The vision of PaaSword is to maximize and fortify the trust of individual, professional and corporate customers to Cloud -enabled services and applications, to safeguard both corporate and personal sensitive data stored on Cloud infrastructures and Cloud-based storage services, and to accelerate the adoption of Cloud computing technologies and paradigm shift from the European industry. Thus, PaaSword will introduce a holistic data privacy and security by design framework enhanced by sophisticated context-aware policy access models and robust policy access, decision, enforcement and governance mechanisms, which will enable the implementation of secure and transparent Cloud-based applications and services that will maintain a fully distributed and totally encrypted data persistence layer, and, thus, will foster customers' data protection, integrity and confidentiality, even in the case wherein there is no control over the underlying third-party Cloud resources utilized. In particular, PaaSword intends not only to adopt the CSA Cloud security principles, but also to extend them by capitalizing on recent innovations on (a) distributed encryption and virtual database middleware technologies that introduce a scalable secure Cloud database abstraction layer combined with sophisticated distribution and encryption methods into the processing and querying of data stored in the Cloud; (b) context-aware access control that incorporate the dynamically changing contextual information into novel group policies implementing configurable context-based access control policies and context-dependent access rights to the stored data at various different levels; and (c) policy governance, modelling and annotation techniques that allows application developers to specify an appropriate level of protection for the application’s data, while the evaluation of whether an incoming request should be granted access to the target data takes dynamically place during application runtime.

Enabling sustainability and energy efficient operations (EEO) is a target priority for policy-makers as 23% of CO2 emissions globally is attributed to business operations. However, SMEs and their employees lack the knowledge to implement such practices and achieve EEO due to lack of proper market oriented curricula offered by higher education institutions (HEI) that will enable the emergence of graduates suitable to tackle EEO concepts. Still, scientific/academic knowledge by HEI can provide solutions for this matter. Alternatively, the industry provides the realistic setting where scientific knowledge can be applied. However, to be effective, Industry-Academia collaborations should be based on mutual trust, commitment and knowledge exchange/sharing. One way of achieving this ‘open communication’ between academics and the industry, is through co-creation which is the cornerstone of open innovation practices in today’s industry. For example, through co-creation, academia can gain useful input from industry, that will eventually lead to more market oriented curriculum and better prepared graduates capable to implement EEO. Hence, open innovation and co-creation between academia and industry/SMEs will highly increase HEI's capacity of producing graduates capable of being next generation leaders in EEO.To this end, the proposed project: Training for Energy Efficient Operations (TrainERGY) responded to the identified need by aiming to develop an innovative, evidence-based transnational teaching framework that would markedly improve the knowledge and skills of HEIs to produce more marked oriented EEO curricula, reducing the barriers in this field. The specific objectives of TrainERGY were to: 1.Establish transnational open collaboration between HEIs and SMEs across EU in order to address existing training needs in EEO.2.Co-create EEO curricula with input from the industry/SMEs.3.Develop, implement and validate an innovative, evidence-based virtual learning environment (VLE) based on an already developed energy efficiency training tool where feedback from multiple stakeholders (academics, students, industry) will be evaluated and incorporated into the EEO curriculum in an open innovation and co-creation manner.4.Define an open-innovation and co-creation framework that will enable a proper development of EEO curricula. The project started within a consortium of 8 partners, however after withdrawal of one of the organisations, it comprised 7 partners (3 universities, 1 academic research centre, 2 SMEs and 1 SME association) from different sectors and countries (Poland, UK, Greece and Italy).There were 4 intellectual outputs realised within the project:1.IO1 “Energy Efficient Operations Training Needs Specialization”2.IO2 “Energy Efficient Operations Curriculum Development”3.IO3 “Energy Efficient Operations Virtual Learning Environment through Open Innovation and Co-creation”4.IO4 “Transnational Knowledge Transfer Partnerships for Energy Efficient Operations Curriculum Co-Creation and Peer-Training”The results and impact of the project on the participants and participating organisations included:1.Development of questionnaire and conducting a survey among enterprises, resulting in the training needs analysis and its specialization.2.Preparation of Skill matrix development methodology. 