PROJECTS

Student innovation labs – a way to sustainable and socially responsible growth (INNOLABS)

INNOLABS Erasmus +

The EU has defined smart and sustainable growth as one of the priorities (EU Strategy 2020).An essential part for reaching these priorities is innovation. The aim of the INNOLABS project is to support transfer of creative, bottom-up innovation approaches for fostering smart and sustainable growth based on more experienced partners’ knowledge in the Netherlands and Denmark.

Project aim is to create student innovation laboratories in the project partner universities – Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences in Latvia, Estonian Academy of Arts in Estonia and Cyprus University of Technology, Cyprus.

Project duration:

September 2014 – August 2016

There are following activities in the project:

1) Study visits;

2) Feasibility studies about innovation conditions in partner universities in Latvia, Estonia and Cyprus;

3) Elaboration of development plans for innovation laboratories in Latvia, Estonia and Cyprus partner universities;

4) Student co-creation projects in the newly established innovation labs in Latvia, Estonia and Cyprus;

5) Development of methodologies and guidelines for innovation labs;

6) Different dissemination activities.

Project is implemented by the lead partner “Foundation for Society” (Latvia) in cooperation with project partners Stichting NHL (The Netherlands), Alborg University (Denmark), Cyprus University of Technology (Cyprus), Interfusion Services (Cyprus), Estonian Academy of Arts (Estonia) and Stockholm Environmetnal Institute Tallinn Centre (Estonia) and Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (Latvia).

The other partners who represent countries with lower innovation capacities (Latvia, Estonia and Cyprus) want to learn from this experience, test the approaches and establish similar labs in their countries, making long-term, interesting and innovative projects and businesses which are sustainable, socially responsible and are recognizable in the region where the innovation model is operating.

Project homepage

Meeting in Italy

Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (ViA) representative Marija Katrīna Dambe went to the meeting and work seminar in Italy from January 29 to February 2, 2024 to agree with the partners on the next steps to be taken within the project. It is planned that, ViA together with the organization "Free Riga" will prepare a road map of the training program for the reuse of abandoned and uninhabited buildings.

The activities are implemented by the Erasmus+ project “Building Alternative Skills to Implement Creativities and Commons, No. 101111802” and are co-financed from the European Union budget.

Project progress presentation in France

In the period from 12.12.23. -15.12.23. ViA representative Linda Murane went to the Frence, Rennes to meet BASICC project partners from France, Belgium, Italy and Germany. During the meeting, the work done within the first work package was presented.

The activities are implemented by the Erasmus+ project “Building Alternative Skills to Implement Creativities and Commons, No. 101111802” and are co-financed from the European Union budget.

Common tour

In November, representatives of ViA together with the organization "Free Riga" went on an experience exchange tour to get to know each other and better understand the experiences and needs in the restoration of abandoned and uninhabited places. ViA together with Free Riga visited and studied experiences in Riga, Līgatne and Cēsis.

The activities are implemented by the Erasmus+ project “Building Alternative Skills to Implement Creativities and Commons, No. 101111802” and are co-financed from the European Union budget.

Meeting in Brussels

From 11.10.23.-13.10.23. Linda Murāne went to Brussels, where with the organization "Free Riga" and other project partners, she had the opportunity to "step into the shoes of French students" and participate in a training session with the aim of getting to know the experience of creating Brussels communes in uninhabited buildings. During the meeting, it was discussed that the creation of communes in abandoned buildings often has a negative connotation due to its specific subculture, but in fact it is one of the ways that can solve the housing crisis and find temporary housing for people who need it.

During the experience visit, it was learned that each commune has its own administrative model, which solves the daily situations of the community and promotes the development of projects in cooperation with municipalities. Through the projects, it is possible to organize various events to help people who are in a crisis situation, and often a large number of artists are located in the communes and it is a great platform to promote business and get the necessary support. The French students attended the training session to obtain the certificate, but the BASICC project partners attended to familiarize themselves with the course and structure of the training, so that the knowledge gained could then be integrated into their own country context.

The activities are implemented by the Erasmus+ project “Building Alternative Skills to Implement Creativities and Commons, No. 101111802” and are co-financed from the European Union budget.