Periodic Reporting for period 1 - RURBANIVE (RUral-uRBAN synergies emerged in an immersIVE innovation ecosystem)
Reporting period: 2024-01-01 to 2025-06-30
Rural areas in Europe today cover more than half of its area with more than a third its population make their home there. However, despite the significant contribution of these areas to the economy and our well being, they lack access to a range of services, which are otherwise available to urban citizens.
RURBANIVE aims to bridge the gap between rural and urban communities and seeks to foster mutual growth and development by changing the dynamics between rural and urban areas
through the power of innovative strategies and immersive technologies.
The project's mission is to create a platform that encourages participation and promotes territorial governance, thus putting rural citizens at the heart of policy-making.
Seven co-creation labs that focus on enhancing social connectivity and cooperation have been set up across Europe and will enable stakeholders to engage in dialogue and co-design of innovations in six domains known to favour bi-directional rural-urban synergies:
- Improving Logistics and Shortening Value Chains: in Czechia we will provide training to the public and farmers on processing raw material to produce food which can be locally distributed;
- Ecosystem and Biodiversity restoration: in Milos island, Greece, we will integrate natural and agricultural ecosystems by introducing microbiome-based technologies;
- Regional Circular Bioeconomy: in Lower Austria we will map and analyse residual biomass flows to identify innovation pathways to optimise its use towards developing the regional circular bioeconomy
- User Engagement and Territorial Awareness: in Kedainiai, Lithuania, we will establish a startup village to promote innovation in the agrifood sector
- Culture, Landscape and Heritage Access and Promotion: in Burgos, Spain, we will use cognitive computing tools to understand what makes some areas attractive to visitors in order to promote sustainable tourism and reduce rural depopulation
- Enhanced Mobility: in Trikala, Greece, and Lemgo, Germany, we will improve commuting based on computer simulations to enhance mobility.
Extended reality technologies will play a pivotal role in the project enabling the creation of immersive environments to facilitate experimentation and engage stakeholders during the co-creation activities.
Project outcomes will be accessible on the RURBANIVE Community Store, and a rural-urban Innovation Framework will be established to demonstrate how other areas can use these or benefit from such innovations, tools and services.
RURBANIVE aims to bridge the gap between rural and urban communities and seeks to foster mutual growth and development by changing the dynamics between rural and urban areas
through the power of innovative strategies and immersive technologies.
The project's mission is to create a platform that encourages participation and promotes territorial governance, thus putting rural citizens at the heart of policy-making.
Seven co-creation labs that focus on enhancing social connectivity and cooperation have been set up across Europe and will enable stakeholders to engage in dialogue and co-design of innovations in six domains known to favour bi-directional rural-urban synergies:
- Improving Logistics and Shortening Value Chains: in Czechia we will provide training to the public and farmers on processing raw material to produce food which can be locally distributed;
- Ecosystem and Biodiversity restoration: in Milos island, Greece, we will integrate natural and agricultural ecosystems by introducing microbiome-based technologies;
- Regional Circular Bioeconomy: in Lower Austria we will map and analyse residual biomass flows to identify innovation pathways to optimise its use towards developing the regional circular bioeconomy
- User Engagement and Territorial Awareness: in Kedainiai, Lithuania, we will establish a startup village to promote innovation in the agrifood sector
- Culture, Landscape and Heritage Access and Promotion: in Burgos, Spain, we will use cognitive computing tools to understand what makes some areas attractive to visitors in order to promote sustainable tourism and reduce rural depopulation
- Enhanced Mobility: in Trikala, Greece, and Lemgo, Germany, we will improve commuting based on computer simulations to enhance mobility.
Extended reality technologies will play a pivotal role in the project enabling the creation of immersive environments to facilitate experimentation and engage stakeholders during the co-creation activities.
Project outcomes will be accessible on the RURBANIVE Community Store, and a rural-urban Innovation Framework will be established to demonstrate how other areas can use these or benefit from such innovations, tools and services.
During the first 18 months of RURBANIVE the Consortium established 7 co-creation labs (1 at each pilot rural area) and ran the first round of co-creation workshops at each one, based on a common methodology that will lead to a common approach towards innovation at rural areas. A list of barriers and leverage points for rural-urban synergies was also compiled from existing literature and past projects.
In Prague Suchdol (Czechia) 4 training workshops were held at the Food Technology and Processing Center on the production of bakery, milk, beef, and beer products which will be made available on a Moodle platform.
In Milos island (Greece) species for rewilding and agriculture were mapped and categorized for soil and plant biodiversity recovery in quarry-affected areas.
In Lower Austria (Austria) residual biomass streams were identified (stale bread, used cooking oil, wine/apricot residues) and their flow were traced.
In Kedainiai (Lithuania) resources for the establishment of the Startup village concept were compiled.
In Burgos (Spain) a robust architecture for analysis of cultural landscapes’ perception was developed as well as cognitive computing tool for real-time emotion classification.
In Trikala (Greece) and Lemgo (Germany) mobility and traffic flow simulations were performed to enable the evaluation of various transport policy scenarios under realistic conditions.
A mobile augmented reality app was developed and used in all co-creation workshops to provide immersive content to the participants and collect their feedback on the project's activities. A Community Store website, which will integrate all the project outcomes in an accessible manner, was setup.
Mapping and analysis of EU policies relevant to the project innovations was completed and the Community of Practice Suite development was initiated to allow the citizens to discuss and express their opinion on policy related to the project's innovation in their area.
A strong dissemination campaign was conducted establishing the project’s brand identity and presence on social media. The project also successfully completed the first phase of the financial support to third parties scheme that will add more innovations within the 6 project domains.
In Prague Suchdol (Czechia) 4 training workshops were held at the Food Technology and Processing Center on the production of bakery, milk, beef, and beer products which will be made available on a Moodle platform.
In Milos island (Greece) species for rewilding and agriculture were mapped and categorized for soil and plant biodiversity recovery in quarry-affected areas.
In Lower Austria (Austria) residual biomass streams were identified (stale bread, used cooking oil, wine/apricot residues) and their flow were traced.
In Kedainiai (Lithuania) resources for the establishment of the Startup village concept were compiled.
In Burgos (Spain) a robust architecture for analysis of cultural landscapes’ perception was developed as well as cognitive computing tool for real-time emotion classification.
In Trikala (Greece) and Lemgo (Germany) mobility and traffic flow simulations were performed to enable the evaluation of various transport policy scenarios under realistic conditions.
A mobile augmented reality app was developed and used in all co-creation workshops to provide immersive content to the participants and collect their feedback on the project's activities. A Community Store website, which will integrate all the project outcomes in an accessible manner, was setup.
Mapping and analysis of EU policies relevant to the project innovations was completed and the Community of Practice Suite development was initiated to allow the citizens to discuss and express their opinion on policy related to the project's innovation in their area.
A strong dissemination campaign was conducted establishing the project’s brand identity and presence on social media. The project also successfully completed the first phase of the financial support to third parties scheme that will add more innovations within the 6 project domains.
Not applicable for the first reporting period.