About partners

The main research focus at ASCS is on interdisciplinary applied science in the area of supply chain management for enhanced safety, quality and transparency (traceability) of perishable products. The priority is on the integration of process engineering, computer science, and natural sciences with strong emphasis on project management. Key research areas are aimed at solutions to enhance improved yields and sustainable value from production and transport processes, minimize waste, efficient use of energy, greening of processes and environmental impact assessments (e.g. carbon footprint, LCA). Implementation of new technologies in the field and the associated risk assessments are seen as tools to facilitate good market potential. The research group is involved in research projects that mostly are funded by external research grants, e.g. national, Nordic and European Framework Programs. The group has established a strong network of collaborators with industries, national and European industry associations, NGOs, and international organisations (FAO) in various projects and taken part in establishing dynamic spin-off entrepreneur companies.

UoI is the coordination leader of the consortium and overall coordination role is filled by Dr Sigurdur Bogason. UoI will lead WP1 and WP2, and contribute to work in all other WPs. In particular, UoI will contribute to tasks in WP4 on LCA with a focus on the aquaculture supply chain and consumer and stakeholder focus group activities in WP6. Professor Harald Sverdrup will lead the dynamic modelling development that frames the conceptual/internal operational mechanism for the VALUMICS project and he will be assisted by Dr. Anna Hulda Olafsdottir in leading the group model building sessions in the first project year as part of WP2. The project management team in WP1 will collaborate with the WP2 team and assist in organising all the workshops over the next 3 years in collaboration with other partners under the different operational WPs.

Guðrún Ólafsdóttir will take on the role to coordinate the compilation of inputs from project partners to formulate the initial research questions and themes and organise the workshops in line with the project meetings and facilitate collaboration with WP9 for stakeholders’ involvement.

SINTEF (www.sintef.no) is Scandinavia’s largest independent research organisation and is a non-profit research foundation. We employ 2100 people most of whom are located in Trondheim and Oslo (Norway). More than 90% of our annual turnover of approx. 350 M€ derives from contract research for industry and the public sector in Norway and internationally, and we receive only minimal state funding (around 6%). SINTEF is multidisciplinary, with international top-level expertise in a wide range of technological and scientific disciplines, medicine and the social sciences. Our company vision is “technology for a better society”, and it is an important aspect of our societal role to contribute to the creation of more jobs. We act as an incubator, commercialising technologies through the establishment of spin-off companies. The SINTEF Group has defined six business units covering a wide area of research. So far, the SINTEF Group has participated in 256 FP7- projects and has coordinated 55 of them. In Horizon2020, the SINTEF Group is participating in 93 projects so far, coordinating 23 of them.

SINTEF is represented in this consortium by the department specialised in all aspects of interactions and technological developments in the ocean space, SINTEF Ocean. SINTEF Ocean is conducting research within ocean-based industries, e.g. aquaculture, fisheries, marine resources, maritime, oil and gas, processing, environmental technology and new ocean industries. The staff consists of 340 employees. Our expertise, interdisciplinary approach and industrial knowledge provide our customers with added value through the projects we undertake.  SINTEF Ocean performs basic and applied research for the industry as well as for governmental institutions. We develop new technology, knowledge and create new products and businesses. We hold world-class software and research infrastructure. The infrastructure ranges from specialized laboratories, via one of the world’s largest ocean basin laboratories to a full-scale testing facility. In cooperation with the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), SINTEF Ocean is developing the Ocean Space Centre, an upgrade and renewal of the ocean-based research facilities in Trondheim.

SINTEF has participated in more than 20 relevant research projects funded by the Norwegian Research Council, the Nordic Council of Ministers, and EU. In these projects, they have been working closely together with the fish and meat industry, the fishing sector as such, transporters, and European retailers. SINTEF delivers industrial solutions for the marine value chain, focusing on the interactions between raw materials, processes and products. The core team for the VALUMICS project are from the departments of Process Technology, Fisheries Technology and Aquaculture Technology at SINTEF with the main research focus on supply chain management, information management, traceability and environmental impacts assessment in food value chains. The group has strong collaborations with relevant industries in various projects and dynamic spin-off entrepreneur companies.

