Projects

RETOS-NGUE (The challenge of managing Next Generation EU funds: threats and weaknesses of the Spanish institutional framework), has two main objectives: first, it aims to carry out an holistic analysis (across eleven pillars of the social system) of the quality of four specific areas of our institutional framework (impartiality, transparency and accountability, integrity, cooperation/coordination/commitment, and capactiy) in order to generate robust causal explanations to contribute to the development of solid theories on the relationship between institutional quality and power pathologies. Only with a solid theoretical and empirical basis can case analyses and pratical proposals be effectively conducted. Secondly, the project analyzes the design and management of the National Recovery, Transformation, and Resilience Plan (PNRTR), in relation to the same institutional variables, focusing on the organizations and stakeholders most directly involved in its implementation, in order to determine whether risks have materialized and, from there, provide proposals for institutional stregthening and resilience.

From this, five specific objectives emerge:

1. Asessment of existing barriers and updating of databases.

2. Conducting a holistic diagnosis of Spain's institutional framework, based on:

   • Understanding the perception of institutional quality (in relation to the previously selected areas) at subnational leves of government.

   • Generating a holistic diagnosis of the national integrity system.

   • Connecting data extracted from the institutional analysis with previously generated databases, in order to link institutional weaknesses and strengths with existing risks.

3. Analysis of the fuctioning of the PNRTR, in relation to existings barriers and the previously selected institutional dimensions.

   • Proposing institutional improvements based on the analysis conducted.

PREVEX (Preventing Emotional and Sexual Abuse Among Young People) aims to update academic knowledge on the violent, criminal and social dimensions related to sexual behaviours and to implement a platform of resources and specialized courses tailored to the needs of both initial training (teachers, judges, specialized educators, psychologists) and the continuing education of professionals working with youth, as well as in security and education sectors.

The project builds on existing cooperation between universities and European networks for the prevention of gender-based and sexual violence in Europe. It relies on the established expertise of the university partners in training and educational engineering, enabling them to train university-level trainers and participate in the implementation of public policies on human sexuality education.

The main objective of PREVEX is to develop coherence training programs to cultivate new skills in preventing gender- and sexual-based violence among adolecesnts, and to propose new multilingual tools to better equip universities in addressing emotional and sexual education across Europe.

Specifically, the project aims to:

1. Build a synthesis and foresight in term of content and practices.

2. Characterize pedagogical approaches and evaluate the impact of new training adapted to popular education contexts.

3. Produce specific resources on critical cases of gender- and sexual-based violence

4. Train professionals capable of multiplying interventions and improving the competencies of young people.

The project also seeks to build interdisciplinary bridgest within the framework of social studies of deviant phenomena in modern sexuality.

COVINFORM (COronavirus Vulnerabilities and INFOrmation dynamics Research and Modelling) analyses responses to COVID-19 across government, public health, community, and information and communication domains. Taking an intersectional approach to health and socieconomic vulnerabilities, the European interdisciplinary consortium evaluates the impact of the pandemic and its repercussions on societies and vulnerable groups, and models COVID-19 responses.

The project will conduct research at three levels:

1. EU27 + UK level: secondary data analysis and model development;

2. 15 target countries: analysis of documentary sources at the national level;

3. 10 target communities: quantitative and qualitative empirical research.

The project's key outputs include an online portal and a set of visual tools for stakeholders in government, public health, and civil society. These integrate data flows, indices and indicators, maps, models, primary research, and case study findings, providing evidence-based policy guidance and innovative evaluation tools.

CEDAR Project (Continuing Education Against Radicalisation), funded by the European Commission under the ERASMUS+ programme, aims to train education professionals, executive staff, and educational leaders in order to help policymakers develop better training and education plans. To achieve this, CEDAR focuses on the production, implementation, and development of European-level training for teachers and trainers, enanbling them to enhance their skills in addressing deviant behaviors and extremism in educational settings.

The project also seeks to support university professionals by providing them with the tools to identify and prevent risks, as well as to implement appropriate actions depending on situations of deviance and extremism that may lead to violence against other youth and students.

CEDAR is expected to improve the knowledge and skill base of eduaction and training professionals regardind the identification and prevention of different types of radicalization in the contexts of schools, vocational training, and universities. It will also enhance the competencies of professionals in organizations and community associations working directly with youth in specific neighborhoods (e.g., migrants, unemployed youth, and school dropouts).

