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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.”

Water is an increasingly precious resource and the issue of the water crisis is complex because it requires expertise from different disciplines. Climate change, population growth, groundwater pollution and water resource management require a multidisciplinary and global approach in order to fully address and understand the problem.   The course, co-ordinated by the University of Turin in collaboration with Butterfly Area, offers an articulated training course with international experts and professors from renowned European universities.   The frontal lectures are complemented by round table discussions and a poster session where participants can contribute on the topic of water management, water scarcity and water reuse.   The main objective is to provide participants with an overview of new perspectives and solutions to future challenges in this field.   The collaboration with Butterfly Area Butterfly Area is a strategic project of the University of Turin within the innovative ‘City of Science and Environment’ Campus in the city of Grugliasco, in the Turin metropolitan area. It is an emerging ecosystem where companies, research organisations and institutions can collaborate closely with researchers and students, create shared laboratories, use experimental facilities and access the University's research equipment.   For more information about the school: Click here

The company IngeniArs S.r.l. has been delivered the devices to the TINCARE researchers for use in the INTERCOACH study, which will assess the feasibility of a nurse-managed telemonitoring intervention for patients discharged from the hospital after heart failure.  The TINCARE researchers have completed their training to use the remote telemonitoring platform and they are ready to begin recruiting the first patients. The INTERCOACH study will officially start in the coming weeks.     The telemonitoring platform allows the nurse to remotely monitor the patient's vital signs, as well as to send them questionnaires or initiate a telehealth conditions require it.  The patient will receive a smartphone connected to devices that allow the detection of weight, blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation.  On the scheduled day and time, the patient will receive an audible signal that will remind him to proceed with the detection of the required parameters. The nurse and clinicians from the Maggiore della Carità University Hospital in Novara who have discharged the patient, will be able to access the platform and monitor the individual's health status, allowing for prompt intervention if necessary.   The patient may interact with the nurse asking for device or clarification about positive lifestyles and behaviors to prevent relapse of disease. 

Enrolment is now open for the course "Digital and Sustainable Strategies in the Primary Agro-Industry," offered by the University of Turin.   The course explores competitive strategies that enable companies to stand out in the market and their practical implementation, including the efficient allocation of resources and the alignment of business activities with defined strategic objectives. By integrating business testimonies and practical case studies, the course offers participants the opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to real and current situations in the sector.   The course is free of charge and will run from 18 October to 30 November, with a total duration of 50 hours.   Enrolment is open until 20 September 2024.   For more information, you can consult the course details or write to: corsodigital@unito.it    

From September 13 to 15, 2024, ComoNExT, a partner of the NODES Ecosystem, will host the italian edition of the 7th CASSINI Hackathon in Lomazzo (Como), a european event dedicated to sustainable innovation.   The Hackathon will take place simultaneously in 10 countries, offering significant european-level awards for a weekend focused on innovation and sustainability.   Themes   This year's edition will focus on three crucial environmental challenges, aligning with the various research areas pursued by the NODES project: #1 - Carbon emission monitoring and reporting: creating solutions to track and reduce the carbon footprint. #2 - Sustainable living: optimizing services for a more eco-friendly lifestyle. #3 - Climate change mitigation: predicting and combating the effects of climate change.   A unique opportunity for learning and networking   During the Hackathon, participants will have the opportunity to work in teams, meet experts in economics and space technology, and develop their project for the final pitch. The event will be hybrid: in addition to the ComoNExT headquarters in Lomazzo, teams can also participate remotely. Winners of the contest can receive up to €14,000 in incubation and orientation services, with additional cash prizes at the European level. Furthermore, the top three teams will receive 100 hours of mentoring from industry experts.   Registration and Information   Registration is open until September 12, 2024. For more details and to register, you can visit the official Cassini Hackathon - Italy website and consult the full event agenda. Registration is free and open to everyone: innovators, students, startups, aspiring entrepreneurs... No prior experience is required.  