SINTEF will lead WP4 (Dr. Maitri Thakur) on Food System Case Study Groundwork and will lead the seafood case study. SINTEF will develop the event driven framework for data collection, analyze the information and material flows and conduct the environmental impact assessment for the seafood case. SINTEF will also contribute to the work in WP2, 3, 5, 7 and 9 to the tasks specifically related to the seafood case.

Natural Resources Institute Finland – Luke (www.luke.fi) was launched 1st of January 2015 as a merger of MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Finnish Forest Research Institute, Finnish Game and Fisheries Research Institute and the statistical services of the Information Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Luke is a non-profit public research organisation, the second largest research institute in Finland and one of the biggest clusters of bioeconomy expertise in Europe. Luke operates in 25 different locations across the country, employs ca. 1,300 person-years, and its turnover for the year 2016 was EUR 120 million. Luke develops knowledge-based solution models and services for its customers and added value for sustainable and competitive business activities based on renewable natural resources, and supports decision making in the society. Luke’s research is divided into four research programmes. In addition, Luke has many authority and expert services. The research programmes aim to create new bio-based products and business opportunities, increase productivity by digitalization, support regional vitality by circular economy, create well-being from immaterial values, and support the profitability of healthy food production.Luke is participating WP2, WP5, WP7 and WP8, and will contribute to the work of other WPs. Luke will be strongly involved in backcasting and scenario development in WP8, and will actively support other WPs concerning and dissemination of the results.

The University of Hertfordshire – UH (www.herts.ac.uk) is among the most successful new universities in the UK; innovative, enterprising and business-facing, with a truly international and flourishing student community of over 25,300, including more than 2800 overseas students from 100 different countries. UH is one of the region’s largest employers with over 2,700 staff. UH is in the Times Higher Education 150 under 50 rankings 2016, and is included in the Times Higher Education list of the “200 most international universities in the world” (January 2016). In the most recent national assessment of the University’s research (the UK Research Assessment Framework 2014), 93 per cent of the submitted research was judged to be of world-leading or international quality in terms of originality, significance and rigour. UH has been awarded the European Commission’s HR Excellence in Research Badge.

Research at the University is undertaken across a wide range of Research Centres and groups, who collaborate actively with academic, commercial and governmental organisations across the globe. Our research is focused across six Research Themes, reflecting our interdisciplinary strength in some of the key global challenges of the 21st century: Food, Global Economy, Health and Wellbeing, Heritage, Culture and Communities, Information and Security, and Space. Each research theme is led by a Theme champion – a member of the research community who provides leadership and works to foster collaboration across our specialist research centres and groups and between the University and external partners. The PI is the Food Research Theme Champion.

UH is leading WP3 on Policy, regulations and governance, and co-leading on Task 5.1 and will contribute to work in all other WPs, and the iterative model development framework workshops

The Collaborating Centre on Sustainable Consumption and Production – CSCP (www.scp-centre.org) was jointly founded by the Wuppertal Institute and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 2005 to establish an internationally visible institution for scientific research, outreach and transfer activities on sustainable consumption and production (SCP). The CSCP comprises an interdisciplinary group of more than 50 researchers, consultants and experts from all over the world. They bring in expertise in the fields of economic sciences, engineering, journalism, design, political and social sciences as well as natural sciences. The work of the CSCP can be divided into three core areas:

• Sustainable Lifestyles,
• Sustainable Infrastructures, Products and Services and
• Sustainable Business Models.

The scope of the Centre’s activities comprises development, testing, implementation and monitoring of projects and programmes, enabling leapfrogging sustainable consumption and production patterns and practices, knowledge transfer, multi- stakeholder and interdisciplinary networking and international partnerships. The programmes developed and carried out by the organization are built on three milestones: capacity building, establishment of infrastructures to support sustainable innovations and encouraging bottom-up participative models for sustainable innovation and its ripple effect on lifestyles.

The CSCP has been involved in several EU funded projects in FP6, FP7 and H2020, both as lead partner and partner, as well as projects funded by the German government and several companies.

CSCP is leading WP6 dedicated to consumer analysis and understanding of barriers and opportunities to foster the role of the consumer in enabling increased sustainability and resilience in food value chains in Europe. CSCP will contribute to the causality analysis work and qualitative model development in WPs 2 and 6 and participate in the workshops linked to their development. CSCP will also contribute to the case study work in WP5, participate in the workshops linked to the scenarios development in WP8, and contribute to the dissemination and communications activities as part of WP9.

