The Partnership

Art is I; science is we.

Claude Bernard

The five partners of DigiOmica are educational and research institutions – three universities, an academy of sciences and a research centre – from three countries – Bulgaria, Spain and Türkiye. The five partners take part in the local management and governing activities, the preparation (and translation in the respective languages) of the DigiOmica results, as well as in the popularization activities, and organization of project events such as workshops, project meetings, and testing sessions.

The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) is the leading scientific institution in Bulgaria. The Academy is an active participant in the European Research Area and conducts scientific and applied research in all areas of human knowledge. The Academy employs about 3,000 scientists (in 42 research institutes and 8 specialized units), which makes them a preferred partner in solving national tasks, developing strategies, and giving expert opinions on national priorities. The Academy maintains a network of contacts with business organizations for the development of innovative products and services, Ph.D. and postdoctoral programmes and initiatives for improving qualifications of teachers.

The Institute of Organic Chemistry (IOCCP) is one of the oldest chemical institutes at BAS, founded in 1960. IOCCP-BAS is the leading organization of the Centre of Competence Sustainable Utilization of Bioresources and Waste from Medicinal and Aromatic Plants for Innovative Bioactive Products, and a member of the Centre of Excellence National Centre for Mechatronics and Clean Technologies and the Centre of Competence Clean Technologies for Sustainable Environment – Water, Waste, Energy for Circular Economy which are created on the complementarity-synergism principle and unite leading scientific teams.

As the project coordinator, the IOCCP is responsible for managing financial, subject specific and contractual issues among partners, coordination of the progress of specific tasks, elaboration of products, communication, quality management and sharing and promoting results. It is the supervisor of the partners’ work and financial reports, the preparation of the progress and final reports and maintenance of contacts. IOCCP is the leader of the Project Management Structure and a member of the other project managerial bodies. It provides integrated framework services and specific pathways for higher education objectives and strategies development and implementation. IOCCP has vast experience and professional capacity to perform fundamental and applied research and to train graduates and Ph.D. students. IOCCP participates in all work packages and is a leader of the planning and preparation phases. It is responsible for Modules 3, 5 and 11 of the curriculum. With its established network of research partners from different countries, IOCCP will contribute to the sustainability of the DigiOmica achievements.

Sofia University St. Kliment Ohridski is the first institution of higher education in Bulgaria and the foremost national centre for university education and research in fundamental theoretical and applied areas. Its 16 faculties offer 102 Degree programs, while its teaching staff includes a significant part of the best Bulgarian specialists in all major areas of sciences and humanities with research being an integral part of the teaching for keeping pace with the most recent developments in sciences. Sofia University is the leader among the Bulgarian higher education institutions in terms of the number of participants in the mobility schemes (with the highest rate of student and staff mobilities and more than 70 research and educational projects funded by EC during the last 3 years) and the implementation of the idea of European space in the university education. As a pioneering institution in a well-planned VET blending technology, science, and business, it provides upward movement to its students in the technical education and VET system based on their aptitudes and abilities to achieve professional excellence. Sofia University offers educational programs, constantly meeting the EU quality standards (ENQA) and transferability schemes (EQF/ECTS/ECVET) to facilitate planning, delivery, evaluation, recognition, and validation of qualifications and students’ mobility.

The researchers employed by the Sofia University offer DigiOmica their professionalism and expertise in the field. The team from Sofia University is leader (along with the R&D Centre Biointech) of the process of elaboration of the main educational results (in Work Package 3), being responsible for Modules 6 and 8, the creation of DigiOmica Catalogue and the Student Toolkit (WP3). Sofia University guarantees profound sharing and promoting of results and activities and contributes to the sustainable implementation of project achievements due to its professional contact, network of more than 80 universities in different countries and participation in a wide variety of joint international projects.

R&D Centre Biointech employs experts with experience in tuition, R&D, and popularization in biology and chemistry, ecology, and their economic, societal, and legal aspects, and application in ICT. It has worked on projects for governmental and private companies in workforce development, business start-up and management, marketing, grant writing, and commercial and residential development. Its focus on education and training via digital technology brings together experts from Bulgarian and European universities, research organizations, industry, and decision policy makers. The experts have scientific and research expertise in production, application, and economic planning in green biotechnology, eco-friendly food processing, ecology, and bio-economics. It coordinates the activities of its members for targeted application of research achievements in practice, integration of people who need updating/upgrading of their professional knowledge and skills, and support of the rising interest of young people towards a professional career in the specialized areas. The Biointech team is deeply committed to undertaking research that asks big questions about what kind of teaching, learning, and leadership promotes opportunity, achievement, and social justice. By actively and creatively building the intellectual and practical capacities of policymakers, practitioners, students, and the wider research community, R&D Centre Biointech aims to create educational environments that enable future generations to thrive in the current rapid local and global change.

