Introduction

CONCERT-Japan is a European Union (EU) funded project in the International Cooperation Activities under the Capacities Programme of the EU 7th Framework Programme for Research and Technology Development (FP7). 3VRUT of the CONCERT Japan program focuses on questions related to the development of a methodology to evaluate, quantify and classify the risks and threats that exist at the junction of cyber space and physical space in rural settings in the developed world. The project involves developing an understanding of the 3 V’s Vitality, Vulnerability and Versatility in rural towns, by identifying strategies that may help rural communities to be more resilient in times of crisis. The evaluation of 3 V’s is done through combination of approaches to study the population trends, aging, transportation and commuting, agriculture and food availability, urban morphology and landscape transition, electricity, water and digital connectivity in 2 rural towns per country in Japan, Germany, Poland and Spain. The objective of the study is to combine remote sensing technologies with Machine learning and Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in order to spot and predict changes in socio economic behaviour and opportunities in the rural settings.

 

Partners:

  1. Technical University of Munich, Germany, Department of Aerospace and Geodesy, Chair of Land Management, Professor Walter T. de Vries
  2. Institute of International Relations and Public Policies, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, Jan Kochanowski University, Poland, Professor Luc Ampleman,
  3. Architecture School at Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya, Chair of Urbanism, Spain, Professor Joaquin Sabaté Bel
  4. Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan (RESTEC), Tokyo, Remi Chandran

Objectives

  1. Data collection and selection of socio-economic indicators with spatial manifestation which is commonly shared for assessing Versatility, Vulnerability and Vitality of the selected rural town
  2. Development of a conceptual model to evaluate 3 VRUT
  3. Implementation and testing of the model
  4. Project consolidation, policy recommendations and result and dissemination

Activities

E-festival organised by the Regional Studies Association (RSA) held on 14th June 2021: Special Session "Vitality, Vulnerability and Versatility of Rural Societies at the Time of Cyber and Physical Threats"