TALISMAN+: Intelligent System for Follow-Up and Promotion of Personal Autonomy

The TALISMAN+ project, financed by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, aims to research and demonstrate innovative solutions transferable to society which offer services and products based on information and communication technologies in order to promote personal autonomy in prevention and monitoring scenarios. It will solve critical interoperability problems among systems and emerging technologies in a context where heterogeneity brings about accessibility barriers not yet overcome and demanded by the scientific, technological or social-health settings.

OER Development and Promotion. Outcomes of an International Research Project on the OpenCourseWare Model

In this paper, we describe the successful results of an international research project focused on the use of Web technology in the educational context. The article explains how this international project, funded by public organizations and developed over the last two academic years, focuses on the area of open educational resources (OER) and particularly the educational content of the OpenCourseWare (OCW) model. This initiative has been developed by a research group composed of researchers from three countries. The project was enabled by the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid OCW Office�s leadership of the Consortium of Latin American Universities and the distance education know-how of the Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja (UTPL, Ecuador). We give a full account of the project, methodology, main outcomes and validation. The project results have further consolidated the group, and increased the maturity of group members and networking with other groups in the area. The group is now participating in other research projects that continue the lines developed here

Cadena de valor de papas nativas (Solanum andigenum sp.) en la provincia de Jauja, Perú