The experienced educators and trainers of the R&D Centre Biointech provide scientific lectures, e-books, development of marketing materials, quality assurance issues, STEM services, academic curriculum development, web development, new training applications, and VET provision. R&D Centre Biointech offers the DigiOmica partnership its expertise and competence acquired in national projects and projects under numerous different EU initiatives. The R&D Centre Biointech is responsible for the internal monitoring and evaluation of project results. The Centre participates in all work packages and the production of all planned results, and is the co-leader (with the team of the Sofia University) of the process of elaboration of the main educational results (in Work Package 3): it is also responsible for elaboration of Modules 2 and 10, and participates in the creation of DigiOmica Catalogue and the Student Toolkit. It contributes to the design of the digital platform and sharing and promoting results activities.

The University of Granada, founded in 1531, is a public research university with 55,000 students, 3,600 academics, and 2,600 administrative and support staff. Its 26 faculties and schools and 124 departments offer 96 undergraduate degrees, 164 master’s degrees and 28 doctoral programmes organized in 3 overarching doctoral schools. It has 22 research institutes and over 400 research teams working in all disciplines. The University of Granada is currently ranked 2nd in Spain according to the Shanghai ranking (2022) and is the leading regional university in the south of Spain. As a public higher education institution, it is committed not only to quality and excellence in education, learning and research but also to activities targeting the transfer of scientific, technical and artistic knowledge to society, the betterment of society and a sustainable future for the planet. The University regards internationalization as a policy priority. It has been a leading participant in the Erasmus mobility scheme from its outset, in recognition of which it received the Erasmus Gold Star Award in 2007, and continues to be the top university in incoming and outgoing student mobility today. The University of Granada is deeply committed to multilateral cooperation, and has played a leading role in the longest-standing European university network, the Coimbra Group, which it chaired from 2010 to 2017. Since 2019 it is the coordinating institution of the Arqus European University Alliance, one of the first 17 European Universities to be funded by the European Commission under the Erasmus+ and Horizon 2020 programmes. Key partner institutions are to be found also beyond Europe in Latin America, China, Morocco, Togo, and the United States, where it has a strategic partnership with the Ivy League Consortium for Advanced Study Abroad (CASA) led by Brown University. Furthermore, the University is also very active in Erasmus+ KA2 and predecessor programmes (with over 50 EU active projects, at present).

The Faculty of Sciences has a well-established science and knowledge base and expertise in biotechnology and environmental science used to promote environmental sustainability. It is in the first line in developing strategies aimed at biofertilizers and biocontrol agents’ production, formulation, and application to increase crop yields, simultaneously reducing the use of chemical products to meet demands of growing population when conserving and protecting the environment and its natural sources. Biotechnology-oriented research groups actively work on cleaning up pollution methods or to develop renewable energy sources, reducing the reliance on fossil fuels. Education plans are the key to promoting the use of the above-mentioned main points related to biotechnology-based and environmental sustainability. The specific activities of the team of the University of Granada within the DigiOmica project involve local management of project specific and financial activities, and internal monitoring and evaluation of project results. It is also the leader of the piloting actions of the project results (in Work Package 4) and contributes to the elaboration of Modules 1 and 7, the DigiOmica Catalogue and Student Toolkit. It also participates in the design of the digital platform and sharing and promoting results activities.

Gazi University is one of the few Turkish universities established in 1926 as a Teacher Training Institute In 1982, it got the name Gazi University together with Ankara Academy of Economy and Commerce, Ankara College of Technical Teachers, Ankara Girls’ College of Technical Teachers and Ankara Government Academy of Engineering and Architecture. Nowadays, Gazi University is one of the largest universities in Türkiye, hosting faculties from education to communication, from fine arts to engineering, sports to forestry, medicine to pharmacy, dentistry to science and arts and economics to technology. With its 50,000 students and more than 4,000 academic staff, Gazi University is close to the world average in terms of the number of students per instructor. It performs its educational and research activities within 10 faculties, 4 colleges, 9 vocational high schools, 35 research centres, and 6 institutes. The university has faculties of Education, Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Engineering and Architecture, Communication, Science and Arts, Law, and Fine Arts and Industrial Arts, as well as Vocational Education, Technical Education, Commerce, and Tourism. Gazi University educates more than 1500 foreign students and more than 5,000 in Master’s and Ph.D. programs

The Department of Environmental Sciences, established in 1997 with a Master’s degree program, has a mission to enable fundamental research with national and international qualifications for the production of appropriate and sustainable solutions to environmental problems from a global and interdisciplinary perspective and to be able to conduct research and analysis in environmental sciences. Department research focuses on generating, synthesizing, and harmonizing knowledge about known and anticipated environmental issues. Around 400 students got their M.Sc. and Ph.D. degrees (from 2015 on) and are now working in academia, international organizations, governmental institutes, NGOs, and the private sector all over the country. The specific activities of the Gazi University team within the DigiOmica project include local management of project activities and financial issues and participation in the internal monitoring and evaluation of the project activities. It is the leader of the actions of sharing and promotion of the DigiOmica results. The researchers participate in the elaboration of Modules 3 and 9, the DigiOmica Catalogue and the Student Toolkit. It also supports the design of the digital platform.