CIRCULAR seeks to boost the social innovation ecosystem in Malaysia, Cambodia and Laos by bringing together and reinforcing the links between Teaching, Research, Innovation and Society in order to collaboratively design and test innovative solutions to mitigate waste management problems, promote circular economy approaches and improve the quality of life of local communities.It will pursue the following specific objectives:- Design a new collaborative model for reinforcing HEIs’ third mission and for enhancing effective and successful Knowledge Square cooperation for social innovation with a specific focus on the topic of circular economy. - Enhance community-based participatory research and citizen science at the same time promoting a new pedagogical framework for embedding community engagement actions as part of Higher Education study programmes. - Set-up Living Labs as open innovation ecosystems that integrate education, research, development and innovation, and regional development to help trigger the adoption of green and more sustainable practices and a more efficient use of resources.- Build the capacities of academics to design, organise and implement collaborative social innovation programmes that promote students’ active citizenship and simultaneously contribute to solve everyday sustainability and climate-change problems.- Build the capacities of researchers on new methodologies and updated strategies to conduct community-based research activities on the topic of circular economy and waste management.- Empower students and young people to become socially-engaged, climate-conscious and active citizens and raise the awareness of students, young people and members of local communities on the topic of circular economy and sustainable development, and promote alternative consumption habits and waste management practices underpinned by knowledge, research and innovation generated by Higher Education Institutions.

The Project is cooperation between Telematica University E-Campus (Co-ordinator, Italy), Chukurova University (Turkey), University of Northumbria (UK) and six Universities in Asia - Beijing University of Technology (China), Lanzhou Jiaotong University (China), University Putrus Malaysia, University Sains Malaysia, Naresuan University (Thailand) and Chiang May University (Thailand). Integration of Sustainable Renewable Energy Solutions into Built Environment is going through a rapid acceleration to bring the level of technology deployment up to modern requirements due to aggravated air pollution conditions across Asian countries. Tackling this burning issue requires a new type of engineers with a deeper professional background in the subject area. The current content of modules and teaching methods used in partner Universities must undergo deep modernisation processes with input from EU Universities and international companies and with collaboration of experts in Mechanical , Civil and Architectural Engineering and Built Environment, and all these specialities are presented in the Project Consortium. The project aim is the deep modernisation of existing syllabus on Integration of Sustainable Renewable Energy Solutions into Built Environment, improving quality of education and teaching, which includes enhancing existing and application of new learning and teaching tools, methodologies and pedagogical approaches. This will involve modernisation of learning outcomes and ICT based practices. At least 48 modules in all 6 partner Universities will go through modernisation. Approximately 50% of modules content will be renewed with structure, outcomes and teaching methods being revised. In application to all 6 partner Universities the modernised part of the selected modules will be worth about 240 ECTS credits. Additionally, Improvements in Skills Development of PhD students will be carried out for meeting career targets.

MARCO POLO addresses the needs of partner countries (Thailand, Vietnam and Malaysia) to foster the international cooperation of their Universities (HEI). Its main objectives are: to increase the capacities of non-European countries HEI in international cooperation, to contribute to the improvement of international networking; and increase and exploit the potentials in Teaching, Learning & Research (TLR).The activities within the project foresee the strengthening of strategic, infrastructure and human capacities in the 6 HEI from Partner Countries as a model for the development and modernisation of institutional management of international cooperation in NEC.Specific objectives will be achieved through carefully planned actions at an institutional, national and multi-regional level, including the implementation of training and strategic infrastructure; comparative studies and the development of National Recommendation to boost international cooperation in TLR; the creation of a best practice book for HEI on how to improve International Relations policies and management. These actions will be complemented throughout the project life by dissemination and networking activities, including National Roundtables, seminars, networking conferences and a multi-regional educational fair. The consortium includes 10 institutions, of which 3 are European HEI with a vast experience in international cooperation and 6 are HEI in NEC that face challenges on the development of international cooperation strategies.The project also foresees a library gateway, the creation of Strategic Development Plans for HEI of NEC and the testing of products through cooperation and a pilot mobility. The results will be easily transferrable at a regional, national and international level.

The role of a modern University in the society is dramatically changed due to economic, social and, as a matter of fact, technological revolutions we are living in. In contrast to a traditional Humbolt University model, Universities across the globe become knowledge service providers to the economy and society at large. In this context, the latest explosion of Massive Open Online educational services/Courses (MOOCs, 2012 was declared as a Year of MOOCs, NYT) is confirming the general trend and opens new avenues for linking Universities and their external customers via powerful ICT means. When Europe is one of the global leaders in MOOC technologies, this innovation is still to come to Southeast Asia and the mission of the COMPETEN-SEA project is to enable the transfer of European experiences to the local partner Universities. The overall project aim is to make a significant contribution towards strengthening relations between higher education systems in Southeast Asia and wider economic and social environment by building organizational, pedagogical and technical capacities in local Universities to design, develop, market and deliver MOOCs for various economic and social problems. The project will implement the following activities:- Regional MOOC SWOT analysis and feasibility study to identify best strategies for educational outreach using MOOCs- Intensive MOOC Capacity Building programme aimed at building local capacities to develop MOOCs addressing local educational needs and deliver them to target users- Development and evaluation of the system of MOOCs addressing urgent socio-economic development needs - Dissemination and awareness raising campaign addressing academic communities in the region, as well as other key stakeholders: policy makers, potential users of MOOCs (e.g. public bodies, NGOs, businesses, etc.), general public. Importantly, the project will undertake efforts to integrate the regional MOOC specialists with the European MOOC movement.