Collaborative Projects
CLIMATE-KIC EDUCATION
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Overview
Climate-KIC, the Knowledge and Innovation Community (KIC), is an initiative of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) to drive innovation in the area of climate change through integrated and creative partnerships between business, academic and public institutions. Launched in December 2009, just one week after the 15th session of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change(UNFCCC)Conference of Parties in Copenhagen, Climate-KIC is now well established with coordination centres in Paris (France), London (UK), Zurich (Switzerland), Berlin (Germany), Randstad (the Netherlands), and a regional centre located in Brussels (Belgium).
UVSQ
As one of Climate-KIC’s core partners and European leaders in higher learning and research for the Environment, Climate and Sustainable Development, the UVSQ hosts the operational capacity for implementing eLearning support systems and services for the Climate-KIC’s Education Group. The eLearning activities are lead by Martin O’Connor, the Director of REEDS.
REEDS’ Role
REEDS is dedicated to research on socio-economic and ecological systems. For the past ten years, REEDS has conducted research in the field of new multimedia interfaces for scientists, decision makers, industry and citizens, and on the use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT) as efficient tools for exchanges between stakeholders in sustainable development, learning and education.
Themes & business areas
Climate-KIC aims to significantly accelerate innovation transformation to a low-carbon economy, and to ensure Europe benefits from new technologies, company growth and jobs. This will be achieved by supporting ideas for innovations in four areas:
- Water, food, and integrated land use
- Urban systems and mobility
- Low-carbon energy systems and sustainable production
- Climate change assessment and monitoring
Ideas for innovation from these four themes will come to market via the Climate-KIC’s four business areas:
- Education : Develops future climate entrepreneurs and change agents through higher & continuing education programmes.
- Innovations: creates promising new collaborations and managers an integrated network of community partnerships and new projects.
- Pathfinder: identifies markets and creates necessary framework improvements for removing systematic obstacles to climate innovations
- Entrepreneurs: Builds networks to connect and support the wider climate entrepreneurship community.
"We create the next generation of entrepreneurs and change agents"
Education programmes
To develop future climate-change innovators, entrepreneurs and change agents the Education group will offer a diverse range of programmes including:
- EIT-certified post-graduate programmes for Master and Doctoral students from partner institutions
- Postdoctoral researchers working on innovation projects
- Professional development courses in Climate Change
- Short courses open to the general public in Climate Innovation
- An integrated Alumni Foundation
- E-enabled learning environments for all the above programmes (REEDS)
ICT Tools
The post-graduate programmehas the aim to create the next generation of climate-change innovators and entrepreneurs via one-year “Scholar” programmes to master students and three-year “Fellow” programmes to PhD students and post-doctoral researchers. The first step in this programme is a six-week Contextual Learning Journey (CLJ) where students learn about the many facets of mitigating and adapting to climate change and, in particular, how to make business cases from arising opportunities. One of the annual site visits is organized by Econoving, the International Chair in “Generating Eco-Innovation” located at the UVSQ. The CLJ culminates in a business case competition in which the winner receives seed money to start their venture.
The Climate-KIC “Student Portal” is a collaborative learning environment that has been created (by REEDS) to support the Climate-KIC’s EIT-certified post-graduate programme. It combines the functionality of social networking with collaboration and communication tools.
Other ICT tools to be created include:
- ePresence Technology Network
- NewsReel
- On-line Educational Resources Platform
- Open Archives
- Partner Profiles
- Virtual Exchange Community
- Virtual Innovations Fair
Project launched in december 2009, flyer published in october 2011
Project launched in december 2009, flyer published in october 2011