The University of Bologna – UNIBO (www.unibo.it) is the oldest university in the Western world founded in 1088. It includes 33 Departments in charge of organising scientific research and teaching and learning functions in the broad areas of Sciences, Technology, Medicine, Humanities, Social Studies. Unibo has around 85.000 students, 209 Degree programmes, and around 5900 research and teaching staff. The Department of Agricultural Sciences’ mission is the benefit of society to foster food and agricultural sustainability and prosperity. The Agricultural and Food Sciences and Technologies is involved in economic research concerning the agriculture sector, the processing, the food and non-food destination of agricultural products. Research activity is focused on value chain management and of local and international markets of agroindustrial products, distribution and consumption of agricultural and food products, healthy food and consumer behaviour, national and international agribusiness, agro-food marketing, farm management, innovation processes, food, rural, agricultural and agro-environmental policies, environment evaluation, rural and land appraisal and the integration of economic and agro-zootechnic models. Specifically, the agrifood system is explored in its economic, political, managerial and evaluation aspects concerning production, processing, distribution, the market and consumption. The department consists of about around 80 researcher and teaching staff. The department collaborates with many agriculture and food industry associations and SMEs in Italy and its location in the Italian food valley favours the development of further contacts.

UNIBO will contribute to the causal analysis work in WP2-6 and participate in the workshops linked to the development of the model framework. Contributes also to WP3 and case study work in WPs4-6. The Deputy WP4 leader is Prof. Samoggia.

The Czech University of Life Sciences Prague – CULS (www.czu.cz) is one of leading educational and research centres for agrarian sector, forestry, environment, landscape and water management, economics, rural and regional development in the Czech Republic. It consists of six faculties (Agrobiology, Food & Natural Resources, Economics & Management, Engineering, Environmental Sciences, Forestry, Tropics & Subtropics, Wildlife & Wood Sciences) and one institute (Tropics & Subtropics, Education & Communication). Since the university uses the effects of collaborative works, the main faculty involved will be the Faculty of Economics and Management, employing 250 teachers and researchers. The Faculty is ranked by the Czech government among the top five economic faculties in the Czech Republic. Its research and education focus is in agricultural economics, management and rural development, including the research on food supply chains, sustainability, organic farming, and social aspects of land and water management, both on national and international level. The faculty staff plays the important role in designing rural and agricultural policy in the Czech Republic through participating in national panels and providing the expert consultations.

CULS will be mainly involved in WP5 and will contribute to work in other WPs .

University College Dublin – UCD (www.ucd.ie) is one of Europe’s largest research-intensive universities (>€450 M in last 5 years) offering undergraduate (>30K students), graduate (ca. 5K students), post-doctoral education and innovation and community engagement, with partnerships all over the world. Two of its strategic research priorities are “Energy and Environment” and “Agrio-Food” which are at the heart of the VALUMICS project. UCD has modern, state-of-the-art facilities necessary for the project and dedicated research support units for administration, finance, legal, innovation, HR, ethics, IT and data analysis.

The research PIs contributing to VALUMICS are from three schools in the university: UCD School of Biosystems and Food Engineering and UCD School of Mechanical and Materials Engineering are part of the College of Engineering and Architecture; they are also members the UCD Earth Institute, UCD Institute of Food and Health and the national Dairy Process Technology Centre (DPTC). UCD’s Centre for Business Analytics is located in Management Information Systems at UCD School of Business. Members of the Centre for Business Analytics collaborate with researchers elsewhere in UCD, notably with the School of Mathematical Sciences and the Natural Computing Research and Applications Group (NCRA).

The UCD Institute of Food and Health has 35 PIs, 50 researchers and 130 graduate students supported by >€50M since 2010 with strong industry links including Nestlé, Coca-cola, Abbot, Glanbia, Kerry Group, Carbery, Dairygold, Dawn Meats, Keypak, Largo, Mead Johnson, Pzifer, Diagio, Irish dairy processor (through the DPTC) and the Irish Grain and Feed Association. It is ranked 1st in the world for citations per paper published and 6th in Europe for volume of publications.

