5 major universities,
2 research institutes and
1 audience engagement consultancy.

The University of Bologna (UNIBO), created in 1088, is recognized as the oldest university in the western world, and one of the largest in Italy (with more than 85,000 enrolled students per year). It is organized in a multi-campus structure divided into 33 departments and 5 operating sites (Bologna, Cesena, Forlì, Ravenna and Rimini). The Department of Computer Science & Engineering is the single reference point for Computer Science and Engineering education, research and technology transfer. The Department of Statistical Sciences promotes excellence in the teaching and research of Methodological and Applied Statistics.

The University of Gothenburg (UGOT) is the third-oldest of the current Swedish universities, and it is also among the largest universities in the Nordic countries. 37 000 students and 6 000 employees, strong research and attractive study programmes. In particular, Department of Political Science and The Quality of Government Institute are involved in the project. The Institute conducts and promotes research on the causes, consequences and nature of good governance and Quality of Government (QoG) – that is, trustworthy, reliable, impartial, uncorrupted and competent government institutions.

The Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics (IEA), based in Romania, has conducted fundamental and applied research in the field of agricultural and rural development. Over the last twenty years, IEA has conducted fundamental and applied research in the field of agri-food, rural economy and rural development, policy impact analysis with national and international funding and actively take part in the research results dissemination, both to the academics and the policy makers’ level. The Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics has three departments where are working high qualified researchers from various fields – agricultural economics, agri-food economics, rural economy and sociology, agro-marketing, and governmental action management at the sectoral and territorial level.

The Institute of Agricultural and Food Economics – National Research Institute (IAFE-NRI) is a Polish independent scientific and research centre with 60 years of scientific achievement and experience in analysing economic and production processes in the Polish agriculture and food economy. The scientific staff of the Institute comprises 10 professors, 7 assistant professors (PhD hab.), 31 doctors (PhD), 33 assistants and 4 technical research specialists, employed in 9 scientific departments.

The Universitat de Barcelona (UB) is ranked the first Spanish university, and the twenty third European institution, in scientific quality and productivity. The UB manages in average 150 European projects per year, for an amount of about 8.6 million euro a year. The Regional Quantitative Analysis Group (AQR-IREA) is located in the Department of Econometrics, Statistics and Spanish Economy at the University of Barcelona and is integrated in the Research Institute of Applied Economics (IREA). It also takes part of the Scientific Park of Barcelona.

The University of Portsmouth Higher Education Corporation is a University formed under statute (Education Reform Act 1988), and delivers transformational education, research and innovation. Portsmouth offers more than 200 undergraduate degrees and 150 postgraduate degrees, as well as 65 research degree programs. The Research Assessment Exercise 2008 classed research in eight departments contained elements of ‘world-leading’ research, with ‘European Studies’ among the top ten in the UK for research quality.

Since its foundation over 100 years ago, WU Vienna University of Economics and Business has grown to be the largest university of its kind in the European Union and now has close to 24,000 students. Its ambition is to become one of the leading institutions worldwide in business and economics research, and to teach with an international perspective and a global reach. WU claims triple accreditation by EQUIS, AACSB, and AMBA, the three most respected accreditation agencies, and its academic programs place consistently well in numerous international rankings.

BAM! Cultural Strategies is a consultancy and design company based in Italy specialised in audience development and cultural management. BAM! works with a project management approach and developed a specific know how in designing, conducting and measuring the impact of complex public projects with a specific focus in participation building and community marketing. BAM! devises and manages participative projects in terms of management and communication structures, fostering information sharing and identity building as organizational tools.