TALLHEDA at the STAFF Week on Digitalization of Life Sciences!

UNSFA represented the TALLHEDA project at the recent Staff Week on Digitalisation of Life Sciences, an academic event focused on the integration of digital technologies across life sciences disciplines. The event brought together educators, researchers, and institutional representatives from across Europe to exchange knowledge and best practices in digital transformation within higher education and applied research.

Held under the framework of staff training and institutional networking, the workshop provided a valuable platform for presenting TALLHEDA’s objectives, structure, and early achievements to a community of international peers.

Highlighting the TALLHEDA Mission

In his presentation, Prof. Ćirić provided a comprehensive overview of the TALLHEDA project, a Horizon Europe WIDERA initiative that aims to build a long-term Alliance for Digital Agriculture. The project connects agricultural higher education institutions in Greece and Serbia (Widening countries) with leading universities and stakeholders from non-Widening regions, notably Belgium.

The presentation covered:

• The strategic goals of TALLHEDA, particularly in strengthening institutional capacity and fostering innovation in digital agriculture

• The project’s role in addressing brain drain by enhancing educational and professional opportunities in Widening countries

• Progress made in the development of the Virtual Innovation Hub, a collaborative digital platform for stakeholders in the agri-food and education sectors

• Examples of joint actions, training activities, and the formation of synergies with other Horizon Europe projects

Prof. Ćirić emphasized the value of Quadruple Helix cooperation, bringing together academia, industry, policy, and civil society to advance inclusive and impactful innovation in agriculture.

Contributing to the European Digitalisation Dialogue

TALLHEDA’s participation in the staff week underlined the project’s active engagement in the broader European discourse on digital transformation in higher education and life sciences. The presentation sparked interest among participants and initiated discussions about potential future collaborations, particularly in the areas of open science, digital learning infrastructures, and the application of AI, data analytics, and blockchain in agriculture.

The event also provided an opportunity to position TALLHEDA as a key contributor to capacity building in digital agriculture and to exchange strategies for fostering excellence in Widening institutions.