UCD is leading WP7 on New Advances in Quantitative Theory and Modelling, is a lead contributor to the WP4 Life Cycle Assessment activity and will play a significant role in project management (WP1), model specification (WP2) and dissemination (WP9). UCD will contribute to work in all other workpackages as necessary for successful completion of the project.

Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies – IAMO (www.iamo.de), established in 1994, is a foundation under public law that provides applied research in agricultural economics, trains scholars, and acts as a forum for scientific exchange. IAMO investigates the development of agri-food sectors and rural areas, particularly in the New Member States of the European Union, candidates and potential candidate countries, as well as other transition issues in countries and regions in Central Asia, and China. Research at IAMO focuses on policy reform and institutional change, the development of agricultural markets, and structural changes in rural areas regarding agricultural and food enterprises. Particular emphasis is placed on changes caused by transition. IAMO has recently collaborated on many European projects that focus on structural change in rural areas, agriculture, farms and agri-food supply chains. For example, IAMO coordinates an interdisciplinary project: Global Food Security and Grain Markets in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan (GERUKA). Also, IAMO is coordinating large EU (FP 7) projects such as: International comparison of product chains in the agrofood sectors: determinants of their competitiveness and performance on EU and international markets (COMPETE); Exploring the potential of agricultural and biomass trade in the Commonwealth of Independent States (AGRICISTRADE). IAMO has been a partner in AgriPolicy Network under FP7 as well as other FP6 Projects including: MEA-Scope; IDEMA; and FOODCOMM. In addition, IAMO manages several projects funded by national sources (e.g. German Research Council or Volkswagen Foundation).

IAMO is leading WP5 on upstream and downstream food chain analysis and will contribute to the work of other WPs. The main involvement will be within the WP5 where IAMO is responsible for the tasks: 5.4 Food supply chain organisation, price formation and market power; 5.5 Persistence of supply chain relations; 5.6 Economies of scale and technical change along the food supply chains. Furthermore, IAMO will be directly involved in data collection (e.g. surveys), and will actively support other WPs concerning modelling, scenarios creation, and dissemination of the results.

The Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations – IDDRI (www.iddri.org) is a non-profit foundation recognized of public interest by the French government. Based at Sciences Po in Paris, IDDRI is an independent institute for policy research, focusing on research and policy influence for sustainable development at the European and global scales. It examines sustainable development issues requiring international coordination, such as climate change, food security, future evolutions of agriculture, biodiversity and the depletion of natural resources and urban systems in the context of global change. IDDRI has three objectives: informing policy decisions, identifying emerging policy issues and creating a platform for dialogue between stakeholders (private businesses, public sector, academia and civil society) and public policy makers. As a Sciences Po Paris partner, IDDRI’s researchers are highly involved in teaching and in developing research programs. IDDRI has developed a strong international network and organized several international conferences, workshops and research seminars. IDDRI research activities are mainly concentrating on identifying technical, economic or political drivers of change and on sketching scenarios for transition toward sustainable development pathways along with the conditions required for such a change.

IDDRI is leading WP8 on Foresight exercise and synthesis of prerequisites for sustainable, resilient, efficient and fair food value chains

IDDRI is also co-leading task 5.1 in WP5 and will contribute to work across the project and participate in the iterative workshops developing the conceptual model framework.

Newcastle University – UNEW (www.newcastle.ac.uk) is a research intensive university and a member of the prestigious Russell Group, comprising 24 leading research institutions in the UK. Newcastle University is ranked in the top 1% of universities in the world (QS World University Rankings 2014) and in the top 50 in the world in the latest International Student Barometer (2013). The University also has one of the largest European Union research portfolios in the UK (around 235 FP7 projects worth over €100million to the university). The UNEW team comprises of staff from Newcastle University Business School and the Centre for Rural Economy (CRE). Newcastle University Business School holds triple accreditation status (from AMBA, EQUIS and AACSB), placing it in the top 1% of Business schools globally. CRE is a University Research Centre located in the School of Agriculture, Food and Rural Development (AFRD). It specialises in interdisciplinary social science and applied policy research oriented towards the achievement of sustainable development in rural areas. Its research is organised around three key themes: Rural Development; Food and Society; and Science and Technology Studies in Food and Environment. CRE’s contribution to research into sustainable rural economies and societies was recognised with the award of a Queen’s Anniversary Prize in 2014. These are awarded by the Royal Anniversary Trust and honour work of outstanding importance and quality in higher and further education in the UK. The Newcastle team has extensive experience of participation in, and management of, large-scale research projects funded by the European Union as well as national research councils, governments and regional development agencies.

