Understanding the logics of obtaining, managing and perceiving of local natural resources, particularly plants, is crucial for ensuring sustainability of human life, as the use of plants is a key for survival of humans. The proposed research will create an advanced understanding of the mechanisms of changes in ethnobotanical knowledge experienced by traditional societies/minor ethnic groups when dominating group try to unify and/or erode this practical knowledge. It will also evaluate the effects of the sudden cease to existence of such centralization and following impact of the trial of revival of discontinued traditional etnobotanical knowledge. Research will evaluate the effect of several social and cultural factors on the evolution of ethnobotanical knowledge of four compact, but divided ethnic minorities that had experienced for shorter (25 years) or longer (70 years) period different influences affecting their plant use and very different social conditions (including welfare and economy). As a long-term outcome, based on the result of present and consequent studies scientists will be able to predict the extent and depth of the changes occurring in the ethnobotanical knowledge and as a applied outcome learn to direct and educate people in the way that the knowledge necessary for sustainable maintenance and utilization of local plant resources will be constantly evolving in the way supporting health and well-being of different populations.

The main goal of the “ETHCSTWIN'' initiative is to establish a collaborative network between the Institute for Ethnopharmacological Studies and Phytotherapy (IESP / NKUA University) with two highly renowned academic research teams from Italy (Research team of Prof. A. Pieroni) and Germany (Research team of Prof. M. Hofmann-Apitius), as well as Biotech SME PangeaAI and Uni. of Prishtina (Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences) in order to incorporate ETH insights into novel computational and digital frameworks by focusing on developing a rich portfolio of complex methodologies and tools, encompassing the analysis of extensive big data sets and the restoration of both tangible and intangible heritage. Following thorough research and assessment of data derived from several ethnopharmacological sources (e.g. manuscripts, folklore texts, ethnobotanical studies, ETHCSTWIN's subsequent phase will involve knowledge transfer and capacity building in AI, Machine Learning, and Data Mining methodologies, as well as advancing ethnopharmacological studies among the project's partners. This newly acquired knowledge and capabilities will contribute to developing of the ETHCSTWIN platform, which will serve as a resource for data collection, processing, and creating an extensive relational database comprising a vast dataset repository. The project will establish an Ecosystem Excellence Aggregator, presented as an open science community, that will host the ETHCSTWIN database and toolkit and will offer support for stakeholder training. ETHCSTWIN will provide a unique opportunity for IESP and its partners to develop the first European Ecosystem with IESP as the Regional Research Centre on Ethnopharmacology and Phytotherapy, connecting the Balkans, Mediterranean, and Central Europe. The successful implementation of this project will facilitate future collaborations with experts in the fields of Ethnopharmacology and Computer Science & will increase IESP’s research capabilities.

The development of technology and digitalization has caused changes in the methods, models, and practices used in educational activities. While gastronomy education, which is carried out with theoretical and practical training activities, tries to adapt itself to digital education practices, the digital education competencies of academicians who provide gastronomy education should also be developed. It is seen that there are no standards and principles regarding DIGI-GASE throughout the EU. Creating a guide and digital education material that will help higher education institutions and academicians providing gastronomy education in digital education will ensure higher quality and effective gastronomy education. In this context, the DIGI-GASE project aims to improve the digital gastronomy education competencies of academicians who teach gastronomy at higher education institutions. The project also aims to prepare a guide to lead universities in the transition to digital gastronomy education.The goals of the DIGI-GASE project;•Development of DIGI-GASE guide for the use of universities across the EU,•Preparation of educational content and videos that will improve the knowledge and skills of academicians,•Dissemination of the DIGI-GASE guide locally, regionally, nationally, and across the EU•Developing the knowledge and skills of the project partners in the field of DIGI-GASE•Preparation of guidelines for technical and physical regulation of gastronomy education areas of higher education institutions providing DIGI-GASE education•Increasing the institutional capacities of the project partners by improving their project preparation, cooperation, and production skills•Increasing the capacity of project partners to organize digital gastronomy training activitiesThe project partnership is cooperation which was formed among Unıversıta Deglı Studı Dı Scıenze Gastronomıche (IT), European Digital Learning Network (IT), Instıtut Paul Bocuse - Applıcatıon (FR) and E.A.C.E. - European Academy of Certified Education gGmbH (DE), under the leadership of Akdeniz University (TR). In the project, determination of technical and human competencies that will enable universities to provide digital gastronomy education in digital transformation (IO1); Preparation of a guide to be used by universities in digital gastronomy education (IO2); Preparation of digital education materials (IO3) in order to develop the digital education competencies of academicians providing gastronomy education.Two training activities will be organized to improve the knowledge and skills of academicians and university officials about DIGI-GASE; To be held for C1 and C2 project partners' team members and academicians working in partner organizations. In addition, as the dissemination activities of DIGI-GASE, each partner will organize multiplier events at the national level. The project results will be published on the project website to be created by the coordinator partner, and a link will be provided from the partner organizations' own websites to the project website. In order for the project to be sustainable and reach more people, the training videos to be prepared as a result of IO3 will be made available free of charge on the project website and social networking platforms.In addition, dissemination activities will be organized at the national level within the scope of the promotional visits of the DIGI-GASE guide to universities providing gastronomy education.•DIGI-GASE guide will facilitate the work of universities providing gastronomy education in EU countries,•The digital education competencies and skills of those who participate in training and dissemination activities as well as access training materials will increase.•The academicians participating in the training will apply the project outputs in their own institutions and lessons so that these skills can be transferred to other colleagues,•The innovative digital gastronomy training method that will emerge will be applicable across Europe.•The results and outputs of the DIGI-GASE project will serve academicians who need digital gastronomy education for a long time.•The digital gastronomy education guide and its content can be updated and developed to change and develop conditions.•Project outputs will guide new academicians who will provide gastronomy education in the orientation process.•Through the project, students who receive gastronomy education will be able to participate in a more effective learning process.

