Interreg Grande Région

Acronym

Title & Abstract

Coordinator ULiège

This project aims to make energy certificates transparent and reduce energy consumption in buildings. Pilot high schools involve teenagers in understanding and optimizing energy management.

This project aims to improve fish production in RAS (Recirculating Aquaculture System) using polyculture, including various multi-species and multi-trophic approaches. It seeks to optimize systems, reduce inputs and innovate to improve production performance while reducing environmental impacts and promoting the well-being of the species concerned.

This project aims to create a center of expertise to foster the transition to a circular economy, with a focus on materials and metals. It aims to make the Greater Region a European model for the efficient management of resources and technological waste.

Acronym

Title & Abstract

Coordinator & Partner ULiège

RPTU Kaiserslauterne-Landau ;

Philippe André (ULiège)

The project addresses the common problem of valorizing agri-food by-products in the Greater Region and the need to improve the sustainability of the dairy sector. Currently, whey, a by-product of cheese production, is underutilized and generates waste. This project aims to transform it into a high-value nutritional supplement, thereby reducing pollution associated with its disposal and optimizing the use of resources.

This eco-friendly and valuable solution will benefit the dairy industry. In addition, the aim is to promote the integration of other sources of whey, such as goat's or sheep's milk, in order to broaden the diversity of products.

The main targets are cheese makers, dairy producers, and consumers. The cross-border approach will make it possible to pool resources and harmonize practices in the Greater Region, supporting a concerted ecological transition.

Coordination : CECOTEPE ; Contacts ULiège : Véronique Delcenserie / Georges Daube

HTW Saar ; Dominique Toye, Sébastien Calvo (ULiège)

HENALUX ;

Laurent Nisen (ULiège)

Luxembourg's urbanization has created dynamics of interdependence and functional specialization between cross-border territories. The economic polarization of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg has been accompanied by an intensification of residential flows towards border regions. This has resulted in increased demand for housing, rising property prices, and migratory movements (both cross-border and within territories), leading to greater socio-spatial segregation and, consequently, increased pressure on land use and urban sprawl.

In order to better respond to these challenges, this project aims to strengthen cross-border governance across Luxembourg's functional area in the key areas of sustainable housing and urban planning, land use planning, and access to housing. 

To this end, a co-creation approach involving local, regional, and national public authorities and scientific partners from the five sides of the Greater Region is being prioritized.

Coordination : LISER ; Contact ULiège : Jean-Marc Lambotte / Jean-Marie Halleux

Valbiom ;

Marie-Laure Fauconnier (ULiège)

University of Saarland ; Thomas Andrianne, Aurélie de Boissieu (ULiège)

The project aims to help solve the problem of a shortage of healthcare professionals (particularly nurses and midwives) in the Greater Region. This problem is exacerbated by three major factors: (1) the lack of attractiveness of these fields since the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a decline in enrollment in these programs; (2) the high dropout rate at the beginning of training due to a lack of preparation for the reality of the field. This shortage of healthcare professionals results in an excessive workload, leading to (3) early departures and widespread burnout. These issues affect the ability of healthcare facilities to ensure the continuity and quality of patient care.

To address these challenges, the project adopts a collaborative cross-border approach focused on innovative tools such as virtual reality (VR). By combining interprofessional modules, cross-border internships, and training for teachers, the project enables cooperation between regions and facilitates regional integration.

The use of virtual reality is a major advance, allowing realistic clinical situations to be simulated while ensuring learning safety. This innovation modernizes training, makes it more attractive to new generations, and prepares students to work effectively in the cultural and linguistic diversity of the Greater Region. By pooling resources and technical expertise, the project strengthens skills learning, facilitates cross-border mobility, and meets the specific needs of local populations. In this way, it improves the quality of training and patient care while enhancing the attractiveness and sustainability of healthcare professions in both hospital and non-hospital settings.

Coordination : HELMo Link ; Contact ULiège : Michaël Schyns

The GD-GR project addresses the main challenges related to the energy transition and supports the implementation of the European Green Deal strategy in the Greater Region. There are significant regional disparities in terms of energy supply and infrastructure, energy consumption, and public awareness of renewable energies and environmental issues, such as the future role of hydrogen (H2). In addition, administrative, regulatory, linguistic, and cultural barriers can complicate the implementation of cross-border solutions.

Each region therefore faces its own challenges, as well as common challenges in achieving the objectives of the European Green Deal. For this reason, GD-GR adopts a transnational and participatory approach, bringing together universities, training institutions, policy makers, municipalities, and citizens to raise awareness of the uses and benefits of renewable energies and H2 in the Greater Region.