UNEW will contribute to various WPs related to the empirical analysis of food supply chains, transportation and logistics modelling, consumer analysis, dissemination and impact activities. methodology supply chain analysis consumer behaviour, dissemination and impact. This fits with the expertise of the UNEW team who collectively have experience of being involved in 10 EU-funded agri-food/rural research projects, including in management roles. This includes work on the competitiveness and sustainability of agri-food supply chains. Team members have substantial involvement in multi-disciplinary projects, funded both by the EU and the UK research councils. The team holds and editorial positions in relevant journals (e.g. Journal of Agricultural Economics, EuroChoices) as well as having published in leading journals relevant to the topic (Food Policy, Supply Chain Management).

The European Aquaculture Society – EAS (www.aquaeas.eu) is an independent non-profit association, created in 1976, that promotes contacts and disseminates information among all involved or interested in aquaculture in Europe. EAS currently has members in more than 60 countries and the EAS Secretariat is based at Oostende in Belgium. These two major EAS objectives are achieved by:

• the organization, since 1981, of the annual “Aquaculture Europe” events
• the publication of a peer-reviewed scientific journal (Aquaculture International), a dedicated aquaculture magazine (Aquaculture Europe) and a member newsletter (EASinfo)
• the formalization of ties with other aquaculture organizations, notably, the World Aquaculture Society, FAO, ICES, The European association for Animal Production, EUROFISH, CIHEAM, AquaTT, Aquacultural Engineering Society

The most directly related experience EAS can bring to this project is its knowledge of EU RTD projects in aquaculture and our extensive network for transfer and communication activities. Our annual Aquaculture Europe events will also provide a platform for sessions, workshops and training activities.

For more 15 years, EAS has either lead or been a partner to dissemination activities of EU research. These include AquaFlow (including an analysis of “SME Perception of the Dissemination of RTD information in the European Aquaculture Sector”), Profet Policy (summaries of 200 EU RTD projects in aquaculture), IMPACT FISH (ex-post study and impact assessment) and more recently AQUAINNOVA, improving governance in the sector and supporting the EATIP carried out by questionnaires to 250 stakeholders in the sectors and relating to uptake, knowledge of policy, and research outputs.

EAS also coordinated the CONSENSUS initiative, which addressed desired trends for sustainable development of the sector and produced 78 supporting indicators for sustainable development of the European aquaculture sector (under 8 themes) agreed by 120 stakeholders from 16 countries; 25 indicators contributing to Codes of Best Practice at national or species level; 30 indicators for benchmarking of the sector, with a potential use in European standards and a new, updated Code of Conduct for the European Finfish sector.

Finally, EAS was a leading partner in EUROSHELL (FP7), looking to bridge the gap between shellfish producers and scientists with recommendations made to the Commission on the creation and operation of an extension network in the European shellfish sector and implications for Members States on the operation of extension within the EMFF.

EAS will contribute to the aquaculture value chain model analysis in WP2 and the iterative workshops and facilitate stakeholder involvement in the workshops and case studies. Dissemination and communication in WP9 and advice on the scenario analysis in WP8.

MarkMar – MM (www.markmar.is) is a SME research company founded in 2000, and the company is located at the University of Iceland campus Technical Innovation Center and provides services to a broad international research clientele. Also, RTD collaborations are ongoing with several faculties at the University of Iceland. MarkMar also has technical competence and expertise in food supply systems, logistics, fish and seafood product development, as well as marketing and new business development within international seafood industry. Employees and associates have extensive experience in successful proposal design and participation in EC funded collaborative research projects. The company has good track record in complex project’s management, and practical experience as coordinators and work package leaders in large and small European funded projects.

One of he strengths of MM collaboration arrangement with its associates network lies in its broad interdisciplinary and diversified basis, especially in supply chains, food science, logistics, computer technology, and social science. The combination gives the research team mobility with a strong research and development background, which can meet the needs of demanding projects at various points in the perishable goods value chain. A strong link is also maintained through active research collaborations with the ASCS – Applied Supply Chain Research Group at the University of Iceland. MarkMar is currently leading the WP on Stakeholder co-creation activities in the H2020 project SUCCESS – “Strategic Use of Competitiveness towards Consolidating the Economic Sustainability of the european Seafood sector”.

