CONSORTIUM
The PandeVITA consortium is composed of 7 partners from 4 European Countries (Belgium, Germany, Finland, Spain) and one non-EU country (Turkey). It includes experts from the technology, experts from the educational and citizen science sector and experts from the research sector including ethics and legal expertise. Therefore, the partners bring into PandeVITA complementary expertise and skills to respond to all the challenges faced in the project, which could not be effectively solved by a single entity in Europe.
The PandeVITA consortium is a complementary mix of academic and applied research centres, SMEs, and relevant end user -representatives, covering the entire chain from strong citizen science research approach. The PandeVITA consortium consists of specialists in citizen science, ICT, security and privacy, eHalth and law, as well as science and innovation related communication which demonstrates its interdisciplinary nature. Last but not least, the diversified structure of consortium and its representatives’ relative fields as well as the different use cases present a good starting point for better social inclusion for participants throughout the project.
In particular, the consortium brings together:
THREE STATE-OF-THE-ART TECHNOLOGICAL AND RESEARCH UNIVERSITIES
with a strong expertise in applied social science, ICT, eHealth and STS
Bilkent University, Turkey (Coordinator)
Bilkent University was founded in 1984 to provide an environment for learning and intellectual growth encompassing sciences, technology, humanities and arts, to serve human welfare and to foster peace on earth. The educational philosophy rests on the premise that those who produce new knowledge also have the best potential to impart it. Scholarly research at Bilkent extends across a wide spectrum. From nanoscience and nanotechnology to political science, from electronics to economics, from fine arts to management and industrial engineering, from philosophy to computer engineering, and in many other areas of science, letters and the performing arts, our academic staff and resources provide a uniquely integrated environment.
Bilkent University is one of the most well-known and prestigious universities in Turkey, especially in the fields of science, engineering, molecular biology and genetics, political science and public administration. Bilkent University has been ranked 28th in the 2015 Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 list of the world’s best “young” universities (For the full list of the 2015 Times Higher Education 100 Under 50 (www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/). Members of Bilkent University have managed and/or coordinated 103 EU Projects, including 15 H2020 Projects, so far. Currently they are carrying out 233 projects, 70 of which are international, including 6 ERC Grants.
Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University, Turkey
Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University was founded as a State university in 2010 with the purpose of training well equipped individuals to contribute to science and technology with research activities answering to the needs of our age under the light of scientific data. Currently the university is offering education with 12 faculties, 1 school, 1 state conservatory, 3 vocational schools, 5 graduate schools and 15 application and research centres.
The primary goals of the university are to be in the service of humanity, to direct the future of science and humanity, to be concerned with current problems and to lead the society. The experienced, active and dynamic academic staff of Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University is mostly consists of academicians who have obtained their undergraduate/graduate degrees from the pioneer universities of USA, Europe and Turkey. With almost 500 faculty members and more than 1000 academic staff in total, the university has managed to advance its academic human resources perfectly with 49 bachelor’s program and 122 graduate programs.
Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University Faculty of Law aims at high quality education for undergraduate and postgraduate studies to educate intellectual jurists sensitive to current issues who contribute to the improvement of law and state of law by their research and enforcement activities answering the needs of today in the lights of scientific data.
At Faculty of Law, recently developed law disciplines like Media Law, Telecommunication Law, Patent Law, Women and Law are taught as elective courses in English as %30 of the faculty curricula is in English.
Since its establishment AYBU has been taking part in many national and international projects and conducted between 2016-2017, EU, Erasmus and Horizon 2020 projects with the total budget of 1,683,708,6 EURO. AYBU has good experiences working as coordinator/partner in EU programmes like, Erasmus+ KA 1 Learning Mobility of Higher Education Students and Staff with Programme Countries, Training Consortium Learning Mobility of Higher Education Students and Staff, Europen Volunteer Work Mobility, Youth Exchange Mobility, Erasmus+ KA2 Strategical Partnerships on Higher Education, Adult Education on Strategical Partnerships, Erasmus+ KA3 Support to Policy Reforms: Structured Dialogue: Meetings between Youngs Desicion Makers on the Field of Youth, Higher Education Council Project Based International Exchange Project (on gender equality), Horizon 2020 EU Central Project, Erasmus+ Jean Monnet Central Project.
