ICT AppliCaTions for sustaInable enVironmental protEction (ACTIVE) project is focused on capacity building by training multidisciplinary engineers on using information and communication technologies (ICT) for mitigating the environmental and climatic issues faced by the urban and rural areas of Pakistan. Many universities offer bachelor and master degrees on ICT engineering topics or environmental sciences, but using different approaches: ICT engineers are trained for the design and implementation of ICT technologies with little or none knowledge of environmental aspects, so it’s difficult for them to deal with this kind of applications. On the other hand, environmental sciences and engineering degrees are focused on those topics, with a basic use of ICT tools, but digital technologies could have a higher and disruptive impact on environment management, requiring more advanced knowledge and skills in ICT. The main objective is to address this particular need, with capacity building activities to train highly qualified ICT engineers with a good background on environmental science. This can be achieved with partner universities by offering a master degree and expert courses on different promising technologies (machine learning, artificial intelligence, remote sensing, IoT and sensor networks, wireless communication, embedded systems, etc.) applied to environmental issues and climate change in Pakistan. The four university partners in Pakistan are geographically located in different areas of the country, facing different problems: from air pollution in big cities (Karachi) to water use at Indus river, Bolochistan agriculture needs or Rawalpindi location, near mountains at north of the country, which provides a unique collaboration opportunity in areas with different degree of economic development. Also, we will propose to create four research centres with focus in local problems to offer practical training and to contribute to mitigate environmental challenges.

CENTRAL aims at developing and implementing academic educational curricula with an international orientation in content and/or form, which is integrated with digital tools technology and is aimed at preparing students for performing (professionally/socially) in an international and multicultural context and designed for domestic and/or foreign (international) students. CENTRAL is aimed at enabling employability, internationalisation and interdisciplinaryengagement of students and graduates, as well as research staff. The project will support ASIAN PARTNER UNIVERSITIES for upgrading facilities necessary to implement innovative practices including Campus Management System (CMS), Document Management System (DMS) and Virtual Campus (tele-training tool). The aim is to ensure that potential of information technology will be fully utilized for benefiting Asian Universities on one hand and European Universities will extend their expertise by supporting them. The project will deliver a sustainable technology-enabled educational platform that would have short-and long-term impact for increased employability of graduates, productivity and efficiency of the educational process, research output, cost effectiveness of higher education. The project plans to provide new and advanced systems of digital technologies to support partners and their scholars to compete at all levels.On the other hand European countries will get academic human support as well as joint publications and intellectual property rights. Joint conferences, seminars and workshops will be held at coordinated Asian/ European countries.The project builds on achievements from a long-term previous cooperation among the involved partner organisations.