies, encouraging collective reflection on topics such as sustainability, hospitality, and inclusion, key elements for the competitive and responsible development of tourism. There will also be time for questions from the audience and networking opportunities among participants.   The event aims to highlight the central role that digitalization is playing in the dynamics of contemporary tourism. The adoption of innovative digital tools promotes accessibility, the personalization of services, and the valorization of local resources, helping to make the sector more competitive and sustainable. In this context, the dialogue between businesses, universities, and experts supports the dissemination of best practices and advanced technological solutions.   Register for the event by scanning the QR code on the poster.

On Saturday, October 18, 2025, from 9:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., the study day "Green Attraction – Gardens as a Stage for Contemporary Tourism" will be held in Verbania at VILLA GIULIA, organized by the University of Eastern Piedmont (DISSTE Department) in collaboration with numerous partners. Garden tourism is becoming increasingly structured and attractive, capable of generating value for local communities and meeting the needs of a diverse audience: from landscape lovers to botany enthusiasts, from cultural travelers to those seeking regenerative and wellness experiences. Gardens are also tools for urban regeneration, environmental education, and tourism innovation. In an era in which the quality of the environment and leisure activities is becoming increasingly important, they are becoming outstanding "green attractions" capable of generating networks, projects, and strategies at both a local and international scale.   These themes will be explored in depth throughout the day in order to foster a dialogue between Italian and international experiences. The event is divided into two sessions: a morning session with institutional presentations and presentations by industry experts, and an afternoon session dedicated to short talks and discussion.   The focus will be on topics such as the role of large gardens in tourism promotion, international networks, research projects, and successful experiences.   SHORT-TALKS - Deadline September 22, 2025 Five to six slots of approximately 20 minutes each are available, including a section dedicated to illustrating the issue and a section for discussion with the speakers and attendees.   To apply to speak, simply send your title and abstract (maximum 600 characters) by email to turismo@villataranto.it by September 22, 2025, summarizing the topics, research, or issues you wish to present and discuss. The event's Scientific Committee will evaluate the proposals received and accept those deemed most relevant to the study day.   The Scientific Committee is composed of: Roberta Lombardi (Director of the DISSTE Department, University of Eastern Piedmont), Stefania Cerutti (University of Eastern Piedmont), and Andrea Cottini (Director of the Villa Taranto Botanical Gardens). Registration is required. link

On October 15, 2025, the University of Insubria, Como Sant'Abbondio campus, will host the second Italian edition of the Doughnut Economics Festival, dedicated to the theme "Rethinking Tourism for Shared Well-being." The event will bring together scholars, institutions, professionals, and citizens to reflect on the challenges of overtourism and the opportunities for sustainable and inclusive tourism. The goal is to promote a new model that combines social well-being and respect for environmental constraints.   Event Session 1 The morning session will be dedicated to laying the conceptual foundations and initiating dialogue on the most pressing issues. Following institutional greetings, two introductory talks will alternate: the first on ethical finance, the second explaining the principles of the Doughnut Economics. This will be followed by a broad discussion of tourism in light of sustainability and inclusiveness, along with its critical issues. Professor Colangelo will offer reflections on lake tourism, while Professor Galmarini and a group of students will present a work-in-progress on their field research. Professor Cortelezzi will then analyze the problem of overtourism, and Professor Pozzo will focus on the relationship between tourism and environmental constraints. The morning will conclude with the presentation of a pilot film tourism project on Lake Como, proposed by the Sentiero dei Sogni association, the Como Chamber of Commerce, and the Volta Foundation, and a roundtable discussion featuring direct exchanges between representatives of local institutions and local entrepreneurs on the aforementioned topics.   Second Event Session The afternoon session will offer a look at the role of the third sector and social enterprise in tourism, with a presentation of the TOPUp project by Antonella Cuppari and presentations by EURICSE researchers Giulia Galera and Giulia Tallarini. This will be followed by a presentation of Villa del Grumello, described by Chiara Bignami as an example of a place of culture and creativity open to the world. Finally, the final part of the day will be dedicated to the theme "Governing Tourism: Strategies and Proposals at the Local Level," facilitated by Vanessa Vaio and featuring presentations of concrete experiences such as the Volta Project in Brunate, the Girasole Project in Lecco, and the activities of Viaggi e Miraggi, an organization committed to responsible tourism.   The event is open to all; to register, scan the QR code on the poster.    

