PROTEUS-6G focuses on the development of advanced packet-optical x-haul networking infrastructure, relying on novel software-programmable photonic-integrated-circuit based subsystems operated under an intelligent software management system, capable of simplifying and optimizing network operations and supporting future ultra-high capacity, low-latency and energy-efficient 6G cellular and cell-free MIMO radio access networks. The targeted innovations will enable efficient utilisation of packet and optical resources (spectral subcarriers and spatial lanes), realizing the vision of flexible functional splits (FFSs), adapting the fronthaul, under dynamically customizable operational conditions, to the network demands, for varying distribution of users, traffic demands and use-cases. To implement the 6G optical-enabled radio-access network, the consortium will develop ultra-low energy (low-pJ/bit), ultra-high capacity (0.8 Tb/s) and fast-reconfigurable (sub-ms) software-programmable solutions (i.e. transceivers, multiplexers and fast optical switches integrating tuneable lasers/filters) based on novel photonic processing/switching schemes, to be reconfigured by an intelligent control plane optimizing the utilization of resources across the front-/mid-/back-haul continuum and reducing unnecessary opto-electronic transitions, thus collectively improving performance while minimizing the environmental impact. The PROTEUS-6G consortium covers the entire value-chain of industry/academia organizations focusing on implementing wireless-optical connectivity solutions. The participating experts possess demonstrated expertise re delivering on their promises as indicated by their research track record and exploitation activities towards commercialization of new products and contributions to standards. Their collective development of the targeted innovations is going to reenforce the European leadership in 6G networks thus paving the way for prosperity of Europe’s economy and society.

In order to keep Research Infrastructures at the highest level of excellence in science, new technologies and solutions must be developed to steer toward a reduced environmental footprint, as it is the case for all domains of our societies. Lowering the environmental impact of digital infrastructures should be a priority as they today contribute 3 to 4% of the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emission in the world and expected to triple from 2020 to 2050. GreenDIGIT brings together 4 major distributed Digital Infrastructures at different lifecycle stages, EGI, SLICES, SoBigData, EBRAINS, to tackle the challenge of environmental impact reduction with the ambition to provide solutions that are reusable across the whole spectrum of digital services on the ESFRI landscape, and play a role model. GreenDIGIT will capture good practices and existing solutions and will develop new technologies and solutions for all aspects of the digital continuum: from service provisioning to monitoring, job scheduling, resources allocation, architecture, workload and Open Science practices, task execution, storage, and use of green energy. GreenDIGIT will deliver these solutions as building blocks, with a reference architecture and guidelines for RIs to lower their environmental footprint. It will include the extension of a workload manager, Virtual Machine Manager, AI/ML training framework, and IoT/5G/network management solutions from 4 participating RIs with new brokering logic to optimize task execution toward low-energy use. User-side tools and Virtual Research Environments will also be expanded with energy usage reporting and reproducibility capabilities to motivate users to apply low-energy practices. The new solutions will be validated through reference scientific use cases from diverse disciplines and will be promoted to providers and users through an active dissemination and training programme, in order to prepare the next generation of Digital RIs with a low environmental footprint.

Overall goal is to use GNSS as an support for IMU to track whole body movements in the wild, for healthcare and wellness applications. The GESTUS proposal aims to address a clear need of movement workers, physicians, physical therapists, and athletic trainers. The need is to have a tool that allows for highly accurate tracking of the kinematics of the human body, for the entire duration of the activity. GESTUS proposes a solution based on the integration of GNSS and IMU within ad-hoc wearable devices, which allow for high accuracy for a long duration of time in the real environment. The solution then consists of an ad-hoc created data processing algorithm and a cloud platform, with associated communication infrastructure, to automate sensor management, data downloading, processing itself, and results fruition, analysis and sharing. The project and the solution it proposes is primarily aimed at remote monitoring of patients with, or potentially affected by, degenerative and neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson's. In such patients, it is very important to monitor with great accuracy the movements of every part of the body, both for possible early diagnosis and to monitor the evolution of the disease, to evaluate the effect of ongoing treatments, and to plan in advance actions to mitigate symptoms.

The EDU-LAB is a comparative European study that systematically examines factors and determinants influencing choices, pathways, and transitions in education and training (E&T) and from E&T to the labour market of young people aged 15-30 years. The focus is on equity and inclusion, and on young people’s participation, progression, and completion of upper secondary and tertiary general education (GE) and professional/vocational education (PVET, at ISCED levels 3-8), as well as on their transitions to and from the labour market. First, EDU-LAB will develop comprehensive models of pathways and transitions per country in the European Education Area (EEA) including their intersectional and largely generic determinants. Second, an efficiency assessment of policies and investments in GE and PVET will be carried out. Third, novel quantitative and qualitative evidence will be provided on how determinants, including policies and investments, contribute to young people’s pathways and transitions, specifically to inclusion and equity, and their participation and completion of GE and PVET. EDU-LAB relies on a mixed-methods approach, with emphasis being placed on secondary quantitative analyses of openly available empirical data and newly collected qualitative empirical data. Specifically, EDU-LAB considers all stakeholders and conducts a systematic literature review, qualitative conceptual analysis, quantitative trend and regression analysis, difference-in-differences analysis, expert interviews and surveys, and qualitative case studies focusing on young people’s voices and based on Research-Practice Partnerships. The following EEA targets are scrutinized: (a) increasing the rate of youth with tertiary education attainment; (b) reducing the share of early leavers from E&T; (c) increasing work-based learning in vocational E&T; (d) increasing the number of students belonging to groups underrepresented in educational fields (e.g., based on gender, ethnic minority, migration, etc.)

This proposal addresses the EU 2020 target that 20% of higher education students should be mobile during their studies. It also addresses similar national policy goals of the countries participating in the proposal. Furthermore the proposal is put forward because of fiscally strained national public resources that require more effective and efficient education systems and services supporting them. Academic recognition in higher education is seen as a challenge in learner mobility and also as a potential area for the improvement of a more efficient education system in general.Currently the recognition of previous studies from another country requires a substantial amount of paper work from the student and also from the universities. Since no integrated IT-system for handling the process exists, different routines and/or judicial frameworks in different countries lead to a need for manual work. One outcome of this labour intensive process is that in many cases the students do not get recognition for previous studies to the extent they are entitled to.This field trial aims at testing new ways to make the administration of student mobility easier and thus promoting higher attainment level to student mobility in higher education and also encouraging more effective recognition of prior learning and avoiding overlapping studies.The recognition of external studies is a key part of the EU 2020 target of student mobility. Enabling easy mobility thus addresses a key function in learner mobility and is a specific, integral and common part which can be supported by ICT- solutions. The recognition of external studies is also a measurable function that can be evaluated.The biggest benefit coming out of this policy project will be the increased availability, quality and reliability of information about student records of achievement information. This will make student mobility processes easier and faster and more transparent for students. Students will also benefit from the recognition of previous academic studies and degrees because of increased eligibility when applying for studies in higher education. University administration will benefit from a reduction of manual work. The trial also supports the collection of measurable data on the rate of recognition that can then be analysed and used for improving the national policies on student mobility and rules for recognition of previous studies.The tangible outcome to be implemented is a working federated solution that supports the exchange of student data on achievements. The solution will be highly scalable and can thus easily be implemented in the whole European community. All institutions of higher education would be able to use the information from countries offering the functionality. The existence of this functionality would create an imperative to an institution to offer its own information to be visible also in the Europe-wide information exchange and hence enhance the recognition of external studies.