The 2013 Europol Threat Assessment concerning Italian organised crime outlines how the ongoing threat that mafias pose to the EU is ‘unparalleled by any other European Organised Crime Group’. Significant successes in judicial investigations have undoubtedly contributed to a better understanding of Italian mafias over time. However, the emergence and expansion of mafia groups in non-traditional areas of settlement leave aspects of the phenomenon still unexplored. This is the case of the Sicilian mafia in the province of Messina which, despite being the object of parliamentary inquiries, court cases, and increasing media attention, has largely been neglected by scholarly literature. The proposed research aims to fill this gap. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, this project aims to trace the history and evolution of mafia groups in the province of Messina –what the judiciary refers to as ‘The Messina Case’– examining their structure, ethos and modus operandi. It will be conducted using a qualitative methodological framework within the interpretive tradition and will involve the analysis of legal documents and judicial papers, in-depth interviews with judicial and police authorities, and state witnesses. Such an interdisciplinary approach allows us to delineate the evolution and structure of mafia groups, their external and internal relations and flux of power, as well as the role that shared cultural values and social conventions play in the dynamics of identity formation. By identifying the components that the mafia in the province of Messina shares with traditional mafia groups in Sicily and Calabria whilst simultaneously exposing a unique reality, this project will advance current research into mafia expansion in non-traditional areas. Through a number of research outputs and engagement events, it will also create impact outside academia by furthering public and policy makers’ awareness on the socio-economic liability that mafia infiltration of territory entails.

The GALATEO (Good Attitudes for Life in Assyrian Times: Etiquette and Observance of Norms in Male and Female Groups) project aims to understand anew the importance of etiquette in late Assyrian society (10th–7th century BCE) and to investigate through a multidisciplinary approach the extent to which etiquette influenced the subsequent cultures of the Middle East. As a showcase of the project, the creation of an open source Atlas will be delivered, which is conceived as an open repository, in which the addition of new references to delineate the manners of a given culture can contribute to the understanding of etiquette, from the ancient to the modern Middle East. GALATEO develops and works through an adaptable sociological and anthropological theoretical model for the study of etiquette in the ancient Middle East. To this end, the sociological perspective will explore the way that correct behaviour in Assyrian society was codified and imposed during meetings, both religious and lay, in variously political, economic, and convivial settings. In this way it will be investigated how etiquette becomes a means for both men and women to display their social status and gender balance. The anthropological perspective will examine the etiquette of hygiene, especially concerning the practices of proper handwashing, body washing, facial cleanliness, and bodily purification from a religious point of view, the intention of which was to avoid the transmission of disease, such as sex and bodily pollutions, as well as the admission of evil spirits. This analysis will show how the extent to which hygiene plays a role in assigning order and integrity to a culture or group. Being adaptable, this model will pave the way for emerging new perspectives on understanding the social history of a number of cultures of the ancient Middle East in light of etiquette, to better understand contemporaneous ones.

OIR is an international project whose originator and leader is the Faculty of Pedagogy and Psychology at the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin (Poland). The consortium also includes the University of Italy (Università degli Studi di Messina) and the University of Oviedo (Universidad de Oviedo, Facultad de Formación del Profesorado y Educación, Spain). The project is a response to the problems of some academic lecturers in the field of remote education which were diagnosed during the period of increased intensity of remote activities caused by the COVID-19. The problems result largely from the lack of appropriate competences in:•handling digital technologies,•the ability to work with digital services and resources•indivudual and teamwork in a remote model•creating materials and course scenarios in a different methodology.The project aims to develop innovative digital educational resources and provides an opportunity to meet educational challenges by enabling the inclusion of higher education for people with different and special needs. The assumption of the activities is to counteract the educational exclusion of all those groups of learners who, due to the transition to distance learning and the problems that often result from it (related to the inadequacy of forms and methods of work to their special needs) have limited access to education at the highest quality level.The aim of the OIR project is to strengthen the ability of universities to provide high-quality digital education favourable to social inclusion, and in particular to improve the forms and methods of educating future teachers (including those with special educational needs or belonging to other educationally disadvantaged groups). It can be done by creating an open online space of specialized digital educational resources such as: online lectures, podcasts, educational materials, didactic videos, lesson plans, worksheets, exercises, tasks) adapted to the needs of learners with various special educational needs (SEN) in accordance with the principles of universal design for education (UDL).Project participants will be 138 lecturers-academic teachers, 1 200 students and 60 school teachers. The project assumes conducting trainings on: I. the use of digital resources in distance learning, II. developing remote learning skills with the use of innovative educational resources and activating methods, III. universal design in distance learning.During the project implementation, the following project results will be developed:1. Open digital educational resources adapted to the needs of learners with various special educational needs in accordance with the principles of universal design for education;2. Training programs and training materials for lecturers, school teachers and future teachers concerning:•raising competences related to the use of communication and information technologies in remote education,•universal design,•educational resources used in activating working methods;3. Didactic films tailored to the needs of various groups of students;4. Cultural guides.The project will have an impact mainly for the local, but also for regional, national and European community. The materials worked out in the project such as: innovative digital educational resources (online lectures, podcasts, educational materials, didactic videos, lesson plans, worksheets, exercises, tasks) will be widely available, so they can be used by domestic and foreign entities.In the long-term perspective the project will become a strong impulse for the continuous improvement of the quality of distance and hybrid education and for the development of pedagogical digital competences of academic teachers, school teachers and students of teaching faculties.