On Monday, October 13, 2025, from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM, the conference titled "Gender Pay Gap and the New EU Directive. New Challenges for Equity in Varese Province" will be held in the Villa Recalcati Conference Hall - Piazza Libertà 1, Varese.   The event is organized by the Office of the Equality Councilor of the Province of Varese and the University of Insubria, in collaboration with CGIL Varese, CISL dei Laghi, UIL Lombardia, CNA, Confapi Varese, Confartigianato Varese, Concommercio Varese, Confcooperative Insubria, Confesercenti Lombardia, and Confindustria Varese.   The meeting aims to present the innovations introduced by EU Directive 2023/970, which imposes new obligations on employers regarding pay transparency and introduces specific methods for determining the criteria for salary progression, including interventions during the employment relationship in order to promote better implementation of the principle of equal pay for men and women.   The analysis of the innovations introduced by the directive will be placed within the broader framework of European policies on gender equality and non-discrimination, and will be contextualized in the local context of the province of Varese.   The workshop is organized as part of the NODES (Nord Ovest Digitale e Sostenibile) project, funded by PNRR funds, which aims to support the sustainable growth and digital transition of businesses. The aim is to help local businesses understand the new regulatory framework for pay transparency and support them in developing effective strategies.   The meeting is aimed at entrepreneurs/administrators and company managers of relevant functions (management systems managers, sustainability managers, HSE managers, etc.), consultants, professionals, students, and researchers. The ultimate goal is to contribute to the promotion of a culture of equality in the workplace by actively supporting companies, especially small businesses, which may face greater difficulties in adapting to the new directives. See the program flyer.   Subscribe here

On Friday, October 3, 2025, from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm, the seminar entitled: “Walking with Open Eyes/Balader les yeux ouverts” will be held at the University of the Aosta Valley - Via Monte Vodice, Aosta. Lower Aosta Valley (ITA) and Burgundy (FRA) compared.   Conceived as part of the research activities of Spoke3 (Flagship Project TOEP-Tourism Open-ended Experimentation Platform) and the collaboration of the Aosta unit with the University of Burgundy/Dijon on the topic of itineraries for cultural tourism, the training seminar will offer local cultural and environmental tourism professionals a comparison between the proposals developed within the Spoke (toponymic itineraries and olive growing itineraries) and those that UniBourgogne/Dijon has developed in recent years (viticulture, forestry, outdoor and sports tourism, agri-food).   The goal is to provide Aosta Valley cultural and tourism professionals with interesting insights into a region (Burgundy) that, due to its rich identity in terms of not only historical and cultural assets but also environmental and economic ones (just think of its wine and the famous mustard), can truly represent a European benchmark in The theme of slow tourism is one that the University of Burgundy has fully embraced, becoming one of the four French national centers for agri-food.   The seminar will be held at the University of Aosta with a series of presentations by six speakers (see program below) who will alternate between 2:45 PM and 5:30 PM, followed by a final question time. Speakers/trainers will include members of the UniVdA group: Professors Gianmario Raimondi, Anna Maria Pioletti, and Aline Pons, and guests from the University of Burgundy/Dijon: Professors Laurent Gautier, Anne Parizot/Florian Kock, and Giuseppe Bisogni.   Participation in the event (also for the purposes of NODES certification as a training activity) is subject to registration. For registration, please visit the University of Valle d'Aosta website: www.univda.it/eventi-univda/   PROGRAM 2:30 PM Greetings (Rector, Councilor, NODES Spoke3 Coordinator). Introduced by G. Raimondi Start of the scientific sessions: Moderated by Consuelo Nava 2:45 PM G. Raimondi, Walking with your eyes wide open: the DE-TOURS project 3:05 PM L. Gautier, Agri-food itineraries in Burgundy 3:25 PM A. Pons, Why places speak: ten hiking itineraries in the Lower Aosta Valley 3:45 PM Question time 4:15 PM Break (15 min) 4:30 PM F. Koch/A. Parizot, Forest trails in Burgundy 4:50 PM A. Pioletti, Olive growing as a resource for outdoor tourism 5:10 PM G. Bisogni, From research to the territory: the role of the Forestiers of Burgundy 5:30 PM Question time time and conclusions

Rewind & Grow, the matchmaking event dedicated to agrifood An unmissable opportunity, promoted by Spoke 7 NODES, to connect teams and investors focused on sustainable innovation in the food sector. Discover innovative projects and engage with those who are fueling the future of the sector.   Meet startups ready to share successes and lessons learned in the field: a stimulating environment where critical thinking and openness to change are key.   For investors, it's an opportunity to discover high-potential agrifood initiatives, evaluate growth strategies, and diversify their portfolio with sustainable solutions.   For project teams, the event is a showcase to showcase their progress, receive direct feedback, and build partnerships capable of accelerating the journey to market.   Register now here to reserve your place: REGISTRATION HERE   The event is held in Italian.   The event is organized by SPOKE 7, with the support of the Italian Research and Development Institute, *beeco, and ToSeed & Partners. Institutional partner: InnovUp.