TRANSFORMING ACCESS TO EXCELLENCE WITH SUCCESSFUL ALLIANCES OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN DIGITAL AGRICULTURE

Project Information

TALLHEDA

Grant agreement ID: 101136578

DOI

10.3030/101136578

EC signature date 6 December 2023

Start date 1 January 2024

End date 30 June 2027

Funded under

• Widening participation and spreading excellence

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 3 097 341,00

Coordinated by

GEOPONIKO PANEPISTIMION ATHINON
Greece

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - TALLHEDA (TRANSFORMING ACCESS TO EXCELLENCE WITH SUCCESSFUL ALLIANCES OF HIGHER EDUCATION IN DIGITAL AGRICULTURE)

Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-09-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

Significant disparities in Research and Innovation performance persist across Europe, with Widening countries consistently falling below the EU average, particularly in technologically intensive domains such as Digital Agriculture (DA). Agricultural Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in countries like Greece and Serbia can play a decisive role in reducing this gap; however, their ability to reach and sustain excellence in both research and education requires targeted reinforcement. By contrast, Belgian HEIs have developed robust innovation ecosystems in which universities, competence centres, Digital Innovation Hubs, and industry actors collaborate effectively, demonstrating how advanced digital technologies can be mobilised to serve societal, economic, and scientific objectives.
Against this backdrop, TALLHEDA seeks to establish a long-term, structured Alliance for Digital Agriculture that brings together agricultural HEIs from Widening countries with leading non-widening institutions, complemented by active engagement from regional and international stakeholders. The Alliance is designed to strengthen the critical mass of expertise in DA, facilitate integration with innovation ecosystems, and advance the Quadruple Helix model of cooperation within Widening contexts.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

To accomplish its aims, the project deploys a coherent set of interlinked actions that support students, researchers at various career stages, and academic staff. These actions span joint research initiatives, collaborative educational activities, mobility schemes, and access to state-of-the-art infrastructures, all underpinned by the complementary strengths and established expertise of the participating institutions. Through these mechanisms, TALLHEDA seeks to enhance the scientific capabilities of Widening HEIs, promote institutional modernisation in educational content and pedagogical practices, and expand their capacity to undertake high-quality research and innovation activities.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

TALLHEDA has devoted considerable efforts to accomplish its intended scientific, economic, societal, and industrial impacts. By involving a wide range of important stakeholders, such as academic institutions, research facilities, agricultural businesses, policymakers, and industry partners, the project has improved the understanding and practical application of digital agriculture.
Impact on Science: TALLHEDA has helped create and share new insights in precision farming and digital agriculture. The consortium actively participated in twenty-seven (27) scientific and networking events during RP1, created success stories showcasing practical applications, and produced numerous scientific publications and academic theses. These initiatives have promoted cooperation between the participating countries and institutions, laying the groundwork for the sharing of best practices and reproducible research. The establishment of the VIH has further promoted knowledge exchange by giving the professional and academic communities not only networking opportunities but also quick and convenient access to case studies, datasets, training materials, and other knowledge resources.
Economic and Industrial Impact: By demonstrating digital agriculture applications that can improve crop production efficiency and productivity through the VIH success stories, the project has opened doors for economic and industrial impact. The project has improved the connections between research outputs and industry adoption through workshops, key actor engagement events, and collaboration with sister projects. The development of qualified staff who can put innovations into practice is supported by the distribution of funding opportunities, job openings, and training programs.
Impact on Society: Through the cooperation of Widening countries (Greece and Serbia) with non-Widening countries (Belgium), TALLHEDA facilitates fair access to knowledge about digital agriculture. Students, farmers, and the general public are now more aware of digital agriculture thanks to outreach to schools, free training seminars, and distribution through social media, newsletters, videos and podcasts. These initiatives are important for promoting sustainable practices and developing the next generation of agricultural professionals with digital skills.

Logo

Approach

Partners of TALLHEDA network.

Specific Objectives

Benefits