Confronted with financial problems regarding education and research, the academic environment must deal with well-defined solutions and, therefore, it has to initiate learning partnerships, debates, knowledge expertise and best practices exchanges related to the sustainability of education & research on long term. EU member states have been encouraged to reduce significantly the funds allocated for education and training, with subsequent adverse effects on quality and information access, exchange of best practices, research, etc; actually threatening the future and increasing Europe’s vulnerability to global competition, one solution consisting of innovative and efficient attraction of EU funds. Accounting education is one of the sensible subjects, for which small amounts were directly allocated. Putting under question the accounting education sustainable development, the project wants to find solutions through learning exchange with European dimension, emphasizing the European accounting education&research sustainability in the Information era, based on reduced costs information instruments. The project aims at the increase of adult education volume in lifelong learning, in the context of the new cooperation E&T 2020 strategic framework, promoting peer learning culture, i.e. observation, exchange and mutual learning on common interest experiences at the EU level. It encourages discussion and develops transparency& quality approaches to increase cooperation of the organisations involved in accounting education & research according to the employer's needs in Europe. The project has a direct impact on students, education and research providers but also on civil society-as users, since they have great impact on competitiveness, growth and employment, as Horizon 2020 goals.The project target group is:Academic staff, students, business staff as employers.Activities developed are the following:A1.1. Establishing the project implementation procedures, methods and tools to assess the progress of the project and facilitate its implementation. Elaboration of long term strategy and project sustainability through peer mentoringA1.2. Elaboration of learning materials and curriculaA1.3. Creation of an E- Network center and consultancy provision to national and international companiesA1.4. Elaboration of studies and analyses for 3 pilot enterprises in each countryA1.5. Policy recommendation writing and lobbyA1.6. Creation and updating of an interactive websiteA1.7. Elaboration of Best Practice Guide on Partnership between Research, Academia and private companiesIntellectual outputs are the following:O1. Methodology and procedures for target group and pilot companies selection, monitoring and progress management, Internship agreement, Peer Mentor Application and Peer Mentor Contract O2. Open educational on-line resources - network O3.E-Network center for consultation and researchO4. Direct research/ consultation for pilot enterprises consisting in studies, analyses directly implemented (3 pilot enterprises in each country) O5. Policy recommendation for finance-accounting graduates to stimulate the increasing rate of their employability O6. Interactive websiteO7. Best Practice Guide on Partnership between Research, Academia and private companies Three higher education institutions (HEIs) will work on this project. These institutions are: West University of Timisoara, (applicant), yDidziojo University and Universita Degli Studi Di Messina. All partners do have competence in education in finance- accounting field. The CAREER project main objectives are:Ob1. To increase the adult education volume as regards the knowledge improvement related to the CONNECTION BETWEEN ACCOUNTING RESEARCH, EDUCATION AND THE EMPLOYERS’ NEEDS WITHIN THE EUROPEAN FRAMEWORK. Ob2. To create a long-term partnership among the partners and to improve the partnership quality as well as stimulation of the academic- business partnership.Ob3. To increase the cooperation between the partner organisations involved in accounting education and research according to the employer's needs throughout Europe. Ob4. To support the development of innovative ICT-based content, services, pedagogies and practice for lifelong learning as well as to improve pedagogical approaches and the management of adult education organisations.The project intended to bring the following long term benefits: a) Strengthening the collaboration between students, academic staff and business environment in order to transpose the knowledge added value in practice;b) Provides insights into accounting profession in the international employment context; c) Increasing of the employability of the participants through directly getting in touch with international companies.