The SWIFTS project aims to develop innovative methods for combining big data, derived from satellite Earth observation, and hydrodynamic simulations to improve flood inundation modelling at local to regional scales. The project focuses on urban and peri-urban areas and relies on the advanced exploitation of SAR, optical and topography data to characterise complex inundation flows. The main motivation is to simultaneously improve observed and simulated products via advanced machine learning and data assimilation methods in order to reduce related uncertainties. SWIFTS will therefore contribute to tackle three main scientific challenges: (i) to improve topography and model friction parameterization in hydrodynamic models via the advanced use of photogrammetry, interferometry and land-use classification on images mainly provided by the Pleiades and Sentinel satellite missions, (ii) to further develop SAR image classification algorithms, including machine learning and interferometry techniques, for flood extent mapping in urban and peri-urban areas as well as exclusion area mapping where the SAR data doesn’t enable floodwater detection, (iii) to further develop methods for assimilating flood extent maps into hydrodynamic model as front information, probabilistic and binary flood maps along with the exclusion layers. SWIFTS will rely on big data and high performance computing for machine learning, high resolution hydrodynamic modelling and ensemble-based data assimilation. To embrace both local and regional scales a traditional high-resolution hydrodynamic modelling approach will be complemented with a larger scale modelling approach including porosity concepts. To demonstrate and evaluate the developed approaches, the project will use as test cases a well-gauged French basin and a more poorly-gauged Cambodian basin where most part of the information will come from satellite Earth observation.

This project aims to generate major breakthroughs in the quantification of ecosystem services provided by biodiversity in agro-ecosystems in the lower Mekong basin, a region facing dramatic environmental and societal changes. In this region, paddy fields appear as mosaics owing to the presence of mounds built by termites. While these structures seem comparable to hedgerows or bocage areas in temperate ecosystems, their impacts on the sustainability of agricultural systems and the livelihood of farmers remain unknown. Therefore, ECO-TERM project proposes to characterize and quantify the ecological (e.g., impact on animal and plant biodiversity), environmental (e.g., impact on soil and water dynamic, pesticide utilization, rice resistance and production) as well as socio-economical processes (e.g., impact on food security, human health, and farmer’s incomes) impacted by these patches of biodiversity and fertility in Cambodia, in adequacy with the axis 1.6 and the Sustainable Development Goals n°1, 2, 3, 8, 12, 13, 15 and 17. This project is built around 3 inter-connected scientific work packages (WPs) and on a WP dedicated to the coordination of cross-cutting activities and the co-construction of knowledge by making farmers and scientists interact within participatory workshops. This project brings together 5 French academic partners and self-funded research units in Cambodia, one local NGO, and one society specialized in the utilization of participatory modelling and role playing games. It requires the recruitment of a PhD student, with transversal activities between WP, and a postdoc for two years (only one year requested to ANR) for the construction of econometric models.

Internationalisation is one of the pressing issues for South-East Asian HEIs: Mission & Vision statements, as well as Strategic Plans confirm the strong will of the HEIs in the Region to strive for Internationalisation for the sake of students & graduates. Ministerial & Regional policy documents, too, advocate Internationalisation as priority for individual countries & the Region.What HEIs & policymakers lack are the core Recognition Mechanisms:- RM1 Regional Subject-Specific Qualifications & Assessment Reference Frameworks,- RM2 Measuring Full Volume of Student Workload as part of Programme Planning, &- RM3 Authentic Assessment of Programme Learning Outcomes.To address this gap, CALOHEA brings together 26 HEIs from 8 SEA Countries (Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand & Vietnam), AUN-ACTS Network, AUN & 5 EU partners highly experienced in creating & helping HEIs adopt the 3 core RMs. University of Groningen & ASEAN University Network act as Project Coordinators &, together with all the Partners, will work to achieve the following:- create & install RM1-3 in 3 pilot areas – Civil Engineering (a door to the Engineering sector), Medicine (a door to the Health sector) & Teacher Education (a door to Social Sciences)- train Teams of Champions for Recognition & Internationalisation in 26 SEA HEIs- reach out to all ASEAN & many more SEA HEIs to encourage regional adoption of the 3 RMs &, thus, help any SEA HEI in Internationalisation efforts.Students & graduates will be direct beneficiaries, since RM1-3 will considerably facilitate mobility & employment. HEIs & their academic & administrative staff will be equipped with the tools to achieve higher level of Internationalisation. Policymakers, &the Region as a whole, will obtain the foundational tools and the Champions necessary to make a serious step forward in articulating a common HE Space and increase mobility among the SEA countries, as well as between SEA and other world regions

There is a growing interconnectedness and rise in cooperation between societies and machines, a cooperation meant to serve and be adapted to humans and not the other way around. It is changing how global challenges may be met: climate change, urbanisation, energy efficiency and optimisation, sustainability. Smart and sustainable cities (SSCs) are heralded as a possible, significant means to face these challenges. A more efficient urban metabolism requires a better understanding of the concept of sustainability, ecology and social coherence, amongst other things. This is also where the educational challenge lays and what makes the industry and public authorities so interested in finding employees that have the potential to manage broad solutions and complex ecosystems. In this context, the SCALE project will develop an innovative ecosystem in Asia consisting of:- Micro-courses/micro-credentials to train Theoretical, Natural, Engineering, Computer Science and Information Technologies graduates to address the new challenges posed by the ever-increasing needs for environmental awareness, energy efficiency and concerns posed by urbanisation and technological developments. The micro-courses will introduce innovative elements to the existing curricula. - Professionals’ courses / MOOCs, introducing dual learning systems bridging tertiary studies with upper secondary VET to boost graduates' employability. - Practical training schemes, internships, and study of real-life cases in business and industry.- Capacity building workshops for academic, technical, and administrative staff to support HEIs to develop and implement the institutional reforms.- Knowledge triangle integration, establishing new collaborations and enhancing the nature, content and types of partnerships with businesses, regional authorities, research organisations, governmental bodies, NGOs and other societal partners.- Exchange of good practices through enhanced networking and mutual learning.

Today, more than ever the availability and management of water resources are the key issues for the socio-economic development and its impact. We need new solutions to managing water resources to offset the rising challenges to water security from population growth and climate change. Especially vulnerable to this point are countries in Southeast of Asia (SEA), which face severe challenges related to environmental dangers, and their situation will worsen due to current climate change predictions. Thus, these countries need competent and knowledgeable water professionals, who can lead the modernisation of water resources management and guarantee their sustainable socio-economic development, a priority in SEA.Currently, existent Master- and PhD programs in the field of water, environment, and natural resources are unequally implemented and they are based on traditional teaching methodologies that form old-school professionals.To this end, InowAsia will transfer to participating EU HEIs the knowledge and experience available about the implementation of innovative master programmes onto water resources management field. The main idea is to jointly design an innovative training programme based on modular and flexible water resources combining the on-line and problem-based methodology to complement some of the existing postgraduate programs, and also to co-design and implement water-oriented living labs in the campus of each PC HEI. As a result, a new generation of Asian leading professionals in the field of water will be incorporated into the water labour market, with a global view of the sector challenges, a strong background in sustainable water management, but with a specific approach to the local demands.This project aims to create an International multilevel network of postgraduate students, professors and water professionals to reinforce postgraduate curricula in critical economic aspects related to water in SEA, including innovative knowledge.