Paola Velardi, Università La Sapienza di Roma, Dipartimento di Informatica / DigiLab, Fostering innovation through Education and Research @ NEM Summit 2014, TISP workshop

1. Lazio Cultural Heritage Technology District
The CENTER OF EXCELLENCE project
Fostering innovation
through Education and Research
Prof. Paola Velardi
Dipartimento di Informatica / DigiLab

2. Outline
• Diglab
• Cultural Heritage Technology District (DCT):
Motivations and objectives
• DCT Lazio: structure and projects
• DCT: Center of Exellence
• Timeline
• How does this relate to TISP policy
recommendations
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3. DigiLab – Sapienza Università di Roma
DigiLab is an Interdepartmental Center for research
and services at the University of Roma Sapienza.
120 researchers and 8 Sapienza Departments
participate in DigiLab
COMPETENCES: Ancient world studies; Art history and
performing arts; Classic and modern studies; Communication and
Social Research; Computer, Control and Management
engineering; Computer Science; Document studies, linguistics
and geography; European, American and intercultural studies;
History, cultures, religions; Information Engineering, Electronics
and Telecommunications; Philosophy; Statistical Sciences.
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5. CULTURAL HERITAGE
DISTRICTS: MOTIVATIONS
AND OBJECTIVES
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6. Districts and Cultural Heritage:
the EU framework
“Commission considers it necessary to develop
knowledge networks between research
institutes, universities and public and private
monitoring units, in close cooperation with
regional and national authorities”
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and
Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions
Europe, the world's No 1 tourist destination – a new political framework for tourism in Europe
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=COM:2010:0352:FIN:EN:PDF
Previous experiences (2013): Creative Wallonia in Belgium and
CREATE in Tuscany, Italy.
Aim: aim to demonstrate the transformative power of creative industries
for the rejuvenation of traditional industrial regions.
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7. DTC
The Lazio Cultural Heritage Technology District
It is estimated that Italy
possesses 80% of the
artistic and cultural
heritage of the world.
A vast portion of this
heritage is in Lazio.
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8. Objectives of DCT: Define strategy, prioritize, grow
• Define shared strategies for Research Institutes and
Companies, selecting a small number of large projects
• Exploit economies of scale to achieve excellence in strategic
areas of research and attract private investors
• Promote collaboration and the concentration of resources
for strategic projects
• Create and exploit research infrastructures and facilities
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9. A stable bridge in the “death valley” (at least in
Italy)
Research
Product
commercialization
Innovation process
Joint programs
Universities DTC
Companies
Crossing the chasm between Labs and Market
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10. DCT: MODEL AND
STRUCTURE
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11. DTC – A model
Public
bodies
Universities
and research
institutes
Cultural
organizations
High Tech
Cultural and
Creative
programs
High Tech
Companies
policy
needs satisfaction
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DTC
Stakeholders
Investors
Organising events and supporting projects that include a
full range of stakeholders: software providers,start-ups,
web and application developers, but also publishers,
content and service providers, aggregators, operators in
the supply chain, standard setting bodies (from both IT and
publishing), etc.

12. The role of public bodies
The local, national and European public system
• provides financial support
• includes the district strategies into wider
development programs
• promotes dialogue with other local and global
systems
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13. DCT: structure
• Three (cooperating) sectors:
– Industrial District
– Technological District
– Cultural District
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14. SHARING is key to success
• Previous district experiences, even when industry,
academia and public bodies are included, is
“homophyly” (academia preferably talks with
academia, industry with industry..)
• Here the target is to “support the sharing of
codified knowledge and contextual (tacit)
knowledge, creating an «industrial atmosphere»
(Marshall 1919)
• Design an infrastructure in which sharing &
cooperation is the inspiring principle, since the
very beginning
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15. DTC Lazio. 2014-2015 projects
R&D projects
for the
exploitation of
cultural
heritage and
territories
Center of
Excellence to
connect research,
high education and
professional
training
Communication,
Media,
Exploitation
Risk capital
investments
RESEARCH  EDUCATION MARKET
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16. DCT CENTER OF EXELLENCE
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17. Center of Excellence
Connect Education and Research for sustainable
Innovation
Proposal Coordinator: Sapienza Università di Roma
Consortium: Public Universities in Regione Lazio, Research
Institutes
Governance of funded actions: Consortium + Business
Associations + Regional and National Public Bodies
External networks: International research networks,
Investors
Mission: Better connection between research skills in
Universities and innovation strategy in enterprises
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18. Center of Excellence
Connect Education and Research for sustainable
Innovation
Key ideas:
• Lab approach: learning by doing.
Industry involved in education programs, students
involved in joint public/private innovation activities
Encouraging the creation and flourishing of virtual and real meeting spaces
and • places; Cooperation indeed personal between exchanges different and Universities knowledge transfer to
are the most
important building blocks for stable business relationships and best practices.
concentrate qualified resources and aim for excellence
• Qualified intership programs to attract the best students
• Activate additional funding and achieve the Consortium
Encouraging and giving prominence (also in funding) to practical
collaborative initiatives such as joint projects, labs and incubators that can
foster R&D&I.
self-sustainability within 3 years
Facilitating the integration of educational content
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19. High education model
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Area 1
Area 2
Area 3
Area 4
Area 5
Area 6
Specialized programs
Cross-area programs
Learning in
Universities
laboratories
Training in
enterprises
Placement
Commercial
Exploitation

20. Applied research model
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Area 1
Area 2
Area 3
Area 4
Area 5
Area 6
Specialized research
Cross-area research
Excellence
research in
Universities
laboratories
Joint private -
public
development
programs
Cultural
Heritage
Exploitation
Improved
competitiveness

21. 6 Labs (areas) for education and research
1. Digital technologies for the conservation,
communication and improved accessibility of
cultural assets
2. Cultural Heritage Virtualization
3. Audio and video Technologies
4. Materials and restoration
5. Diagnostics for Cultural Heritage
6. Technologies and design for exhibitions

22. 3 Main Research Programs
1. Infrastructures for preservation and
exploitation of Digital Cultural Heritage
2. Showcase: exploitation of cultural heritage in
a specific area (e.g. Palatine Hill in Roma)
gathering technologies from the 6 labs
3. Materials, restoration and diagnostics
programs

23. Centre of Excellence Governance
Scientific
committee
Enterprise
representatives and
stakeholders board
Administration
Board
Research Education
Communication
internationalization
Funding

24. DCT: Timeline
2008
District Established
Agreement between
Regione Lazio, Ministry
of Economic
Development, Ministry
of University and
Research, Ministry of
Cultural Heritage and
Activities
2009
5 calls for proposals
2009-2013
Agreement framework
between Regione
Lazio, Ministry of
University and
Research, Ministry of
Cultural Heritage and
Activities.
Funding the
development of the
District
Development of
• Internet platform
• A “Welcome center” for
cultural tourism
• 6 integrated pilot
projects for cultural
heritage
2013
2014-2015 (TBC)
New calls for proposals
• Research and
development
programs
• Center of
excellence
integrating high
education,
professional training
and research
• Communication and
networking
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25. ADDRESSING TISP POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
• Fostering cooperation between ICT and cultural sectors
(publishing being one)
• Encouraging the creation and flourishing of virtual and real
meeting spaces and places
• Supporting projects that include a full range of stakeholders
• Giving prominence (also in funding) to practical collaborative
initiatives such as joint projects, labs and incubators that can
foster R&D&I.
• More attractive e-products, generating quality metadata,
on-line discovery
• Encouraging the development of teaching formats facilitating
the integration of educational content
• Access to finance (hopefully..)
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26. THANKS FOR ATTENTION!
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