Urban Resilience through Open Science, Education, and Community Engagement in War Regions (FORWARD)
Kick-off Meeting
26–28 January 2026
OsloMET, Pilestredet 46, 0167 Oslo
Overview
The FORWARD project officially begins with a three-day Kick-off Meeting bringing together partners from Palestine, Ukraine, Norway, Italy, and civil society to launch joint work, agree on project procedures, and develop the shared roadmap for the next three years.
The meeting introduces the project’s vision and work plan, defines roles across the consortium, and sets the foundation for a collaborative and inclusive research and education network supporting war-affected higher education systems and local resilience initiatives.
Objectives of the Kick-off
The Kick-off Meeting aims to:
- Present the project’s goals, methodology, and expected results
- Align partners on the FORWARD Open Science and Urban Resilience framework
- Confirm management structure, communication processes, and timelines
- Launch the development of the cloud-based platform and training modules
- Introduce plans for field-based case studies in Palestine and Ukraine
- Identify early opportunities for collaboration and knowledge exchange
The meeting also provides space for relationship-building and shared reflection on the unique challenges of implementing education and research in war-affected regions.
Agenda Overview
Monday – 26 January 2026
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 09:00–09:30 | Registration |
| 09:30–10:20 | Welcome & Project Introductions |
| 10:20–11:30 | Partner Presentations |
| 11:30–12:30 | Break |
| 12:30–14:00 | Workshop: Research Under Warfare – Palestine Case |
| 14:00–14:20 | Break |
| 14:20–15:30 | Workshop: Research Under Warfare – Ukraine Case |
| 15:30–15:50 | Break |
| 15:50–17:00 | Discussion Panel |
Tuesday – 27 January 2026
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 09:00–09:40 | Keynote Speech (ROOM: P48 S141, Gerd Wangs auditorium) |
| 09:40–10:00 | Discussion |
| 10:00–10:20 | Break |
| 10:20–11:30 | Project Management & Communications (1) |
| 11:30–12:30 | Break |
| 12:30–14:20 | Project Management & Communications (2) |
| 14:20–16:00 | Preparation Work Package |
Wednesday – 28 January 2026
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 09:00–10:30 | Development & Implementation Work Packages |
| 10:30–12:00 | Infrastructure, Tools & Equipment |
| 12:00–13:00 | Break |
| 13:00–14:00 | Project Management Committee Meeting |
| 14:00–14:30 | Evaluation & Closing |
| 14:30 | Departure |
The detailed agenda is available to participants.
Participants and Partners
The Kick-off Meeting includes representatives from project partners:
European partners
- Oslo Metropolitan University (Coordinator)
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU)
- The Norwegian Students’ and Academics’ International Assistance Fund (SAIH)
- Polytechnic University of Milan (POLIMI)
Palestinian partners
- An-Najah National University (ANNU)
- The Islamic University of Gaza (IUG)
Ukrainian partners
- Karazin Kharkiv National University (KKNU)
- Kyiv National Economic University (KNEU)
- Lviv Polytechnic National University (LPNU)
Associated partners
- Coastal Municipalities Water Utility (CMWU)
- Gaza Urban and Peri-Urban Agriculture Platform (GUPAP)
About the Project
FORWARD develops a cross-border learning community that keeps knowledge and resilience alive even during war. The project combines open science, open education, and community engagement to support universities and communities in Palestine and Ukraine facing critical resilience challenges in water, energy, housing, food security, and gender equity.
FORWARD will design and implement six training modules and forty real-world case studies, supported by a cloud-based platform featuring a FAIR data repository, e-learning system, and digital research tools including VR simulations. The project empowers students, teachers, and researchers to collect data, manage it ethically, and apply it to urgent urban resilience needs.
Media & Materials
- Presentations (PDF)
- Kick-off agenda
- Participant list
- Photos
- Meeting minutes
- Key outcomes summary
“Materials will be published after the event.”
Contact
Project coordination
Oslo Metropolitan University (OsloMet)
Email: forward-project@oslomet.no
Website: https://uni.oslomet.no/forward