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain
Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) is the largest Spanish technological university specialized in all engineering fields and architecture. With two recognitions as Campus of International Excellence, its outstanding research activity together with its highly-qualified professional trainings, make UPM a really competitive university at international level. More than 2.400 researchers carry out their activity at the UPM, grouped in more than 200 Research Groups, 20 Research Centers or Institutes and 55 Laboratories, all of them committed to transform the knowledge generated into innovation advances applied to the productive sector, contributing to solve the challenges of the European citizens. UPM has 355 research and education collaboration agreements with institutions all over world (including the U.S., Canada, China, Colombia, Argentina, Mexico and Brazil) established through a devoted vice-rectorate for International Relationships. It is also a member of the Banco de Santander Initiative Universia, the largest Ibero-American network of universities. The intense collaboration with governmental bodies and industry guarantees that research at UPM offers real solutions to real-world problems. The dynamism of R&D&I activity at the UPM, together with the transfer of knowledge to society, are among its lines of strategy. These two commitments place UPM among the Spanish universities with the greatest research activity, both at national and international level. UPM highly innovation driven commitment is showed by the application for around 40 patents/year and by the generation around 20 spinoff/year (70% survival rate). All this shows that UPM is an institution committed to the transfer of knowledge generated through its research structures to society, and its transformation into advances and technological developments applied to the productive sector.
Life Supporting Technologies (LifeSTech) is a research, development and innovation group, part of Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. Its activities are devoted to the design, development and evaluation of ICT based services and applications, for the creation and promotion of new ideas, methods and technological solutions throughout the whole value chain of e-Inclusion, e- Health and Active and Healthy Ageing related organizations. LifeSTech skills include consultancy, design, development and evaluation of ICT applied to Health, Wellbeing, Mobility, Accessibility, AAL, Ambient Intelligence, Decision Support Systems and System Development and Integration. LifeSTech has strong experience as coordinator, technical/quality manager and participant in most of the challenging National and EU R&D funded projects (FP5, FP6, FP7 and H2020) related to the design, development and evaluation of solutions aiming to improve quality of life, healthy aging, and management of chronic diseases. Examples of these projects are: PULSE leveraging diverse data sources in smart cities and big data analytics to transform public health from a reactive to a predictive system; BD2Decide realizing and validating an Integrated DSS to improve the clinical decision process, uncover new patient-specific patterns that can improve care, and create a virtuous circle of learning; SMART4MD a large-scale pilot a health self-management ICT solution for people with mild dementia; City4Age developing and evaluating ICT technologies for the ageing well of the European population.; IN LIFE Large-scale pilot that aims to prolong and support independent living for elderly with cognitive impairments; ACTIVAGE first European AHA IoT ecosystem reusing and scaling up underlying open and proprietary IoT platforms; PD_manager m-health ecosystem for Parkinson’s disease management specifically for motor and non-motor symptoms monitoring and data analysis through a research web-based tool; GATEKEEPER digital solutions for personalised early detection and interventions covering the whole care continuum and ensuring healthier independent lives for the ageing population; among others.
LifeSTech has formal collaborations with overseas institutions such as Harvard University, Georgia Tech, and University of Houston in the USA, OCAD University in Canada, Beijing Institute of Technology in China, NUS in Singapore, Industrial Research Institute in Taiwan and research agreements with universities, hospitals and health institutions across Europe, thus contributing to a more globalized research actvities. The group is active in standardization and technology support bodies, such as the Spanish Standards National Association (AENOR), the recently founded universAAL IoT Coalition, and the technological platform eVIA (Spanish National Technology Platform for Health and Independent and Active Living). Moreover, LifeSTech is an active member of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing, acting as co-coordinator of the “Prescription and adherence action at regional level”, “Integrated care” and “Age-friendly environment” groups. LifeSTech is also core partner of the EIT Health initiative funded by the European Institute of Technology, where it coordinates the EIT Health Living Lab and Test Beds accelerator initiative.