MarkMar has also been the coordinator of the BONAFIDE Eurostars project that is developing Apps for transparency purposes in value chains.

MarkMar will lead WP9 on dissemination and communications, and the overall mobilisation and outreach to the agri-food sector companies involved in the VALUMICS stakeholder platform. MM contributes also to the research in WP2, WP4, WP5, WP6 and WP8. Taking focus on perceptions of the consumers towards the food product value chains being studied, the implicit trust in the value chains and the various labelling schemes, and possible value additions through innovation in services and smart tools for influencing consumer choices. Contribute / participate in focus groups, workshops and events relating to specific outreach activities under WP9.

The Spanish Food and Drink Industry Federation – FIAB (www.fiab.es) was created in 1977 to represent – through one organization with a single voice– the Spanish food and drinks industry, the foremost industrial sector of the country and even international. At present, it encompasses 47 associations. Its main activity is informing the sector of developments that might affect their performance and representing their interests before different administrations and decision-making bodies at national, European and international level. FIAB Innovation and Technology Department is an interface between the companies and research bodies. It helps in the management of R+D+I projects submitted by companies in the sector to the administration and management of grants or other types of assistance related to these issues. It helps in the implementation of European Projects seeking national and community partners needed get a consortium. The aim in these projects has been transfer technology, dissemination and capitalization of the projects.

Research, development and innovation Department of FIAB has the expertise of leading and organizing workshops at National and European level in order to disseminate all the progress and results of the project, calling and gathering Food Industry (companies as well as research centers, universities, etc.). FIAB attends and participates in the most important International Food Exhibitions as Alimentaria, Sial, Anuga or Cibus. FIAB leads the Food For Life – Spain Platform with the following groups: Training and Technology Transfer, Food and Health, Quality, Production and Sustainability, Food and Consumer, Food Security and Food Chain Management; in which the project and products resulting are launched and presented as well as in FoodForLife Europe meetings. FIAB attends Science and Research & Development Groups in FoodDrinkEurope in Brussels where to present the project results. FIAB organizes capitalization projects meetings in order to share results with other projects partners in which it is involved. FIAB Communication Department disseminates the project by publishing press releases in the website and blog and by different accounts in social networking guaranteeing impacts in key media.

FIAB will lead regional outreach to Spanish stakeholders (WP9) and contribute to work in other WPs, and in particular through the case study work and facilitate stakeholder’s participation in VALUMICS actions, and contribute to the conceptual framework through participation in the iterative workshops, dissemination, promotion, collaboration in elaboration of questionnaires and documentation related to the project, contact with the private sector (SMEs, Associations, retailers, traders…) and also the public sector (ministries, the EU,…) and civil society (including certification organizations) focused by the project and organization of workshops.

Lappeenranta University of Technology – LUT (www.lut.fi) has served as an academic forerunner since 1969 having approximately 6,500 students and experts engaged in scientific research and academic education, and approximately 1000 staff members. LUT, a future oriented university, is ranked as the best young university in Nordic countries and among the 20 universities challenging the global elite (). LUT’s Trailblazer strategy is searching for solutions to the grand challenges of our time. LUT’s certified Green Campus was awarded as the world’s most environmentally friendly university campus containing a wind turbine and a solar power plant, among other environmental technologies. Within the LUT Sustainability Science unit, there are professorships on Sustainability Science, Life Cycle Modelling, Waste Management, Transition Management, Sustainable Community, and Environment and Business.

The core team of LUT leading the VALUMICS activities in Finland is the Sustainability Science Group. The multidisciplinary group is led by the first professorship in Sustainability Science in Finland and it combines systems innovations with actor orientation through co-production approaches. The research group includes members of the Agrifood Resilience Group, and method expertise, of Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). The research focuses of the group are in resilience, circular economy, equity issues and sustainability transformations of food systems, food value networks and diets. Scales and cases from local to national and global are focused on, and both qualitative and quantitative methods are applied. The group is developing conceptual and quantitative models and tools to identify determinants of resilience (diversity, integration and networks) and quantify critical thresholds. Systems efficiency and lock-ins, relations among resilience, equity and efficiency, and transformations enabling circular and just food systems, are investigated. Future studies identify the range of paradigmatic strategies and governance, create quantitative anticipatory scenarios and apply participatory back-casting processes and solutions to path-dependence and lock-ins.