3.Development of Skill matrix, including initial version of national skill matrixes; feedback on piloted skill matrixes and updated national skill matrixes.4.Elaboration of energy efficient operations curriculum development framework5.Development of 3 master level EEO curriculum (including course descriptions following the ECTS requirements) with additional materials, such as:a.3 sets of lecture and exercises materials, self-study references, test questions and answers, b.14 case studies, c.19 good practices,d.templates to be used during the courses.6.Elaboration of energy efficient operations curriculum development framework7.Development of 3 master level EEO curriculum (including course descriptions following the ECTS requirements) with additional materials, such as:a.3 sets of lecture and exercises materials, self-study references, test questions and answers, b.14 case studies, c.19 good practices,d.templates to be used during the courses.8.Development of the VLE comprising the analysis tool and didactical material developed within IO2 and making it accessible for the users under: https://www.trainergy-project.eu/language/en/virtual-learning-environment9.Development of open innovation & co-creation framework.10.Development of the training scheme – an exemplification of the open innovation & co-creation framework implementation

THE CONTEXT:The global logistics market is rapidly progressing to digital, intelligent and sustainable solutions, amounting to more than 1000 billion EUR by 2025 (Transport Systems Catapult, 2016). Digital, intelligent and sustainable logistics (DISL) is important in order to increase safety and tackle Europe's growing emissions and congestion problems; make processes within supply chains more efficient and sustainable; enable the proper integration of nowadays society in the next-generation Industry 4.0 context.THE PROBLEM:Higher education institutions (HEIs) do not have the accurate means to tackle the existing need as the current curricula focus more on general logistics and supply chain management rather than specific DISL related issues. In addition, the Logistics Performance Index (LPI) classifies Poland (31th), Slovenia (39th) and Greece (44th) among 167 evaluated countries (https://lpi.worldbank.org/). The biggest identified shortcoming is lack of holistic approach to the field of logistics, especially when considering the incorporation of intelligent and sustainable aspects into SCM. Weakness is also effectiveness of the implementation of these approaches in practice. In particular, there is a need to transfer contemporary concepts into business to further enhance the effectiveness of the SCM. The latter especially emphasizes the role of HEIs in the field of SCM.TRANSNATIONAL SOLUTION & METHOD:To this end, NEXTLOG responds to the above need by aiming to develop an innovative, transnational framework that will improve the knowledge and skills of academic institutions to produce more market/oriented DISL curricula, reducing the barriers in this field. The project consortium comprises key academics, industry related associations, public organisations and companies from diversified sectors who will co-create the envisaged DISL curriculum and will pilot it through an open innovation and co-creation virtual learning environment (VLE). This outcome is directly pertinent to quadruple helix-academia cooperation for innovation and best practices with respect to DISL, and can also support policy reform in this area, leading to more prepared graduates ready for the labour market. NEXTLOG also follows up the recent plans of the EU to promote improved, efficient and clean operations by 2050 and is also relevant to the EU2020 targets for R&D, climate change, energy efficiency, entrepreneurship and social cohesion. This makes NEXTLOG directly relevant to the current objectives of the participating organisations. The need for a transnational pan-EU approach on this matter is critical in order to overcome the pan-EU skill gaps and confirmed by: EU Commission’ report on Intelligent Transportation Roadmap (2016); EU Commissions New Skill Agenda for Europe (2016); WEF Report on Graduate Skills (2016); CEDEFOP’s report on Environmental & Digital Skill Promotion (2016); EU Commission’s JRC Report on 2035 Sustainable Economy (2015); EU’s EPALE platform report on Sustainable Business Skills (2017).AIM:NEXTLOG responds to this need by aiming to develop an innovative, evidence-based transnational framework that will markedly improve the knowledge and skills of HEIs to produce more labour market oriented DISL curricula, reducing the barriers in this field by:• Establishing a transnational collaboration (via open innovation and co-creation) across EU in order to address (at a large scale) existing training needs in DISL• Co-creating DISL curricula (with ECTS accreditation)• Developing an innovative, evidence-based virtual learning environment (VLE) with a built-in decision support system (supporting economic, environmental and social modelling of DISL)• Organising three transnational mobility sessions with DISL quadruple helix stakeholdersIMPACT:NEXTLOG enhances providers’ & quadruple helix stakeholders' capacity to produce more market oriented DISL curricula. This outcome is pertinent to co-operation for innovation and best practices with respect to DISL, and can support policy reform in this area, leading to more prepared workforce for the DISL market.Also, NEXTLOG enables transnational DISL skill development/ learning mobility leading to DISL homogeneity in EU. Overall, NEXTLOG supports: EU Transport (2050); EU2020 targets for R&D, climate change and energy efficiency, E+ priorities by offering internationalized life-long-learning, quality education through industrial engagement, and promoting creative thinking via the proposed DISL curriculum with ECTS accreditation. Key quantitative measurements include: 50 staff involved in mobility events; 350 users of the VLE, 350 registered users on the DISL e-learning courses, 170 participants in the multiplier evens, 30 000 people reached overall by the project dissemination.

