The European Union is funding three research projects at the University on depopulation, palliative care, and cybersecurity

The University of Navarra is participating in three Erasmus+ projects focused on research into depopulation, training palliative care, and the development cybersecurity tools and knowledge for educators. The Erasmus+ projects are initiatives funded by the European Union (2021–2027) to promote modernization, innovation, and mobility Education, training, youth, and sports. 

The University of Navarra has secured a total of 326,445 euros in funding to carry out these initiatives, in collaboration with other universities and international organizations. 

Sustainability for rural communities

Researchers from Institute for Culture and Society ICS) and the Biodiversity and Environment Institute at the University, led by Ruth Breeze, will lead the project : Resilience and Sustainability for Rural Communities,” in collaboration with universities in the Netherlands, Germany, Turkey, and Italy. According to the experts, depopulation and climate change reinforce each other, leaving rural areas particularly vulnerable. The project design and test framework and training framework training understand how rural communities can develop resilience to address this dual risk. 

To promote community promote , various population groups will be engaged through collaboration among Education students, civil society, local and regional authorities, the business community, and experts in fields such as physical and social geography, environmental sciences, agricultural engineering, Economics, social sciences, and Education.

training for palliative care professionals

In addition, the team from the ICS ATLANTES Global Observatory of Palliative Care and researchers from the Clínica Universidad de Navarra are participating in “DIGITAL-PALL: Bridging the gap: digitalization of PC education and clinical care to provide quality inclusive palliative care,” led by Hospice Casa Sperantei (Romania). This project, coordinated by Dr. Carlos Centeno and Dr. Marina Martínez, aims to strengthen the digital skills of palliative care professionals to improve the quality and accessibility of training this specialization program Europe, particularly in underserved and resource-limited settings. Universities and centers in Greece and Serbia will research participate in this research . 

Against the backdrop of an aging population and an increase in advanced-stage diseases, the demand for palliative care is growing steadily, while gaps in training resources persist in many healthcare systems. DIGITAL-PALL will leverage digital technologies to provide innovative, accessible, and sustainable educational resources, as well as online clinical care models. In doing so, it aims to contribute to higher-quality palliative care that is more equitable, inclusive, and resilient.

Cybersecurity in the Classroom

The rapid digitization of Education daily life has transformed the role of teachers, requiring them to develop new skills in cybersecurity and safe digital practices. With the rise of artificial intelligence, deepfakes, and online misinformation, educators face new challenges in ensuring a safe learning environment.

It is within this context that theCyberSecure Teaching project is being carried out, involving researchers from the University’s School of Education Psychology as part of an international consortium comprising educational institutions from Finland, Portugal, Austria, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Belgium.

Led by researcher Iñaki Celaya, its goal to provide Education and secondary Education teachers, training , and teacher trainers with the tools and knowledge necessary to effectively understand and teach cybersecurity and apply that knowledge in their work.