Segnaliamo che gli uffici NODES saranno chiusi dal 12 al 23 agosto 2024 inclusi per la consueta pausa estiva. Buone vacanze a tutte le persone coinvolte nell'Ecosistema!

On 10 July 2024, Carola Ricci and Aldo Piccone from the University of Pavia (Department of Social and Political Sciences) participated in the Annual Conference of the International Society of Public Law (ICON•S), held at IE University in Madrid (8-10 July). The researchers proposed a dedicated panel on "Sustainable and Responsible Production and Consumption of Food: Redefining Its Multiple Dimensions," which was selected by the scientific committee. The panel, chaired by Prof. Ricci, aimed to present the interim results of the research conducted with Anna Facchinetti and Andrea Iurato, both senior researchers at the University of Pavia working within another Next Generation EU-funded project, OnFoods ("Research and Innovation Network on Food and Nutrition Sustainability, Safety and Security – ON Foods"). Following Prof. Ricci's introduction on the definition of the right to "adequate" food in international law and its multiple dimensions, focusing on the interrelation of its quantitative and qualitative components, including both material and immaterial elements (such as religious, ethical, and cultural constituents), Anna Facchinetti discussed the case study of indigenous peoples' rights. The value of food once discarded from (or falling out of) the food chain was subsequently analysed by Andrea Iurato, addressing the issues posed by the lack of a uniform definition of food waste in (re)defining EU food waste prevention policies. To complete this framework, the value of food as a universal immaterial heritage protected under the UNESCO Conventions regime was addressed by Aldo Piccone. The three-day conference provided the team with the opportunity not only to share the interim research results but also to expand their network of interested stakeholders, including researchers and institutions (both private and public), presenting the NODES project to a global audience.

From 11th to 13th June 2024, the CONAVI2024, the 10th National Viticulture Conference, was held in Alghero. It was organised by the University of Sassari and the Working Group of the Italian Society of Horticulture (SOI). The event was attended by around 238 people, including numerous young researchers, PhD students, and research fellows. Diego Intrigliolo, a professor at the University of Valencia, delivered a keynote address on "What's New in Comprehensive Vineyard Water Management?", addressing the latest innovations in irrigation management in viticulture. The conference was divided into six sessions, featuring 124 contributions: 36 oral presentations, 41 flash talks, and 47 posters. Significant attention was given to young researchers, with 31 oral and flash presentations assigned to participants under 35. The conference emphasised the digitalisation of the primary agroindustry and digital solutions for sustainable viticulture, addressing key topics of the Spoke 6 VINO project. Research explored the use of advanced monitoring systems, predictive models, and detection techniques to optimise water resource management and improve wine productivity and quality. Technologies such as remote sensing, omics analyses, and precision viticulture were central to the discussions. Researchers from the University of Sassari and the Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change presented work on climate change adaptation and innovative technologies for vineyard management, highlighting the importance of a multidisciplinary approach. CONAVI2024 also hosted a technical symposium with four presentations by viticulture experts, two academic talks by Professors Tommaso Frioni and Daniele Zaccaria, and a masterclass on Vermentino. On 14th June, participants visited the traditional Vermentino territories in Gallura and the Cannonau territories in Nuorese. During the closing ceremony, Professor Paolo Sabbatini from the University of Turin was awarded for the best oral presentation on "Meta-analysis of 50 Years of Research on the Impact of Thinning Timing and Intensity on Production and Quality," tying with Salvatore Filippo di Gennaro for a mobile app for identifying representative sampling zones and estimating vineyard yields. Professor Massimo Bertamini won the award for the best flash presentation on "Climate Change Shapes Trentino Viticulture: Inter-annual Environmental Dynamics and Additive Effects on Phenology, Musts, and Wines." The awarded posters were "Vineyard Irrigation: Comparison Between Drip Irrigation and Deep Root Irrigation Systems for Sustainable Water Resource Use" by Dr. D’arcangelo M.E.M. and "Exploiting Intra-varietal Variation and Identifying Clones with High Adaptability to Climate Change" by Dr. Zanoni S. Some of the presented works will be published in extended form in the conference proceedings in the journal "Bio Web of Conferences".

