Digitalization is gaining increasing attention in Higher Education (HE). The integrationof digital tools into instructional settings is particularly challenging, However, it offers manyopportunities to improve the learning process of students, especially in interdisciplinary teachingscenarios such as teaching sustainable usage of space and resources i.e. for the coastal zones and themarine areas. Worldwide, Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and Integrated Coastal Zone Management(ICZM) are much needed approaches to manage and organize the increasing use of the sea andcoastal areas. Both are complex fields that are attracting more and more attention in interdisciplinaryHE. Correspondingly designed, the module ‘Planning and Management of Coastal Zones and SeaBasins’ at the University of Oldenburg, Germany, provides a case for integrating digital tools intoHE. In 2020, the digital serious game ‘MSP Challenge´ was used in an online learning format. Thisinteractive and collaborative tool supports informed decision making based on real and simulateddata, comparable to business (decision) processes based on environmental information systems(EIS). Therefore, the MSP Challenge game fosters not only the understanding of the complex topicbut additionally methodological skills which can be transferred to the usage EIS. While playing,students become able to (1) evaluate and simulate impacts of uses on coastal and marineenvironments, (2) describe the main interactions in ecosystems, (3) conceptualize information forsectoral or integrated MSP and (4) reflect on the role and use of data. In the presented case masterstudents studying “Water and Coastal Management” participated in the module. Moreover, thedigital serious game and the interdisciplinary topics of MSP and ICZM provides additionalopportunities to explore subtopics (e.g. IT-related) from other disciplinary perspectives.
LINK
Decentralized biogas produced through co-digestion of biomass can play an important role in our future renewable energy mix. However the optimal design, planning and use of a biogas production chain is a daunting process. When looking into a biogas production chain one must take into account, first, the biomass availability in quantity, quality and the location, second, the energy demand in energy type, quantity and location and finally the needed machinery and infrastructure to connect them. During this process there are social, legal and environmental issues to overcome, but overall the financial aspects will mostly dictate viability. Hence, the complexity involved in linking the aforementioned aspects is difficult at most.
This paper reports a study into the relationship between the configuration of the process of Strategic Information Systems Planning (SISP) and the success of SISP. SISP is an important activity in the alignment of information technology systems and services to business requirements. However, despite the obvious importance of a proper planning of information technology and information systems in organizations, success of SISP is not evident. And as the success of SISP is also influenced by the process followed in developing the SISP, the research question for this study was, “How does the configuration of the SISP process influence the success of the SISP?” Based on an explorative multi case study, we concluded that the specificity and comprehensiveness of strategies, goals and decisions in an organization has a positive effect on the success of SISP. Another conclusion was that a more dominant role of the IS/IT organization in the SISP process influences the quality of the SISP deliverable positively, but has a negative effect on the building of partnership between business and IT in the organization. A final conclusion was that following a formal SISP methodology does not seem to have an effect on the success of SISP. These findings provide guidance for practitioners that plan to develop an SISP as part of their efforts to align business and IT.
The IMPULS-2020 project DIGIREAL (BUas, 2021) aims to significantly strengthen BUAS’ Research and Development (R&D) on Digital Realities for the benefit of innovation in our sectoral industries. The project will furthermore help BUas to position itself in the emerging innovation ecosystems on Human Interaction, AI and Interactive Technologies. The pandemic has had a tremendous negative impact on BUas industrial sectors of research: Tourism, Leisure and Events, Hospitality and Facility, Built Environment and Logistics. Our partner industries are in great need of innovative responses to the crises. Data, AI combined with Interactive and Immersive Technologies (Games, VR/AR) can provide a partial solution, in line with the key-enabling technologies of the Smart Industry agenda. DIGIREAL builds upon our well-established expertise and capacity in entertainment and serious games and digital media (VR/AR). It furthermore strengthens our initial plans to venture into Data and Applied AI. Digital Realities offer great opportunities for sectoral industry research and innovation, such as experience measurement in Leisure and Hospitality, data-driven decision-making for (sustainable) tourism, geo-data simulations for Logistics and Digital Twins for Spatial Planning. Although BUas already has successful R&D projects in these areas, the synergy can and should significantly be improved. We propose a coherent one-year Impuls funded package to develop (in 2021): 1. A multi-year R&D program on Digital Realities, that leads to, 2. Strategic R&D proposals, in particular a SPRONG/sleuteltechnologie proposal; 3. Partnerships in the regional and national innovation ecosystem, in particular Mind Labs and Data Development Lab (DDL); 4. A shared Digital Realities Lab infrastructure, in particular hardware/software/peopleware for Augmented and Mixed Reality; 5. Leadership, support and operational capacity to achieve and support the above. The proposal presents a work program and management structure, with external partners in an advisory role.
