DISRUPT is a network in the emerging field of Urban Digital Twins (UDTs) and their application to evidence-based urban management, resilient territories and sustainable development. It addresses the pressing challenges of urban and peri-urban modernisation through technological innovation, contributing to model-based approaches for analysing and anticipating geopolitical, natural and health crises with the aim of (i) reducing the carbon footprint of urban activities for their impact on climate change and human well-being; (ii) better managing energy for sustainable development; and (iii) developing circular economies for the same sustainability reason and preventing disruptions and stresses in the supply chains of such economies for greater resilience. The DISRUPT partners complement each other in covering these aspects and achieving the expected outputs and impact: Digital Twin Technologies (UBX), Data-driven decision support and Techno-economic analysis (UGENT), Sustainability, Life Cycle Assessment, and Innovation policies (UPV/EHU), Political philosophy, and Design ethics (UGR), Artificial Intelligence and Internet of Things (UGOE), and Urban management, User eXperience and Resilience (UT). The network aims to: 1) provide training on digital innovations for sustainable and resilient territories, based on the partners' research, through annual schools, thematic webinars and citizen science, and the preparation of a joint Master's programme; 2) identify a unified approach to UDTs, leading to harmonised and more efficient learning and research efforts (instead of fragmented UDTs) and sharing of Open Educational Resources (OERs) and open data in the field.
Participants and Stakeholders
Coordinator
University of Bordeaux
Other Partner Institutions
- Ghent University
- University of Göttingen
- University of Tartu
- University of Groningen
- University of the Basque Country
Team Composition
Mamadou Kaba TRAORE (UBX), coordinator & WP lead (scaling actions)
Sidharta GAUTAMA (UGENT), Advisory Board member & WP lead (annual hybrid schools)
Maider ITURRONDOBEITIA ELLACURIA (UPV/EHU), ), Advisory Board member & WP lead (citizen science events)
Xiaoming FU (UGOE), ), Advisory Board member
Ingmar PASTAK (UT), ), Advisory Board member
Ryan M WITTINGSLOW (UGR), ), Advisory Board member
Objectives
The DISRUPT overall objective is to build a training and research network in Urban Digital Twins for evidence-based urban management, resilient territories and sustainable development. The DISRUPT network will train young researchers and scientists in inclusive and participatory system modeling, data-driven analysis, model-based resilinece, urban management, sustainability, life cycle analysis, and innovation policies, to advance the understanding and implementation of holistic human-centric UDTs. It will leverage the research outcomes obtained by the DISRUPT members, i.e., advanced UDT tools for disaster and disruption prevention, holistic urban decision-making methods towards resilient and sustainable territories, and proofs of concept on urban and periurban territories, to lower UDT adoption barriers for stakeholders. The network will disseminate these skills through annual training sessions and doctoral colloquiums, regular thematic webinars with local communities, and sporadic workshops in high schools.
Contact
Highlights of the Project
By offering an excellent educational environment for developing and strengthening expertise in system modeling, data-driven analysis, model-based resilience, and sustainable urban management, DISRUPT contributes to training the next generation of Digital Twin scientists and engineers with the necessary digital and interdisciplinary skills to address societal transitions at a large scale. As such, it is a catalyst to: (1) structuring graduate and doctoral training at the ENLIGHT level; (2) strengthening EU innovation capacity within the ENLIGHT alliance; (3) developing sustainable elements for a joint Master program; and (4) enhancing career perspectives and employability in academia, policy sector, and Industry.