In WP2, LUT Sustainability Science Group and Luke provide competence in conceptualization and indicators for sustainability, integrity and resilience of food systems and value chains, and in their relations to equity and efficiency. In WP5, the group collects data especially from food supply chains separated from land use, such as insects. LUT group leads WP8 together with IDDRI, being in charge for identifying the paradigmatic structures, quantifying the contrasting sustainable, resilient, just and efficient anticipatory scenarios and identifying the path-dependences, key lock-ins and solutions in sustainability transformation. In addition, quantitative models on food system and chain resilience, equity and efficiency and their relations, developed in WP7 and WP8, are tested at various food system levels and scales.

ASSIST Software – ASSIST (www.assist-software.net) specializes in outsourcing software development projects. Based in Eastern Europe, we are operating in a challenging economy that creates a fertile environment for Information Technology and business outsourcing. Our team has a solid and proven track record, delivering high quality and timely services.

Founded in 1992, ASSIST Software is present on the international market as a supplier of innovative solutions, adding business value through technology implementation at a professional level. The usage of Agile, Scrum methodology has massively facilitated the development processes, ensuring quality and on-time delivery.

From designing ground breaking mobile applications to customizing existing enterprise applications to be mobile friendly, we build cross-compatible applications that are fully functional and easy to use. We are experienced in building scalable applications for the most popular mobile platforms including iPhone, Android and Windows Phone.

Custom Application Development is also a part of our offer and customers can take advantage of our expertise in delivering high quality software that meet challenging requirements, using highly productive, distributed agile development teams and industry best practices.

Dealing with e-Health applications we have experience in HIPAA (the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) standard for protecting sensitive patient data. We ensured that all the required physical, network, and process security measures are in place and followed.

Based on Cloud Computing technology we deliver enterprise infrastructure expertise and experience to design, build, integrate and operate private clouds for customers, or host the client’s application services on our ASSIST Cloud.

ASSIST has participated in many research and development projects from EU – FP7, EUROSTARS and ERASMUS+. The strategic advantages are the high standards in development & services that come from the excellent quality of the human resources.

ASSIST Software will contribute to the coding implementation of the dynamic quantitative model in WP7, and work on this with P1 UoI that leads the model’s coding work and work closely with P8 NUID UCD that leads WP7 for consistency of the implementation of a food value / supply chain simulation model. ASSSIST will also contribute to work in model specifications and the agile sprints arising from WP2 conceptual framework model refinements arising from the iterative processes in VALUMICS, and thus contribute to other WPs as required.

University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City – UEH (www.ueh.edu.vn) is the top 15 key university that provides education, training, research and consultancy in Vietnam. UEH’s mission is to develop theoretical and practical knowledge and produce excellent human resources related to economics, business management, law, public policy, accounting, banking and finance to enhance solutions for practical economic and social problems arising in Vietnam new developing (Doi moi) period. The institution delivers effective research and consultancy to government policy makers and enterprises. The university has long cooperation and relationship with local and international organizations in education, training, and research.

The university provides undergraduate and postgraduate education for students from the country and foreign countries such as Laos and Cambodia. Graduates of the university since its establishment include: 190.000 Bachelors, 5.355 Masters and 439 Doctors. UEH now provides graduate and postgraduate education (master, doctoral programs) to over 50.000 students per year.

The university has 680 lecturers, including: 7 Professors, 44 Associate Professors, 6 People Teachers, 34 Excellent Teachers, 158 Doctors, and 178 Masters. UEH has 3 research institutes, 2 education institutes, 5 training and consulting centers, and one academic journal of Journal of Development Economics in both Vietnamese and English language.

Annually, the university contributes over 10 practical and scientific research projects for Ministry and Province governments in Vietnam to enhance economic and social development, conducts 40 academic research projects and 30 consultancy projects. UEH also publishes 50 textbooks and manuals, 80 papers in local journals and about 20 papers in international journals and seminars.

