e-Αegean R&D Network
The 2.5 years project provides a total of 27 fellowships to researchers at PhD (20) and postdoctoral (7) level. It also employs experienced teachers from within the institution and external research staff with academic or technical expertise. Specifically, the twelve actions employ, in addition to the fellows, 42 members of research teaching staff, 6 members of specialized teaching staff, 5 members of specialized technical laboratory staff and 55 external collaborators, of whom 13 are postgraduate students.
A New Research Infrastructure of the University of the Aegean
The University of the Aegean is the robust pillar of knowledge production, innovation and education in the Aegean islands, implementing this project. The "R&D Network in Aegean Archipelago: Supporting Regional Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Excellence" (e-Aegean Research and Development Network) is a research infrastructure that is being developed in parallel in departments of the University of the Aegean. By research infrastructure, we mean all the animate and inanimate material that constitutes this project, which aims to contribute to supporting innovation, promoting research, encouraging entrepreneurship, improving knowledge transfer, and attracting young researchers to the labor market. In this context, it embraces mature, research ideas from the laboratories of the University of the Aegean Departments. It trains talented young men and women with knowledge and critical thinking to become a catalyst for change, progress, and modernization of society.
At the same time, it develops logistical infrastructure, upgrades laboratories with high-tech equipment, while ensuring the dissemination of knowledge, by investing in actions that promote research results to the public. Furthermore, it builds partnerships with cultural institutions, public organizations, local government, civil society organizations, business representatives and other research centers, promoting synergy between them and the three-pronged approach “University, Local-Regional Development and Entrepreneurship”. The research methodologies are applied in the local headquarters of the departments of each action, with a direct positive impact on the local communities.
Tourism
Tourism is the “heavy industry” of Greece, especially in the Aegean region, while at the same time, it is one of the sectors of the “Smart Specialization” strategy. Through its actions, the project strengthens tourism, adds innovative features, and promotes cooperation between research infrastructures and businesses, in order to develop the tourism experience in the Aegean.
Cultural Heritage
Cultural heritage and culture are the basic “primary product” of the Aegean Islands. The aim of the project’s actions is the development of tools and an innovative physical or virtual space for the cooperation of all stakeholders to preserve and promote cultural heritage.
Cutting-edge technologies
Cutting-edge technologies, the new possibilities they offer and the challenges they open up are a key tool for data analysis, learning, collaboration between research infrastructures and businesses and organizations, and the development of new products and services. The project exploits Research and Technology as key components for the development and for changing the model of the economy of the Aegean Islands and Greece.
E-learning
Learning using technological applications opens new horizons in knowledge production and dissemination, skills development and specialization. Through the project’s research activities, digital learning applications, infrastructures for monitoring and evaluation of the educational process, Virtual and Augmented Reality technologies are emerging as the spearheads for knowledge production and innovation.
Innovative Development & Entrepreneurship
The broader objective of the project is to contribute to regional development by supporting innovation, promoting research, encouraging entrepreneurship, improving knowledge transfer, and attracting young researchers to the labor market. The research actions support the smart specialization strategy in the North and South Aegean and the improvement of their regional innovation capacity.