Students gather to shape future of urban mobility in Gozo

Students from across Europe will gather in Gozo next week to find solutions to urban mobility challenges which have been identified by the Gozo Regional Development Agency. The Excel Winter School, which will run from 12 to 16 February as part of the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Urban Mobility initiative, is being organised in collaboration with MCAST, Cleantech Bulgaria, and the Project Aegle Foundation.

The programme, comprising an online preparatory week and an in-person study visit in Gozo, focuses on innovation, entrepreneurship, and real-world problem-solving to improve urban mobility. In the Gozitan context, this includes the use of sustainable renewable energy sources in mobility, a modal shift towards sustainable travel, and improvements in maritime connectivity.

The participants are students who are residents of the more than 30 countries which form part of the EIT Regional Innovation Scheme (RIS). Their fields of study include Engineering, Information Science, Information Technology, Computer Science, Computer Engineering Statistics, Geoinformation Technology, Urban Planning, Geography, Economics, Software Engineering. 

Diana Miceli, EIT Community Officer for Malta, said, “The EXCEL Winter School is a fantastic opportunity for these students, who can grapple with the urban mobility challenges facing Gozo and put forward innovative solutions to relevant stakeholders and authorities. I have no doubt that by the end of the week we will have proposals that, if acted on, will have a positive impact on sustainable transport in Gozo and between Malta and Gozo.”

MCAST, as a key partner in this initiative, has a long-standing strategic focus on addressing urban mobility challenges, running several projects under EIT Urban Mobility and ensuring the integration of innovation, stakeholder engagement, real-world problem-solving, and cutting-edge urban mobility solutions into its existing curriculum. In addition to support from

Cleantech Bulgaria and Project Aegle Foundation, the EXCEL Winter School is being organised with the collaboration of Transport Malta, Gozo Regional Development Authority, and industry stakeholders from Malta and Gozo.

More information on the EIT Urban Mobility Winter School programme, including the EXCEL Winter School in Gozo can be found at https://www.eiturbanmobility.eu/academy/winter-school/