Periodic Reporting for period 1 - PoliRuralPlus (Fostering Sustainable, Balanced, Equitable, Place-based and Inclusive Development of Rural-Urban Communities' Using Specific Spatial Enhanced Attractivenes Mapping ToolBox)
Berichtszeitraum: 2024-01-01 bis 2025-06-30
PoliRuralPlus addresses persistent disparities and weak urban–rural cooperation in Europe, building on the achievements of the H2020 PoliRural project. Its aim is to extend foresight-based planning methods to integrated rural–urban territories, supporting sustainable, inclusive and innovation-driven regional development. The project contributes directly to the European Green Deal, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), and the Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas, while aligning with initiatives such as the New European Bauhaus.
The central objective is to provide regions with advanced, AI-enabled planning tools and harmonised data frameworks that strengthen governance, foster innovation, and ensure balanced rural–urban partnerships.
The central objective is to provide regions with advanced, AI-enabled planning tools and harmonised data frameworks that strengthen governance, foster innovation, and ensure balanced rural–urban partnerships.
During the first period, activities focused on preparing Regional Action Plans (RAPs) through a Multi-Actor Approach (MAA), ensuring strong stakeholder engagement across all nine pilot regions. Major progress includes:
Methodological advances: Delivery of an updated foresight-based RAP methodology integrating co-design practices, no-code solutions, and AI-assisted workflows such as Work Awareness Journaling.
Stakeholder engagement: Comprehensive mapping of local communities, authorities, SMEs, NGOs and knowledge actors to inform RAP co-creation.
Platform development: Enhancement of the PoliRuralPlus Hub with a new integrated dashboard, upgraded Rural Attractiveness Explorer and Policy Options Explorer, and deployment of AI/GeoAI functionalities.
Data innovation: Implementation of a centrality-based analysis methodology, producing 170 harmonised grid map layers for Europe and the Czech Republic, now embedded in the Hub’s Map service and supporting AI training.
Knowledge Base: A consolidated repository of validated project resources (blogs, training materials, datasets) actively used for AI grounding.
Open calls: The Outreach Call concluded successfully; the Mobilise Call is ongoing; and the Develop Call attracted more than 100 applications, showing strong external interest - the administration with selected applicants is currently underway; the Enhance call was announced.
Methodological advances: Delivery of an updated foresight-based RAP methodology integrating co-design practices, no-code solutions, and AI-assisted workflows such as Work Awareness Journaling.
Stakeholder engagement: Comprehensive mapping of local communities, authorities, SMEs, NGOs and knowledge actors to inform RAP co-creation.
Platform development: Enhancement of the PoliRuralPlus Hub with a new integrated dashboard, upgraded Rural Attractiveness Explorer and Policy Options Explorer, and deployment of AI/GeoAI functionalities.
Data innovation: Implementation of a centrality-based analysis methodology, producing 170 harmonised grid map layers for Europe and the Czech Republic, now embedded in the Hub’s Map service and supporting AI training.
Knowledge Base: A consolidated repository of validated project resources (blogs, training materials, datasets) actively used for AI grounding.
Open calls: The Outreach Call concluded successfully; the Mobilise Call is ongoing; and the Develop Call attracted more than 100 applications, showing strong external interest - the administration with selected applicants is currently underway; the Enhance call was announced.
PoliRuralPlus provides a suite of interoperable, AI-enabled tools that surpass current planning practices:
JackDaw – GeoAI chatbot for scenario modelling, spatial intelligence and policy gap analysis.
Vulture – Automated AI system for large-scale data processing and trend detection.
Magpie – Semantic metadata discovery across spatial and non-spatial datasets.
Dashboard – Real-time RAP monitoring and indicator tracking.
MAA Tool – Stakeholder engagement and co-creation management instrument.
Rural Attractiveness Explorer (RAE) – Composite index tool integrated with JackDaw and the Dashboard.
PoliRuralPlus Hub – High-TRL digital ecosystem for data integration, Digital Twins, and support of AKIS.
The integration of centrality-based datasets establishes a harmonised spatial framework for Europe, enabling more robust cross-regional comparison, policy analysis, and AI-supported modelling.
JackDaw – GeoAI chatbot for scenario modelling, spatial intelligence and policy gap analysis.
Vulture – Automated AI system for large-scale data processing and trend detection.
Magpie – Semantic metadata discovery across spatial and non-spatial datasets.
Dashboard – Real-time RAP monitoring and indicator tracking.
MAA Tool – Stakeholder engagement and co-creation management instrument.
Rural Attractiveness Explorer (RAE) – Composite index tool integrated with JackDaw and the Dashboard.
PoliRuralPlus Hub – High-TRL digital ecosystem for data integration, Digital Twins, and support of AKIS.
The integration of centrality-based datasets establishes a harmonised spatial framework for Europe, enabling more robust cross-regional comparison, policy analysis, and AI-supported modelling.