BUILDERS brings together 11 international partners. The project aims to develop innovative and participatory approaches to tackling invasive alien species by combining citizen science, ethology and functional ecosystem monitoring, while promoting staff mobility across Europe and beyond.
Several partners belong to the EU GREEN Alliance, reinforcing the Alliance’s commitment to sustainability, biodiversity protection and societal engagement. In particular, the project involves:
- University of Parma (Coordinator)
- University of Évora
- University of Oradea
The initiative is coordinated by Cristina Castracani, with Rossano Bolpagni acting as scientific referee, both from the Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability at the University of Parma.
The kick-off Meeting
The kick-off meeting focused on the operational launch of the project and the coordination of the consortium. After an introductory session presenting partners and expertise, discussions addressed key strategic aspects, including:
- project governance and consortium structure
- finalisation of the Consortium Agreement
- MSCA rules for staff secondments
- planning of deliverables, milestones and timelines
- communication, dissemination and data management strategies
The meeting was enriched by the online participation of the Project Officer from the European Research Executive Agency (REA) and by Silvia Tavernini, from the Office for Support for European and International Research, who provided guidance on administrative and reporting requirements under the MSCA programme.
A particularly engaging moment was the LEGO® Serious Play® session, which enabled participants to explore expectations, challenges and potential risks of the project at individual, institutional and societal levels, strengthening collaboration from the very beginning.
The second day was dedicated to research planning, with in-depth discussions relating to EU GREEN Work Packages 2, 3 and 4 (Education, Research, and Innovation and Entrepreneurship). Partners worked together to translate the project proposal into concrete actions and to build a shared schedule for staff secondments over the full duration of the project.
On the third day, BUILDERS was presented to the University governance, academic community, and local stakeholders during an open session held at the University hub.
Vice-Rector Fabrizio Storti highlighted the University of Parma’s Third Mission activities, with particular emphasis on citizen science as a strategic tool for public engagement.
Donato A. Grasso, Rector’s Delegate for University Museums, outlined the development of MUST – the Museum of Naturalistic Historiography, underlining its role as a bridge between research, teaching and society.
Fulvio Celico, Director of the Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, presented the COMP-R Department of Excellence project, pointing out strong synergies with BUILDERS in terms of research, training and territorial impact.
Representatives of the Municipality of Parma, Chiara Alessandrini and Marcello Nori, also took part in the discussion, stressing the importance of cooperation between universities and local authorities on biodiversity, environmental sustainability and citizen science, key themes shared by both BUILDERS and EU GREEN.
University museums as spaces for engagement
The meeting concluded with a guided visit to MUST, offering international partners the opportunity to explore one of the University of Parma’s most significant spaces for scientific heritage and public engagement. The visit sparked reflection on the role of university museums as places where research, education and society meet, fully aligned with the values of EU GREEN and the objectives of BUILDERS.
The kick-off meeting closed with the first formal sessions of the project’s governing bodies, marking a crucial milestone for the launch of BUILDERS activities and reinforcing the role of EU GREEN as a catalyst for collaborative, sustainable and socially engaged European research.