The GD-GR project offers a response to the short- and medium-term challenges of the energy transition and the implementation of the Green Deal in the Greater Region. More specifically, it addresses the lack of academic experts in this field, the uneven awareness of renewable and green energy among the population, and the still limited cross-border cooperation.

Coordination : IZES ; Contacts ULiège : Pierre Dewallef / Grégoire Léonard

City of Metz ;

Stéphane Gretry (ULiège)

Grand E-Nov+ ;

Cécile CAULIER (ULiège)

In 2022, the market value of food losses in the EU amounted to €132 billion. In the Greater Region (Germany, France, Luxembourg, and Belgium), it is estimated that 15 to 20% of agricultural products are lost each year before even reaching the end consumer. The product group with the highest losses (by weight) in the EU is fruit (27%), followed by vegetables (20%) and cereals (13%). The environmental impact of food losses is also considerable: it accounts for 16% of CO2 emissions, 12% of water consumption, 16% of land use, and 15% of marine eutrophication. These losses particularly affect small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which play a key role in regional agriculture.

The project focuses on apples, pears, grapes, and mirabelle plums, which are of particular economic importance to the Greater Region. Innovative and cost-effective technologies must be developed so that they can be integrated in a practical way into the existing logistics processes of SMEs. This will enable companies to benefit from reduced losses, improved product quality and consistency, and a smaller ecological footprint. In addition, the project will promote major changes in practice, in particular through the introduction of advanced analysis methods, the optimization of storage and logistics processes, and the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices. Key project outcomes include in-depth analyses of supply chain processes to identify potential for optimization. 

At the same time, seminars and workshops will be designed to help companies identify levers and opportunities for creating greener value chains.

By promoting innovation and collaboration within the region, this project lays the foundation for scalable and sustainable long-term solutions. The fruit industry in the Greater Region functions as a highly integrated system, operating across national borders. Cooperation within the consortium enables the exchange of best practices, the pooling of resources, and the development of common standards. Close cooperation between research institutes, businesses, and political actors enables the development of sustainable strategies that not only respond to regional challenges but also create solutions that can be transferred to other regions. 

Coordination: Saarland University of Applied Sciences ; Contacts ULiège : Véronique Delcenserie / Georges Daube

Anti-Semitism is a growing problem in our societies. The Greater Region is also seeing an increase in anti-Semitic acts and crimes in all regions, regardless of the country. At the same time, more and more people say they have no connection to Jewish life in their personal environment. 

The "Jewish Life in the Greater Region" project has therefore set itself the goal of developing an innovative platform, including a mobile app, which conveys Jewish life in the Greater Region on the basis of authentic traces (from yesterday and today) and at the same time contributes to the cultural enrichment of the region. 

In addition to institutions, museums, and interested social groups, young people in particular are involved in the project through the participation of schools and universities.

In collaboration with students and educators, a workshop concept will be developed, tested, and evaluated, on the basis of which they will be able to develop interactive tours and other (learning) content for the same age group in seminars and working groups. 

The aim is to highlight different aspects of Jewish life and history in the context of the specific cultural, economic, and political history of the Greater Region. 

The project integrates tools and creates structures that enable all institutions to present their offerings at the interregional level in digital form on the new platform to be created, but also to integrate them into their own existing offerings such as websites, brochures, apps, and databases. 

The presentation of all offerings on a single platform, a common app with interactive tours and interactive maps, and the resulting networking of offerings should attract the attention of other schools and universities, even beyond the Greater Region, as well as all interested citizens.

Coordination : EUROKEY Software ; Contacts ULiège : Marianne Poumay / Thérèse Reggers

Supporting the implementation of a cross-border territorial development strategy: With the support of the UniGR network, this project strengthens the exchange of knowledge between researchers, decision-makers and urban planners, with a view to coherent, sustainable planning in an area marked by diverse administrative cultures. 

UniGR a.s.b.l. ; Jean-Marc Lambotte, Jean-Marie Halleux (ULiège)

Development of a territorial intelligence tool to improve mobility : This will enable better planning of transport services, reducing car use in favor of sustainable solutions in the Metz-Sarrebruck-Trêves-Verviers-Marche-en-Famenne area. 

AGAPE ;  Morgane Dumont (ULiège)

CCI Grand Est ;

Pierre Duysinx (ULiège)

RND asbl ;

Philippe Lejeune (ULiège)

Groupement Européen d'Intérêt Économique Terroir Moselle ; Sébastien Doutreloup (ULiège)

Acronym

Title & Abstract

Coordinator ULiège