Start of the project: 15/01/2020
End of the project: 14/01/2023.

General objective: Development of the potential of universities as an integral part of agro-industrial clusters. Creation of the innovative centers as pre-conditions for the development and successful functioning of agro-industrial clusters.


Main tasks:

- development of the chain: master - PhD - researcher as a primary part and researcher - project initiator- executor as a secondary part;

-cooperation of business, local authorities, science and education in the framework of clusters, based on win- win principles;

- enhancement of business, science and education capacities to develop and to work within the cluster (through special trainings and special modules included into Master and PhD curricula);

- implementation of special structural measures at the universities as a base for activities performed within clusters;

- increase of the practical value of researches, students' master works and theses, as well improvement of students employment;

- creation of conditions for better integration of innovations based on the sustainability principles into agro-industrial production.


Activities:

- to develop special modules for Master and PhD students such as: statistics, project development, econometrics, modules adapted to up-to-date challenges: climate changes, COP 21 commitment, food security, fight against poverty.

- to study EU experience of universities’ activities within clusters and to disseminate this information among stakeholders;

- to organize special trainings, study visits for business, science and education representatives in order to show advantages and to create the capacity for the cooperation within the cluster;

- to develop the legal base defining rules, modalities for universities functioning within clusters in compliance with the national legislation;

- to create preconditions for the creation of four cluster (water management and aquaculture, new technologies (IT) in agriculture, agro-tourist cluster, milk production and processing with the focus on traditional local products, biotechnologies in poultry production);

- development of Master works and PhD thesis in line with the pilot projects.


Our consortium:


Lithuania
Kauno Kolegija / University of Applied Sciences – coordinator

Poland
Poznan University of Life Sciences

Austria
University College for Agrarian and Environmental Pedagogy,
Federal Institute of Agricultural Economics, Rural and Mountain Research

Spain
University of Valladolid

Hungary
University of Debrecen

Italy
Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Bari

Ukraine
Scientific and Methodological Center for Higher and pre-higher Education,
“Ukrainian Food Valley” Public Union,
Central Ukrainian National Technical University,
Institute of Steppe Agriculture of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine,
Poltava State Agrarian Academy,
Farm Enterprise “Dobro-Kraft”,
Lviv National Agrarian University,
Yavoriv National Nature Park,
Bila Tserkva National Agrarian University

Moldova
Comrat State University,
“Fabrica Oloi Pak” LLC,
State Agrarian University of Moldova,
Trade Company “Terafix” LLC

Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan State Agriculture University,
Suliddinoglu Agricultural Farm,
Azerbaijan Technical University