La Asamblea General de la ONU, a solicitud del gobierno peruano, declara en el año 2008 el Año Internacional de la Papa, (AIP). Desde el año 2005, el gobierno peruano ha puesto en marcha estrategias en torno a la importancia de la papa, como la declaración del 30 de Mayo como el Día Nacional de la Papa. El año 2014 es declarado por la FAO, (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), Año Internacional de la Agricultura Familiar, con un enfoque compartido por esta Tesis Doctoral en el apoyo a la familia campesina peruana. El gobierno peruano utiliza las cadenas de valor como una estrategia de promoción de desarrollo sostenible, que ha permitido contribuir a la inclusión social y económica de productores pobres de zonas alto andinas, como las localizadas en la mancomunidad municipal del Yacus, (MMY), provincia de Jauja, departamento de Junín. Esta estrategia, en la que el mercado incorpora a los pequeños agricultores de las zonas altas de los Andes, (que disponen de recursos económicos muy bajos), en procesos productivos rentables, implica una serie de cambios a realizar, como la transformación de los patrones de producción tradicional hacia aquellos productos o servicios que tienen demanda en el mercado, o la variación de la mentalidad del agricultor pequeño hacia una concepción empresarial de su producción. (Fabián, 2013). Por otra parte, la sostenibilidad de las cadenas de valor depende del eslabón más débil, lo que obliga a conocer la situación de todos los eslabones para poder integrar y reforzar la cadena. Se requiere un sistema de transparencia adecuado que facilite el flujo de la información entre los distintos eslabones. (Briz et al., 2012). Además, el establecimiento de la cadena de valor debe hacerse con cuidado, ya que la eficacia y supervivencia de las empresas están cada vez más ligadas a la cadena de valor a la que pertenece y a la coordinación de la misma. (Briz, 2011). En esta situación, adquiere importancia el estudio de la cadena de valor de la papa nativa, para una vez establecidas sus características, poder determinar la viabilidad o no de una cadena de valor de este producto que repercuta parte de la riqueza generada en los pequeños agricultores alto andinos, e incluso, de su extensión hasta España. Existen estudios sobre las papas nativas, realizadas por diferentes universidades de distintos países, e incluso, de diferentes continentes. Sin embargo, la mayoría de los estudios se centran en la mejora de la producción de la papa nativa. La novedad de la investigación realizada en la presente Tesis Doctoral radica en el estudio de la viabilidad de la comercialización de la papa nativa, mediante el establecimiento de una cadena de valor que se inicie en la provincia de Jauja, Perú, y finalice tanto en los mercados peruanos de las regiones de Junín y Lima, como en España. El objetivo planteado en esta investigación es la mejora de las condiciones económicas y sociales de las comunidades agrícolas de la provincia de Jauja en el Perú, así como fomentar su desarrollo tecnológico e industrial, mediante el fomento de la cadena de valor de la papa nativa y sus derivados. Se establecen como objetivos específicos la caracterización de los eslabones de la cadena de valor de la papa nativa y sus derivados en la provincia de Jauja del Perú y en España, de manera que se determine el valor agregado en los mismos; el fortalecimiento de las organizaciones de productores de papas nativas para la comercialización de sus producciones y para el fomento de la cultura empresarial; y el desarrollo de una cadena de comercialización papas nativas y sus derivados con origen en la Provincia de Jauja, Perú, y que finalice en España, con la venta al consumidor español. Para alcanzar estos objetivos la metodología utilizada es la cadena de valor agroalimentaria, utilizando como herramientas de análisis el análisis DAFO de la cadena de valor de la papa nativa. Las fuentes de información primarias utilizadas proceden en parte del proyecto de cooperación de UPM, “Mejora de la cadena de valor de la patata andina como impulso al desarrollo rural. Caso de tres Comunidades Campesinas en la Provincia de Jauja del Perú”, en el que participó el doctorando, y en parte proceden de la batería de encuestas específicamente diseñadas para los diferentes eslabones de la cadena de valor de la papa nativa. Las fuentes de información secundarias proceden de artículos académicos publicados, de artículos publicados por revistas especializadas del sector y de informes realizados por diferentes instituciones gubernamentales, tanto españolas como peruanas. Las conclusiones de la investigación son las siguientes. La creación de la mancomunidad del Yacus ha beneficiado a los pequeños agricultores. Estos consiguen mejores condiciones de venta y mejores precios para sus productos, lo que repercute en la mejora de sus condiciones de vida. Estas mejoras en las condiciones de venta de los productos se deben a su pertenencia a una cadena de valor de papa nativa que está funcionando de forma eficaz. Las empresas consideradas para constituir la cadena de valor han mostrado interés por formar parte de ella: los campesinos para obtener mejores precios por sus productos y unas mejores condiciones de venta; los distribuidores para asegurarse una calidad determinada de unas variedades fijas de papa nativa; la industria transformadora por disponer de un suministro de producto adecuado al derivado de papa nativa correspondiente, (hojuelas, tunta, etc.); las empresas exportadoras para tener suministro garantizado de los productos que ellos requieren en los volúmenes adecuados. Es una situación ventajosa para todas las empresas participantes. A pesar de trabajar con un producto tradicional, la cadena de valor de la papa nativa presenta innovación en los productos comercializados, tanto en la papa nativa fresca como en sus derivados, en los formatos de los productos, en la red de distribución, en las instituciones peruanas y en el consumidor final. Se percibe una demanda de papa nativa y de sus productos derivados en aquellos países donde existen comunidades de latinoamericanos que han emigrado de sus países de origen. España está entre los países que han acogido a un importante número de personas de origen latinoamericano. A pesar de la fuerte crisis económica sufrida por España, que ha llevado consigo la vuelta a sus países de origen de parte de su comunidad latinoamericana, el tamaño de esta población sigue siendo importante. Esta población demanda productos originarios de sus propios países, y los consumirían de forma frecuente si los precios son adecuados a su capacidad de consumo. El precio de venta de la papa nativa y sus derivados en España es de gran importancia. La importación de estos productos desde Perú hace que este eleve a niveles que le resta competitividad, en especial en la papa fresca. Se aconseja la búsqueda de empresas que puedan adaptar la producción de la papa fresca de forma local, y mantener para los derivados la exportación directa a España. Las preferencias de los consumidores peruanos y españoles en cuanto a formatos y marcas se refieren no son coincidentes. De las encuestas realizadas, se concluye que no puede seguirse la misma estrategia de marketing en ambos países, debiéndose diferenciar los formatos de los paquetes de la papa nativa y de sus derivados en España y en Perú, para así lograr llegar a los consumidores potenciales de ambos países. ABSTRACT At the request of the Peruvian government, the UN General Assembly declared the International Year of the Potato in 2008. Since 2005, the Peruvian government has implemented strategies around the importance of the potato, as the declaration of the 30th of May as the National Day of the Potato. FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) has declared 2014 as the International Year of Family Farming, with an approach shared by this Ph.D. dissertation about the Peruvian peasant family. The Peruvian government uses value chains as a strategy to promote sustainable development, which has allowed to contribute to the social and economic inclusion of poor farmers in the high Andean regions as those located in the municipal commonwealth of Yacus (MMY) province of Jauja, department of Junín. This strategy, which incorporates small farmers in the high Andean regions, (who have very low income), to the market with profitable production processes, implies a number of changes that should take place, such as changing patterns of traditional production to those products or services that are in demand in the market, or changes in the mentality of the small farmer into a concept of production business. (Fabián, 2013). Moreover, the sustainability of value chains depends on the weakest link, which demands a knowledge of the status of all the links, in order to integrate and strengthen the chain. It is required an adequate transparency to facilitate the flow of information between the various actors. (Briz et al., 2012). Furthermore, the establishment of the value chain should be done carefully, since the effectiveness and the survival of the businesses are increasingly linked to the value chain where the firm is included and to its coordination. (Briz, 2011). In this situation, it becomes important to study the value chain of the native potato, once we establish its features, to be able to determine the feasibility or not of a value chain of this product, which has an impact of the generated wealth in small farms of the high Andean regions, and even the extension of this value chain to Spain. There are studies on native potatoes, made by different universities in several countries and even in more than one continent. However, most studies focus on improving the production of native potato. The originality of the research conducted in this Ph.D. dissertation is the study of the feasibility of commercialization of native potato, by the creation of a value chain that starts in the province of Jauja, Perú, and ends both in Peruvian markets in the region of Lima, and in Spain. The main goal of this research is to improve the economic and social conditions of farming communities in the province of Jauja in Perú, while promoting its technological and industrial development, by the establishment of a value chain of the native potato and derivatives. The specific objectives of the research are the characterization of the links in the value chain of the native potato and its derivatives in the province of Jauja, (Perú) and in Spain, in order to determine the added value; the strengthening of organizations of native potato producers, to commercialize their products and the promotion of enterprise culture; and the development of a chain to market native potato and its derivatives, with its origin in the province of Jauja, (Perú), and its end in Spain, with the sale to the Spanish consumer. In order to achieve these objectives, the used methodology is the agrifood value chain, using as a tool to analysis it the SWOT analysis of the value chain of the native potato. The primary sources of information used in the research come partly from UPM cooperation project, "Improving the value chain of Andean potato as a boost to rural development. Case Three Rural Communities in the Province of Jauja, (Perú)", in which the Ph.D. student was involved, and partly from the surveys, which were specifically designed for the different links of the value chain of the native potato. The secondary sources of information come from academic articles, from articles published by magazines of the industry, and from reports of several government institutions, both Spanish and Peruvian. The conclusions of the research are as follows. The creation of the commonwealth of Yacus has benefited small farmers. They get better sales conditions and better prices for their products, which results in the improvement of their living conditions. These improvements are due to a value chain of native potato which is working effectively. All the firms invited to constitute the value chain have shown interest in being part of it: the farmers to get better prices for their products and better sale conditions; the distributors to ensure a certain quality of fixed varieties of native potato, the processing industry in order to have an adequate supply of product to the corresponding derivative of native potato (chips, “tunta”, etc.); exporting firms to have a guaranteed supply of the products that they require with the right volumes. It's a win-win situation for all participating companies. Despite being a traditional product, the value chain of the native potato presents innovation in marketed products, (both fresh native potato and its derivatives), in the formats of products, in the distribution network, in Peruvian institutions and in relation with the consumer. There is a perceived demand of native potato and its products in countries where communities of Latin Americans have settled down. Spain is among the countries that have received a significant number of people from Latin America. Despite the strong economic crisis suffered by Spain, which has lead to a return to their home countries of part of the Latin American community, the size of this population is still considerable. This population demands products from their own countries, and they frequently consume them if the prices are suitable to their standard of living. The selling price of the native potato and its derivatives in Spain is of great importance. The import of these products from Perú makes the prices rise to levels that reduce competitiveness, especially in fresh native potatoes. It is advised to look for companies which can adapt the fresh potato production in our country, and keep direct export to Spain for the derivatives products. The preferences of Peruvian and Spanish consumers in terms of formats and brands are not the same. The surveys concluded that the same marketing strategy cannot be followed in both countries. Packet formats of native potato and its derivatives should be differentiated in Spain and Perú, in order to reach the potential consumers of both countries.