Nowadays NGOs workers as well as people with which they cooperate, either employees, members or volunteers, encounter a wide range of difficulties related to the lack of basic knowledge in recent and highly relevant digital spheres. ATSIV - a project with the main purpose to increase the professional competences of NGOs workers, has resulted in the development of a Training Game that provides an open access online platform of training. The ATSIV Game is an innovative and rather interesting tool to enhance NGOs workers skills. It ensures professional development needed for the nonprofit sector by play and personal study. The content of Game reveals explicit issues of the NGOs workers professional activity, which is comprehensively outlined in the three topics such as: Digital Marketing, Crowd-funding and Networking. The ATSIV Game was made in a manner that keeps the attention of the player, so it is not difficult to concentrate on materials that Game is aimed to convey. ATSIV provides also a virtual learning environment which includes a course on Digital Marketing. It allows the participants to learn and acquire skills in Communication, Social Media and Online Advertising, all tailored to the needs of NGO workers. The course provides a robust set of learner-centric functionalities in a user-friendly way with an uncomplicated interface and easy functionality. As an virtual learning environment, ATSIV is accessible anytime, anywhere. It is also compatible with any browser and any access device, ensuring that all its page elements and functionalities are complete and arranged as the original page design.In general, during the project, the following main activities have been undertaken:IO1 – Training needs analysis of adult NGO workers’ skills (skills matrix) and benchmarking of best practices in adult learning/teaching were collected and recorded.IO2 - Co-creation of a game based curriculum for adult NGO workers IO3 - Development of a virtual learning environment (VLE) to enable continuous quadruple helix co-creation of the game based curriculum and best practices (also ensuring multi-stakeholder validation of the resources) 5 Multiplier events 3 short term joint staff training/mobility events (TCGP) for game-based curriculum co-creation tool placeFocus groups in 4 countries were conducted with different stakeholders, foundations and public officials but also journalists and representatives of private companies (via their CSR departments), providing their comments and feedback on the ATSIV game and VLE. 4 Transnational project meetings (Greece, Romania, Thessaloniki, Greece) took place during the project’s lifetime.Overall, the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) created has drawn significant attention to the respective communities with more than 935 single users. Within the VLE a great variety of additional resources have been included both educating and informing visitors on issues related to the NPO ecosystem, managing an NPO, etc as well as the more specific issues covered by the project: digital marketing, crowd-funding and networking. the online game, has already impacted the community of Non-profits across the four participating countries, with more results already tangible in Greece and Poland in which there are partners that act as hubs for NPOs. More than 1,562 people, representatives of NPOs, have utilized the game further disseminating the results of the project.In addition, the project has contributed to build up the collaboration between the partners and other stakeholders (policy makers, various (private) associations and universities) by bringing them together to the focus groups. Additionally, stakeholders participating in the focus groups were engaged in the project through significantly contributing to the creation of the training needs analysis, on which the curriculum and the gaming platform were based upon. During all three Transnational Co-Creation & Game Pilot (TCGP) organized in Greece, Bulgaria and Poland, participants representing a wide variety of roles within the wider NGO ecosystem consisted of Program Managers, Research Associates, Project Officers, Assistants Managers, Head of IT Departments, Senior lecturers and Legal Experts, through questionnaires and focus groups, evaluated the impact of the pilot game in general and more specifically the user experience of the game and the educational material included in the pilot game.In terms of impact within partners there was an overall enhancement of knowledge and cooperation initiatives between them. Since the initiation of the project there has been more collaboration, mainly in terms of common proposals in EU projects, among various partners. Furthermore, cooperation initiatives in terms of academic research has been recorded with two academic articles being co-authored by different partners (SNSPA and UoP, UoP with SNSPA and Umbrella) while some additional ones being currently under discussion.