Regularly, LifeSTech members publish in peer reviewed journals and are invited to give keynotes speeches or present papers at international conferences like, BHI-IEEE, EMBC-IEEE, TeleMed & eHealth, ATA; meetings of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing; eHealth week as well as other national and international scientific conferences, workshops, and symposia.
TWO SMEs ON THE LEADING EDGE OF DISSEMINATION SCIENTIFIC INSIGHT INTO PRACTICE FOR YOUTH
with a specific focus on co-creation and user-centred design
Open Evidence, Spain
Open Evidence, a spin-off of the Open University of Catalunya, offers research-based evidence and practical support for public and private sector delivering theory-based and empirically robust practical insights for innovative and inclusive policies and strategies. The main domains of intervention so far have been the Information Society, Health and Consumer, and Research and Innovation policy. Our work team can provide high-level scientific and technical expertise matched by experience in applied policy work, which enables us to extract policy sensible and feasible recommendations from very sophisticated scientific work.
Open Evidence is one of the leading European consultancies on the usage of web tools for policy development, stakeholder online engagement and dissemination in policy-focused studies, FP7 and H2020 projects. Open Evidence has taken part in the PROEIPAHA and ENGAGED Thematic Network where its tasks include development of a hub portal for the EIP AHA community as well as a repository of best practices and the policy tracker for the EIPAHA commitments. Our credentials also include online engagement for Digital Agenda Assembly and Digital Agenda Going Local 2011 and 2012, innovative stakeholders engagement and dissemination activities in several studies for DG CONNECT and DG RTD and developments of Pledge Tracker for evaluation of the policy progress of the Grand Coalition for Growth and Jobs initiative (linkedpolicies.eu/pledge/) and very successful policy dashboards (daeimplementation.eu and egovap-evaluation.eu).
In addition to the usage of web tools for policy development, stakeholder online engagement and dissemination in policy-focused studies, Open Evidence team includes top-notch econometricians and statisticians commanding all the most sophisticated data analysis techniques and the more advanced software packages. In the last couple of years our team has analysed extensive datasets coming from surveys, online experiments, laboratory experiments using all sort of regression models (Ordinary Least Squares, Logit, Probit, Tobit), conjoint analysis, multivariate statistical techniques (principal component and factor analysis, cluster analysis, latent class analysis), structural and multi-level analysis (structural equation models, multilevel statistical analysis of nested data). Open Evidence researchers have economic modelling expertise and experience, which will enable us to extrapolate the results of the project to a macro level and provide the added value of, not simply answering the research question of whether or not there this intervention works, but of estimating the net effect on industry and on economy and society as a whole, including the business scenarios and case analysis.
iserundschmidt GmbH, Germany
iserundschmidt has been operating in the field of science communication for over 20 years now. We provide strategic consultation, develop campaigns and independent productions. The spectrum of clients ranges from federal ministries and research organizations to foundations and international companies.
Scienox, powerado, planeterde.de, quantum leap, follow me, science on, grand science slam – titles of productions by iserundschmidt that provide insights into unknown aspects of science and technology. The agency with its departments editing, press work, graphics, event, show and digital is a pioneer of open-minded and self-critical science public relations – and was responsible for the conception and implementation of a dialogue campaign for the first three “science years” in Germany (year of physics, 2000 / year of life sciences, 2001 / year of geosciences, 2002).
Since then, the repertoire was consistently enlarged, e.g. with the production of regular shows with well-known TV presenters. Together with e.g. Ranga Yogeshwar, Kathrin Bauerfeind, Wigald Boning and Cécile Schortmann they realized yearly shows at the “Idea Exhibition” (Ideenexpo), a “Climate Research Conference” (Klimaforschungsgipfel) and for the exhibition train “Future Expedition” (Expedition Zukunft) of the Max Planck Society. iserundschmidt was also responsible for the conception and PR campaign of the offshore wind farm “Alpha Ventus”, the annual “Highlighs of Physics” (Highlights der Physik).