Promotion of professional skills in engineering education: strategies and challenges

Basic engineering skills are not the only key to professional development, particularly as engineering problems are everyday more and more complex and multifaceted, hence requiring the implementation of larger multidisciplinary teams, in many cases working in an international context and in a continuously evolving environment. Therefore other outcomes, sometimes referred to as professional skills, are also necessary for our students, as most universities are already aware. In this study we try to methodically analyze the main strategies for the promotion of professional skills, mainly linked to actuations which directly affect students or teachers (and teaching methodologies) and which take advantage of the environment and available resources. From an initial list of 51 strategies (in essence aimed at promotion of different drivers of change, linked to students, teachers, environment and resources), we focus on the 11 drivers of change considered more important after an initial evaluation. Subsequently, a systematic analysis of the typical problems linked to these main drivers of change, enables us to find and formulate 12 major and usually repeated and unsolved problems. After selecting these typical problems, we put forward 25 different solutions, for short-term actuation, and discuss their effects, while bearing in mind our team’s experience, together with the information from the studies carried out by numerous teaching staff from other universities.

Promotion of intangible heritage as a tool to strengthen revitalisation of historic centres: the case of de Monumenta Programme in the City of Porto Alegre (Rio Grande do Sul State) Brazil

The preservation of tangible cultural heritage does not guarantee effective revitalisation of urban historic areas as a whole. The legacy of our history consists not only of paintings, sculptures, architectural monuments and public spaces, but also the safeguarding of immaterial aspects of social life, such as oral traditions, rituals, practices, knowledge and craft skills. From 1999 to 2013, 26 Brazilian cities benefited from the Monumenta Programme - a national cultural policy that involved institutions, the private sector and the local community. The purpose of the programme was to stimulate economic growth and increase cultural and social development of the historic centres. Moreover, it sought to increase the number of residents in the benefited areas as defined in its agenda (IDB, 1999; MinC & Programa Monumenta, 2006). Using the Historic Centre of Porto Alegre as a case study, this paper examines how this cultural programme enables demographic change through the promotion of intangible cultural heritage, e.g. by supporting educational projects. The demographic flow was analysed using the microdata of the Populations Censuses (years 2000 and 2010) available from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The results showed an increase in low-income residents the areas that participated in the programme. This increase may have been motivated by a set of cultural-educational projects under the auspices of the Monumenta Programme. The retraining of artisans of Alfândega Square, the training of low-income youth for restoration work and the implementation of the "Black Route Museum in Porto Alegre" (Bicca, 2010) are just some examples of what was done to improve the local community's economy, to encourage social cohesion and to enhance the awareness of cultural diversity as a positive and essential value in society.