The increasing importance of the concept of internationalization at home is not only manifest in the educational policy of the European Commission, in emerging national policies and in institutional policies of European higher education institutions (HEIs), but most of all in educational practice.Since the existing definition of internationalization at home does not offer much support for those who are working on its implementation, the authors have proposed a new definition that hopefully contributes to lifting the ‘conceptual fog’ that surrounds the internationalization of learning and teaching. The new definition may also help to reach a common understanding of the concept when academics, the key actors in the internationalization of teaching and learning, are joined by both educational and internationalization experts. After all, their joint expertise is needed to build the international and intercultural dimensions of programs of study.
About this publication: In their new work research collective Ippolita provides a critical investigation of the inner workings of Facebook as a model for all commercial social networks. Facebook is an extraordinary platform that can generate large profit from the daily activities of its users. Facebook may appear to be a form of free entertainment and self-promotion but in reality its users are working for the development of a new type of market where they trade relationships. As users of social media we have willingly submitted to a vast social, economic and cultural experiment.By critically examining the theories of Californian right-libertarians, Ippolita show the thread con- necting Facebook to the European Pirate Parties, WikiLeaks and beyond. An important task today is to reverse the logic of radical transparency and apply it to the technologies we use on a daily basis. The algorithms used for online advertising by the new masters of the digital world – Facebook, Apple, Google and Amazon – are the same as those used by despotic governments for personalized repression. Ippolita argues we should not give in to the logic of conspiracy or paranoia instead we must seek to develop new ways of autonomous living in our networked society.
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In 2017, Denmark sent the first digital ambassador, Casper Klynge, to Silicon Valley. The aim of this move of ‘techplomacy’ was, as Klynge explained, not simply to distribute greetings notes by the Danish queen. Rather, the intention was to ‘update diplomacy’ based on the recognition that a few tech companies have obviously become much ‘more influential than some nation states’. Klynge framed the new political course in the manner of a well-known old but still utterly contemporary mantra: ‘There is no alternative’. In a similar vein, Denmark’s Foreign Minister Anders Samuelson highlighted the importance of the step as follows: ‘Just as we engage in a diplomatic dialogue with countries, we also need to establish and prioritize comprehensive relations with tech actors, such as Google, Facebook, Apple, and so on. (…) The idea is, we see a lot of companies and new technologies that will in many ways involve and be part of everyday life of citizens in Denmark.'
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A continuation and update of the first ALT-ER project, which produced an app for early-years students that allowed them to express their feelings and tell stories related to pro-social and important developmental themes. This follow-up project will expand the software and themes, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, to reflect a wider range of experiences for young people.
The growing awareness of consumers of the increasing problem with livestock and meat production due to the high nitrogen emissions and the related impact on climate change drives consumption of plant based vegetarian alternatives. Similarly there is also an increasing demand for animal-free, eco-friendly alternative vegan leather. Consequently there has been significant interest in developing leather-like vegan materials from multiple plant sources, such as mango, pineapple and mushroom based materials. However, the commercialization and the growth of sustainable vegan leather production is hampered significantly by the difficulty of achieving the needed quality for the various consumer products as well as the high prices of the vegan alternatives. In the Growing Leather project two SMEs, BioscienZ and B4Plastics, will combine forces with Avans University of Applied Sciences to develop vegan leather from the mushroom based material called mycelium. BioScienZ is a biotech company with strong expertise and capacity to produce low-cost and consistent quality mycelium. B4Plastics is a material development company, with strengths in designing and distributing eco-plastic products. In this project Avans University will use several mycelium types (produced by BioscienZ), and with the guidance of B4Plastics, it will test various additives under many different conditions, to ultimately develop an environmentally friendly, vegan material that will have comparable material characteristics to animal leather and is competitive in price.
Textielbedrijven moeten innoveren, instappen in een wereld die in toenemende mate beheerst wordt door Internet Of Things, Domotica en andere Smart producten. Textiel is een perfect platform voor deze connected omgeving: het is als interieur- en vloerbedekking een geaccepteerd onderdeel van onze leefomgeving en is qua structuur zeer geschikt voor integratie met elektrische componenten. Internationale bedrijven als Nike en Adidas pikken dit op, maar ook Google en Apple hebben recente patenten over in textiel geïntegreerde ICT. Nederlandse bedrijven willen hierop inspelen, maar hebben individueel niet de expertise om dit soort innovatieve producten te ontwikkelen. Tien textiel- en elektronicabedrijven, die de hele waardeketen omspannen, ontwikkelen met lectoren, docenten en studenten van Saxion en Fontys de route naar ‘embedded textile’. Doel is dat elektronische componenten direct en precies met deze textiele drager kunnen worden geïntegreerd, waardoor ze kunnen communiceren in en met de omgeving. Productiemethodes die ingezet gaan worden zijn Inkjet printen, 3D weven, technisch borduren, lamineren en Nano-coaten. Het resultaat: een innovatief meerlaags robuust textiel dat functionaliteiten mogelijk maakt als licht, warmte (energie-transitie) en sensing (gezondheid & veiligheid) in producten zoals fotovoltaïsche overkappingen, adaptieve zonwering, slimme vloerbedekking en beschermende kleding. Deze producten stellen bedrijven in staat om in te spelen op dit soort megatrends. Ons doel is minimaal drie demonstrators te ontwikkelen die de praktijktoepassing van embedded textile voor bedrijven inzichtelijk maken. Door de deelname van productiebedrijven uit de gehele voortbrengingsketen is voorzien in evenzoveel relevante business cases. Daarmee staat de nieuwe embedded textieltechnologie midden in de markt van the Internet of Things.