Upon completion, the project is expected to produce the following short and medium-term impacts:

1. Greater awareness of radicalization and extremism in educational settings (at both national and Euopean levels), including personal, structural, ideological, political, and social factors.

2. Improved understanding of detecting "warning signs" of violent youth radicalization (alert signs and possible interventions) and of the current prevention and detection mechanisms in place across Europe, supported by real case studies (e.g., tools to asess existing radicalization risks).

3. Enhanced capacity to support youth exposed to radicalization risks, providing training that equips them with new knowledge and practical tools to address daily challenges.

4. Increased awareness and capacity of community youth services to support vulnerable yotuh and/or former radicals throughout their reintegration process.

5. Better understanting of mentoring programs as social suppor tool for former radicals or young people identified as vulnerable to radical messages.

PERCEPTIONS (Understand the Impact of Novel Technologies, Social Media, and Perceptions in Countries Abroad on Migration Flows and the Security of the EU & Provide Validated Counter Approaches, Tools and Practices) is a research project aimed at identifying and understanding (mis)perceptions of the EU abroad, assessing potential cross-border and external security issues, and planning and outlining appropiate responses and countermeasures.

The project seeks to understand the impact of new technologies, social media, and the perceptions generated in other countries regarding migration flows and EU security, in order to provide approaches, tools, and practices that counter misperceptions.

The project will conduct research on the narratives and myths circulating about the EU in countries of the western and central Mediterranean. Based on the research findings, the consortium will develop a PERCEPTIONS framework model that includes policy recommendations and action plans.

JP-COOPS (Judicial and Police Cooperation Preventing Radicalisation Towards Terrorism) addresses the existing gaps between policies and practicies in countering radicalization through cooperation among training providers from different EU member states. The project aims to institutionalize training courses —currently diversified and scattered— on judicial and police cooperation within the publiuc-private environment. It makes extensive use of European tools and platforms developed in previous EU-funded projects and paves the way for their interoperability and integration into the e-Justice Portal.

Objectives

1. Promote cross-border cooperation in training for judicial and police collaboration.

2. Expand existing networks through the exchange of information, training content, and best practices to combat radicalization and terrorism.

3. Explore opportunities provided by recent EU legislation to reduce the likelihood of recruitment in different social environments.

Foster a "Knowledge Partnership" between EJTN, CEPOL, universities, judicial and police schools, and ministries, as outlined in the Europe 2020 Strategy.

Expected Results

1. Mapping, selection, and priorization of all available training modules and tools from training projects focused on radicalization.

2. Design of 5 new innovative training modules, suitable for both syncrhonous and asynchronous delivery through a blended methodology, translated into 8 EU languages.

3. Identification of 26 national multi-agency contact points (PNCs) trained as trainers.

4. Design and implementation of a toolkit that incorporates existing radicalization resources (a "super-toolkit").

PRACTICIES mobilizes networks of European cities and experts to gain a better understanding of the human roots of violent radicalization and to characterize these processes from their origins in order to develop concrete and practical prevention tools.

This transnational project relies on cooperation and expertise in urban security in cities, as well as on the experience of national counter-terrorism strcutrues (partners from different countries involving government and law enforcement agencies, municipal authorities, research institutions, and private organizations).

Objectives

• Evaluate existing monitoring procedures and identify youth undergoing radicalization in urban environments.

• Describe and explain the social trajectory leading to radical action.

• Provide concrete tools for intervention.

Expected Results

• Comparative analysis of violent radicalization processes at the European level.

• Development of new educational tools aimed at preventing violent radicalization.

• Evaluation of methods for identifying and supporting radicalized individuals through a comparative analysis of Euorpean experiences.

• Creation of a glossary of radical discourse at the European level.

• Development of digital tools to identify radical discourse.

• Improvement of local policies for the prevention of violent radicalization through the identification, analysis, and exchange of best practices at the European level.

This training program is aimed at judges, magistrates, and other professionals involved in criminal justice, offering a multidisciplinary approach to prevent radicalization processes that could lead to participation in violent actions.

It applies the priorities set out in the Plan Estratégico Nacional Español de Lucha contra la Radicalización Violenta (PEN-LCRV) 2015 to the training of judges, magistrates, and other criminal justice professionals.

The program promotes a HUB, a space where all actors within the criminal justice system can cooperate to achieve common objectives effectively.

It also fosters collaboration and knowledge exchange with Spanish, Europeand, and international networks of specialists working in this field.