NAUTILOS will fill in existing marine observation and modelling gaps through the development of a new generation of cost-effective sensors and samplers for physical (salinity, temperature), chemical (inorganic carbon, nutrients, oxygen), and biological (phytoplankton, zooplankton, marine mammals) essential ocean variables, in addition to micro-/nano-plastics, to improve our understanding of environmental change and anthropogenic impacts related to aquaculture, fisheries, and marine litter. Newly developed marine technologies will be integrated with different observing platforms and deployed through the use of novel approaches in a broad range of key environmental settings (e.g. from shore to deep-sea deployments) and EU policy-relevant applications: - Fisheries & Aquaculture Observing Systems, - Platforms of Opportunity demonstrations, - Augmented Observing Systems demonstration, - Demonstrations on ARGO Platform, - Animal-borne Instruments. The fundamental aim of the project will be to complement and expand current European observation tools and services, to obtain a collection of data at a much higher spatial resolution and temporal regularity and length than currently available at the European scale, and to further enable and democratise the monitoring of the marine environment to both traditional and non-traditional data users. The principles that underlie the NAUTILOS project will be those of the development, integration, validation and demonstration of new cutting-edge technologies with regards to sensors, interoperability and embedding skills. The development will always be guided by the objectives of scalability, modularity, cost-effectiveness and open-source availability of software and data products produced. NAUTILOS will also provide full and open data feed towards well-established portals and data integrators (EMODnet, CMEMS, JERICO).

UNVEIL aims to transform the diagnostics and preservation of cultural heritage by developing and applying innovative NonDestructive Evaluation (NDE) techniques and advanced digital tools for diagnostics, conservation, and public engagement. The project addresses key challenges in cultural heritage preservation by focusing on two main objectives: a) enhancing surface and subsurface analysis of multilayered and 3D artworks through advanced NDE techniques, such as terahertz imaging, thermography, and ultrasonics; and b) integrating and visualising multimodal NDE data using data fusion, augmented reality, and digital twins to provide a holistic understanding of artworks’ condition and structure. To achieve these goals, UNVEIL brings together 21 partners from academia, industry, and cultural institutions in a highly interdisciplinary consortium. Research will be carried out by 12 Doctoral Candidates within a structured training programme combining cutting-edge research, hands-on experience, and cross-sectoral collaboration. Specific innovations include super-resolution terahertz imaging and advanced ultrasonic and thermographic methods tailored for cultural heritage. The development of digital twins and augmented-reality tools will enhance collaboration among conservation professionals and engage the public through interactive exhibits. UNVEIL aligns with the Horizon Europe Work Programme by addressing cultural heritage preservation challenges and promoting digital transformation in the cultural sector. It contributes to European innovation by fostering collaboration between engineering and humanities, advancing NDE methods, and training a new generation of researchers equipped to bridge these fields. By improving conservation practices, enriching public accessibility, and supporting sustainable cultural heritage management, UNVEIL has significant scientific, societal, and economic relevance.

The collaborative economy is an economic model that turns consumers into producers (prosumers). Collaborative economy platforms increasingly cover important sectors of the economy such as peer-to-peer (P2P) accommodation, passenger transport, or collaborative finance. P2P accommodation occurs when individuals offer, in exchange for money, a room or an entire house for short-term accommodation. Companies such as Airbnb or HomeAway have been able to increase the supply of rooms for people to stay in, without the need to create new assets or increase the number of human resources in the company. By enabling regular homeowners to lease unused space, and by providing a marketplace where consumers can easily reach this space, these companies have disrupted the hospitality market and given rise to an informal tourism accommodation sector. These platforms allow citizens to earn revenue from underutilised space and, at the same time, access affordable accommodation when travelling. Conversely, by removing property from the long-term rental market, P2P accommodation platforms contribute to rent price increases, as supply and demand diverge. Neighbourhood dynamics are also disrupted by the arrival of tourists. All these complex implications have attracted scholars’ interest and there are currently plenty of research projects about these topics. Nevertheless, limited attention has so far been given to the production of academic curricula covering the many and varied implications for business and society. EU businesses should increase their competitiveness by aligning their skills and operations according to innovative business models. In terms of skills and competences, there is a clear discordance between the research conducted on the topic and academic learning materials within the partner countries. While there are a significant number of researchers working on collaborative economy issues – thus recognising their relevance – these research interest and skills are still not being translated into academic modules/professional training courses. The main aim of this project is the creation of modules to fill the knowledge gap about the collaborative economy, particularly in business, economics, management and tourism disciplines. While these disciplines may in some cases address the digitalisation of economic activity, they fail to comprehend the concept of the collaborative economy and all the consequences arising from its steep growth. To achieve this, the following objectives have been identified:● To analyse the workings and characteristics of successful P2P providers (e.g. Airbnb, HomeAway, Booking.com, FairBnb, CouchSurfing, and HomeExchange), and to identify and analyse the role of innovative intermediaries (start-ups) within the market (e.g. UnderTheDoormat, HostMaker). ● To examine the social, economic and ethical implications that arise from the use of P2P accommodation platforms in different European countries (e.g. impact on traditional accommodation market sector, housing prices, neighbourhoods, consumption patterns, etc.). ● To design curricula and provide guidance for educators on the use of the learning resources. ● To disseminate the educational materials in the countries of the involved partners and in the wider EU.This project will create both academic modules at Masters level and Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) about different aspects of the collaborative economy. The educational materials will support the European agenda for Higher Education Reform by participating in mutually beneficial partnerships between EU higher education institutions and the industry through collaboration with the European Holiday Home Association (EHHA). The project targets HE graduates who want to get involved in the collaborative economy, as well as the general public, since a shorter version of the postgraduate modules will be available open source in MOOC format through the eLearning platform Future Learn. The project will include a collation of scholarship on the collaborative economy, as well as a sector-based analysis of the P2P accommodation by using a mixed-methods approach (e.g. questionnaire survey, interview, case study analysis, etc.). Surveys and interviews with key stakeholders will be used to analyse the workings and impacts of P2P accommodation platforms. Students will be able to critically analyse both business opportunities and the impact the collaborative economy, with a special focus on P2P accommodation. The European Commission (2016) has set an agenda for the collaborative economy to explore these issues to be better informed and finalise the discussion towards shaping a regulatory framework. Therefore, this project will also help to inform policy makers at local and EU level.ReferenceEuropean Commission (2016a), “A European agenda for the collaborative economy”, available at http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-16-2002_en.htm