Furthermore, the agency develops experimental talk formats (e.g. for the German Research Fund and the Federal Art and Exhibition Hall) like “Follow me” on big data, the digital revolution and data privacy and “SCIENCE ON” on the opportunities and challenges of artificial intelligence.
Talks in the Federal Exhibition Hall in Bonn
The debate series „Follow me“, „ZWANZIG30“ (TWENTY30 – 2030) and “ScienceOn” focused on the digital society and the city as future lab for the society. Ranga Yogeshwar and Johannes Büchs, well-known German TV presenters, examined interesting dynamics of a progressive digitalization and asked how the rapid urbanization will change our lives in the next years. The debates always aimed for a top-flight panel of experts, a controversial discussion and an active involvement of the audience.
ONE RESEARCH CENTER WITH EXPERTISE IN ICT-DEVELOPMENTS ON THE HIGHEST LEVEL
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, Finland
VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd (VTT), is a state owned and controlled non-profit limited liability company established by law. Act on the Limited Liability Company Called VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd (8761/2014) lays down provisions on the operations and status of VTT (this Act enters into force 1st of January 2015 and supersedes the Act on the Technical Research Centre of Finland 953/2010 and all amendments subsequently made to it). The Ministry of Employment and the Economy is responsible for state ownership steering.
As an impartial non-profit Research and Technology Organisation (RTO) and with the national mandate and mission to support economic competitiveness, societal development and innovation, VTT carries out research and innovation activities for the needs of industry and knowledge-based society. In 2019, VTT’s net turnover was 147,2 million € and other operational incomes were 97,7 million €, with highly educated personnel of 2083. VTT receives approximately one third of its total income directly from the Finnish government. This allows VTT to carry out the high-risk strategic research and to invest in research and technology infrastructures, which are necessary to generate the knowledge and know-how required for fulfilling VTT’s public mandate.
To contribute to EU goals for 2020 and beyond VTT works in synergy with the Finnish Ministry of Employment and the Economy, with regional innovation networks throughout Finland and with numerous European platforms and partnerships. Within Horizon 2020, VTT aims at renewal of European industrial value chains increasing EU competitiveness while strengthening dynamic ecosystems and addressing Societal Challenges.
VTT is organised around three main areas: Knowledge intensive products and services, Smart industry and energy systems, and Solutions for natural resources and environment. However, all VTT activities are characterised by genuine trans-disciplinary and cross-sectoral approaches and the daily project work is planned and implemented within multi-year, coordinated programmes.
VTT has a long and vast experience in EU projects under different funding programmes and other frameworks (also PPPs, EITs, EIPs, etc.). On average, the share of industry partners was 48% in those consortia where VTT was engaged in FP7. In 2019, VTT was involved in 399 EU-funded research projects (327 within H2020). Ranked among the leading European RTOs, VTT is committed to responsible collaboration for achieving the Europe 2020 goals by networking with Finnish and European actors in the global context.
ONE EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION WHICH REPRESENTS 27 NATIONAL & TRANSNATIONAL SOCIETIES AND 36 INSTITUTIONS
and through them around 8,000 biomedical engineers and scientists working primarily in research and higher education (EAMBES)
The European Alliance for Medical and Biological Engineering and Science, Belgium
EAMBES is a non-profit scientific society to promote Biomedical Engineering (BME) and Biological and Medical Engineering and Sciences (BMES) especially in Europe. Members are scientific societies, Universities or research institutions in Europe. Today EAMBES represents 27 national & transnational societies and 36 institutions, and through them around 8,000 biomedical engineers and scientists working primarily in research and higher education. It is affiliated to the International Federation of Medical and Biological Engineering (IFMBE). EAMBES aspires to: (1) Support and promote BME and MBES research and development, education, training and accreditation of scientific programmes; (2) Recognize individual and group achievements and contributions to the field of BME and MBES; (3) Become a strong one voice for academic/research MBEs at EU level; (4) Position Biomedical Engineering (BME) on the EU research and policy agenda; (5) Develop a dialogue between EAMBES & key policy makers in biomedical engineering and related fields.