Aanleiding: Automatisering kan leiden tot beter gebruik van materialen en afval reduceren. Dit brengt verbeteringen met zich mee voor 'people, planet and profit' (PPP) - mensen, het milieu en de winst. Een specifieke vorm van automatisering, de ontwikkeling van zelfrijdende auto's en vrachtauto's, gaat snel. Maar om zelfrijdende voertuigen beschikbaar te maken is er nog veel onderzoek en ontwikkeling nodig op verschillende gebieden. Er zijn nog veel vragen te beantwoorden op het gebied van onder andere truckontwerp, betrouwbare software, aansprakelijkheid, trajectplanning en logistiek. Doelstelling Het doel van het Intralog-project is om voor de maatschappij en de private sector een significante bijdrage te leveren aan de mogelijkheden van zelfrijdende voertuigen in de commerciële transportsector. Het Intralog-project onderzoekt de toegevoegde waarde voor PPP van 'automated guided trucks' (AGT's) aan logistieke operaties bij distributiecentra en interterminal/intermodal traffic hubs. Dit gebeurt in twee stappen: 1) het identificeren van het potentieel met betrekking tot de vraag vanuit de logistieke omgeving; 2. het ontwerpen, realiseren, testen en valideren van mogelijke strategieën voor het implementeren van AGT's in een logistiek scenario. Beoogde resultaten Het concrete resultaat van het project bestaat uit onderzoekstools en hardware- en softwaremodellen voor Intralog. Deze bieden een goede mogelijkheid om de opgedane kennis te verspreiden. De projectdeelnemers zullen bijdragen aan workshops, tentoonstellingen en in Nederland georganiseerde symposia. De onderzoeksresultaten verspreiden ze op conferenties en door middel van publicaties in technische vakbladen. De uiteindelijke Intralog-resultaten worden gepresenteerd op een afsluitend congres. De resultaten zullen worden samengevat in een boekje.
Governments, fishermen, dredgers, nature organizations and researchers see that sand stocks are dwindling worldwide, while more and more sand from the North Sea will be needed to protect our coast against rising sea levels. We also extract a lot of sand in the Netherlands, especially from the North Sea. Every year we extract about 12 to 15 million cubic meters to protect our coast and about 15 million cubic meters as filling sand for roads and residential areas and for concrete and masonry sand. Every year we excavate a piece of seabed with the surface of the Schiermonnikoog island at a depth of about eighty centimeters. But our sand requirement continues to rise. Not only because we want to build more roads, homes and residential areas, but also because rising sea levels mean we need more and more sand for coastal protection. In this project a consortium of 21 partners and stakeholders will develop new knowledge and tools about the effects of sand extraction, with the goal to understand how it may be done sustainably despite the rising need for it. The project is led by Wageningen Marine Research and has been awarded funding under the ‘Onderzoek op Routes door Consortia’ (NWA ORC-call 2020/2021) scheme of the Dutch Research Council (NWO). Breda University of Applied Sciences will contribute with its MSP Challenge Simulation Platform, thereby developing and applying a bespoke sand extraction oriented North Sea edition, in close collaboration with data and simulation providing partners in the project.