The university focuses on research and consultancy activities and fields as following:

• Academic research for education and training objectives such as economic and social renewing process, compiling the textbook and manuals, developing grounded knowledge
• Theoretical and empirical research in economics and business management
• Practical research and consultancy projects for local and international governments, and private and state enterprises
• Research and consultancy of economic and social development strategy and planning for government policy makers and enterprise decision makers
• Business management consulting and training for enterprises
• Academic research for international and local journal and seminar publishing
• Research and case study to improve and upgrade education and training methods, tools, syllabus and courses
• International and local cooperation for research and consultancy in economics and business management in according to global standard

The main research and consultancy fields of UEH are in economics, business management, marketing, accounting, law, bank and finance, and others.

UEH involve directly in PW1, PW5, PW6, PW9 and contribute to work in all other WPs. UEH’s main expertise is in economics and business management. In the School of Economic, the team is strong at agricultural economics, agribusiness and agri-marketing, value chain, linkage in farming, agricultural competitiveness, rural development and international economics.

China Agricultural University – CAU (www.cau.edu.cn), a Governmental funded and non-profit organization, is the foremost agricultural university with a strong and highly qualified faculty team. It covers a wide range of disciplines on a complementary basis, such as agriculture and life science, resources and environment, information and computer science, agricultural engineering and automation science, economic management and social sciences. Both of the disciplines of food science and technology, agricultural economic are the national key supported disciplines, and they rank the second and third place at national level, separately.

CAU has extensive and strong research experience in agri food safety and industrial supply chain management, information and communication technologies application in agriculture and food industry. And more than 100 projects per year related agribusiness & supply chain management, information management in agriculture, fishery and food industry, agribusiness strategy management etc. have funded from diverse channels. Most of them are from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC), the National High Technology Research and the Development Program (863 Program) and National Science and technology support plan (The latter two plans equal the EU Framework program plan).

CAU has built extensive network with the government, industry organization, national and international university and research institution, media, and industry SMEs, for example, the Farmer Daily, the Society of Agricultural Economics, New Hope Group, Kanyin group, etc. CAU also is running 5 projects from EU FP7, Horizon 2020 and SWITCH Asia.

CAU will contribute to work in all WP´s from WP2 to WP9:

In WP2, CAU will contribute to work in building a conceptual model on dynamics of food value chains and networks, and mapping food value chains to determine critical points where key indicators must be recorded, and confirm the indicators identified through stakeholder interactions.

In WP3, CAU will contribute to work in the policies, regulations (China) and private governance arrangements (standards setting, quality requirements, contract terms, agricultural and rural development policy supports etc.) and their impacts upon the functioning of food value chains in economic, environmental and social terms, including both intra chain power relationships and sustainability advances.

In WP4, CAU will contribute to work in employing secondary data sources from national statistics and public actors’ data sets.

In WP5, CAU will contribute to work in economic, social and environmental analysis modelling based on the secondary data and data obtained through the case studies.

In WP6, CAU will contribute to work in understanding how consumer behavior is changing and have a forward-looking analysis on how this will impact the food value chain

In WP7, CAU will contribute to work in quantitatively modelling the drivers and outcomes of behaviors within food supply networks.

In WP8, CAU will contribute to work in exercising addresses value chains; the key challenges of chain organisation and will include key actors including policy makers.

In WP9, CAU will contribute to work in managing communications and dissemination and outreach to stakeholders

REWE International AG – REWE (www.rewe-group.at), as Austria’s leading trade and tourism group, is a constant companion of customers’ lives – when they purchase and order food, plan their next holiday and meet their drugstore needs. REWE International AG and is affiliates (BILLA, MERKUR, PENNY, BIPA and ADEG) operate about 2500 stores in Austria. About 41.000 employees also make REWE International AG the biggest employer in Austria

Headquarter for six CEE-countries: The official location of REWE International AG in Wiener Neudorf in Austria not only manages the business in Austria, but also the retail sector of the REWE Group in six central and eastern European countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Russia, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and the Ukraine. Altogether REWE International AG employs more than 75.000 people, runs more than 3.600 stores and achieved a total revenue of EUR 12,54 billion in 2015 in its operations.

REWE will contribute to the consumer analysis work in WP6, with special involvement in the testing phase of intervention strategies to stir sustainable food consumer behavior. REWE will contribute to the causal analysis work and qualitative model development in WPs 2 and 6 and participate in the workshops linked to their development.