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.  

The entrepreneurship training course for NODES staff involved in PoCs will begin on July, 30 with an introductory lesson.   Link to the lesson.   The lesson will take place from 4:00 to 5:00 pm of July, 30 The course consists of two online meetings - synchronous - of 1 hour each and 24 video lessons - freely accessible by the students - lasting approximately 30 minutes. This course was designed to respond to the need for teacher training arising from the fact that teachers who have won an Academic POC from the NODES project are required to follow an entrepreneurship training course. A final audit is scheduled to take place at the end of September. More info and subscriptions here.    

NODES - Spoke 5 sostiene l'iniziativa "Fabbriche Aperte Piemonte" grazie alla partnership con bioPmed.   Lo Spoke 5 è lieto di annunciare il suo supporto all'iniziativa "Fabbriche Aperte Piemonte", promossa e organizzata dalla Regione Piemonte che si terrà giovedì 24, venerdì 25 e sabato 26 ottobre. Quest'evento, giunto alla sua quinta edizione, rappresenta un'opportunità straordinaria per il pubblico di visitare i luoghi della produzione industriale nel territorio piemontese. Negli anni, "Fabbriche Aperte Piemonte" ha attratto oltre 21.500 visitatori, offrendo un'esperienza diretta nei processi produttivi manifatturieri delle aziende partecipanti. Questo evento non solo promuove la trasparenza e l'apertura delle industrie, ma rafforza anche il legame tra le imprese e la comunità locale.   La partnership tra lo Spoke 5 e bioPmed è fondamentale per sostenere questa iniziativa, che mira a valorizzare l'innovazione e l'eccellenza nel settore industriale piemontese e contribuisce a promuovere lo sviluppo economico e tecnologico della regione, facilitando l'accesso ai suoi stabilimenti e ai suoi processi produttivi. Le aziende interessate sono invitate a partecipare a "Fabbriche Aperte Piemonte" aprendo le porte dei loro stabilimenti per condividere la loro storia, i loro successi e le loro pratiche industriali con il pubblico.   Le manifestazioni di interesse devono essere presentate entro il 20 luglio 2024, attraverso il modulo disponibile su https://lnkd.in/dAFv8PEa.   Questa è un'opportunità unica per le imprese piemontesi di mostrare la loro innovazione e il loro impegno verso la trasparenza industriale.

Enrollments for the Master's Degree in Small and Medium Enterprise Management, inspired by Spoke 4 of the NODES project, Digital and Sustainable Mountain, coordinated by the University of Valle d'Aosta, are open until September 12, 2024. "A professionalizing course that allows you to acquire or update your managerial skills" explain Marco Alderighi, Spoke 4 project manager, and Consuelo Nava, scientific head of the SME Master. "The master is aimed at managers from all sectors, with particular attention to SMEs in mountain areas," they continue. "Thanks to the PNRR funding, the master is competitive compared to what the market offers, with a registration fee of only €2,500 for 280 hours of training, which will be held on Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings to accommodate the needs of those who work”.   Discover the program at a glance Are you a manager, executive, or professional? The Master's Degree in SME Management offers you up-to-date knowledge to enhance your business and master technological change. Enroll now!   Enhance your professional skills. The master is designed to be compatible with work commitments: it takes place on Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings, and remote participation is possible.   Digital and ecological transformation. The master provides managerial tools to tackle sustainability challenges and seize new opportunities. For example, you will learn how to obtain European funds and improve online visibility.   Focus on small and medium enterprises in mountain areas: The NODES project master provides a solid foundation for understanding how to manage and make the enterprise profitable innovatively.   Take advantage of the opportunities offered by the PNRR! Thanks to EU funding, our Master's Degree in SME Management is accessible with a registration fee of €2,500, highly competitive compared to what is offered on the market.   Discover the program