Good teaching practices in experiential learning for effective education in embedded food systems (GOODFOOD)The GOODFOOD project aims at building a network of EU higher education institutions and rural food communities and territories, to develop, test and implement experiential learning activities and outcomes allowing university teachers and students to learn, explore and exchange knowledge about embedded food systems and best practices of their future development and implementation. It will increase students and teachers skills and capacity to contribute towards the resilience and sustainability of embedded food systems in rural communities and territories. For this not only scientific, but especially local and traditional knowledge of food systems stakeholders plays a crucial role, as an indispensable basis for permanent adaptation of embedded food systems to current global challenges such as improvement of food production and quality, marketing practices, market fluctuations and competition, inclusiveness of stakeholders, consumer choices, food sovereignty, rural development and climate change adaptation. To tackle this, the project envisages development of a broad spectrum of teaching actions and contents with the organization of 2 Intensive Study Programmes ‘Embedded food systems in territories’ where students from 6 EU universities will analyse various aspects of sustainability of the local food systems (in Münsterland and Piedmont regions) and their embeddedness in the territories. The Intensive Study Programmes will be preceded by e-learning modules, to offer students specific background knowledge needed for further embedded food system exploration. The outputs of the project include the analysis of students understanding of Embedded food systems and expectations towards education within this subject area, e-learning courses on ‘Embedded food systems in territories’, syllabus and educational materials for 2 Intensive Study Programmes, collection of embedded food systems case studies from Europe as basis for educational tools, and a catalogue of innovative teaching practices and best teaching tips for embedded food systems education. All outputs will be disseminated during 6 project Multiplier Events and other project dissemination activities.

The European Researchers’ Night (ERN) has become an annual tradition in Piedmont thanks to an extraordinary 10 years experience that has made citizens of all ages eagerly awaiting this appointment with the scientific vocation of our district and the European Commission. The CLOSER project will involve all the 8 provinces of Piedmont and the major city of the Aosta Valley (who recently joined the project), treasuring the capitalized experience of the past editions: it will build on the results achieved along this thrilling journey and move forward, also on the basis of the European agenda defined by H2020 in relation to the science and society issues. The acronym CLOSER reflects the whole thread of this proposal, which aims at establishing an alliance between researchers and the various societal actors by bringing them closer to one another, using the RRI approach to encourage them to take responsibility and work together to design a sustainable, ethically acceptable and socially desirable future. For this purpose, specific actions will be devised to actively engage citizens, schools and young people, policy makers and industries, who won’t be just the audience but the protagonists of each of the proposed action. A special programme will particularly target young people to foster their interest in scientific careers. In addition, CLOSER aims at strengthening the European citizenship feeling of the public involved as well as increasing their awareness of the importance of the European dimension in research through specific activities such as the ‘European Stage for Research and Innovation’, ‘A talk with young research!’ and ‘The Human Face of Research’. To realise such an ambitious programme, the engagement of a large, trans-disciplinary, gender-balanced community of researchers committed to public engagement will be vital: CLOSER will provide them with innovative, creative formats of communication that will strengthen their capability of communicating their research.