devinitorg/iati-policy-markers huggingface dataset:
Digital Platforms for Craft in the UK and China The Creative Economies are key growth drivers and economic sectors for both China and the UK. Digital platforms such as social networks, search engines, online marketplaces, and content distribution help to generate new products and services both online and offline. They provide opportunities for innovation, facilitate greater and closer access to markets and customers, and provide opportunities to include customers more in the design process. Digital platforms are therefore key to enabling growth in the Creative Economies. By examining and promoting the use of digital platforms, this project will demonstrate how they can be used to increase the sustainable economic growth of Chinese rural and urban craft sectors. 
Exploiting digital platforms in the craft sector has the potential to address China’s plan to revitalize traditional craftsmanship amid efforts to protect intangible cultural heritage, and meet needs such as employment and poverty alleviation, supporting retention of rural people and sustainable rural development where many traditional craftspeople are located. 
Findings from China will be combined with UK best practice to generate insights into the uses, challenges, trends, and potential of digital platforms for the crafts sector in China.
Beneficiaries are craft sector stakeholders in China who benefit from i) routes to increasing revenue through improved access to markets via better use of online marketplaces and cross-region collaboration; ii) increased access to new materials and production techniques of Industry 4.0; iii) increased IP protection; iv) increased innovation e.g. customer customization. These offer craft sector opportunities to remain in, and return to, rural communities, thereby sustaining and revitalizing traditional crafts and culture. They offer new employment opportunities for young and old, contributing to reducing rural poverty and emigration, and supporting inter-generational culture transfer. The Newton Fund builds research and innovation partnerships with developing countries across the world to promote the economic development and social welfare of the partner countries.
CreativeCulture 4.0 - Transforming 21st century teaching and learning of STEM in Malaysia through creative play and gamification towards Education 4 The project aims to broaden and extend the impact of experiential learning through play and gamification as a creative, emphatic and inclusive pedagogical practice in Malaysia towards Education 4.0 responding to Industry 4.0. The project builds on a previous collaboration between Coventry University(CU) and Universiti Malaysia Sarawak(UNIMAS) via the Newton CreativeCulture project, which has produced a blueprint for Gamification for STEM education that includes a suite of playful pedagogical tools and gamified lessons created by teachers for teachers. We identified that sustainable and effective adoption can be achieved by enabling teachers to embed the approach in the curriculum and the empowerment of schools to review, redesign and progress their practices.  Aligning with (1)UNESCO's view that teacher upskilling is one of the most direct means to achieve inclusive and equitable quality education and, (2)STEM Education Policy under the Malaysia Education Blueprint (MEB, 2015-2025) that promotes hands-on inquiry, creative designs and open-ended exploration, we will (1)train teachers in partnership with local Departments of Education, (2)engage students with playful and gamified learning in partnership with local teachers and schools, and (3)investigate sustainable formal adoption, engaging with schools, policymakers, community groups and local industries towards informing policy.   Efforts to improve and maintain sustainable growth in economic development towards a developed status hinge on an updated education system that is more creative. Acknowledging that access to inclusive and equitable quality education is still an impending issue at rural areas in Malaysia, CreativeCulture 4.0 will expand our user engagement, build practices, capacity and sustain creative approaches in participating schools and facilitate continuing dialogues with local and national communities towards realising the impact of creative education on economic development and social welfare. The Newton Fund builds research and innovation partnerships with developing countries across the world to promote the economic development and social welfare of the partner countries.
Transtraditional Istanbul Our AHRC-Istanbul Development Agency Networking project Transtraditional Istanbul follows two basic, key principles: first that society and its functioning can be positively affected through music, and second that research demonstrated in practice creates real change. TTI addresses key development challenges for Turkey by establishing a network with four key partners (TMDK, MIAM, UoB and IKSV) dedicated to the preservation and development of traditional Turkish musical cultures in danger of disappearing--namely Bozlak and women's throat songs (Bogaz Havalari) from the Teke region, and by bringing this music into a contemporary, urban musical discourse. TTI's Altkat workshops and Gurbet Korosu, provide core activities that support development and empowerment of culturally underrepresented and disadvantaged groups within Istanbul and Turkey, youth, women and girls, powerfully influencing the young musicians of tomorrow. TTI incorporates methodologies modeled over the course of the PI's five-year, ERC-supported Beyond East and West (BEW) project to address issues often arising in common transtraditional musical situations, bringing such methodologies into situations where they will achieve maximal impact: 'on the ground,' in practice. It presents proof of solutions we have developed in response to cross-cultural challenges, with public-facing learning and performance activities to increase standards and common understanding of each other's musics--with workshops led by professional musicians who have already had key role in BEW themselves. This aims to elicit the development of intercultural skills to young musicians at a far earlier age, better preparing them for the diverse 21st century musical landscape, especially represented in places such as Istanbul. Our longer-term aim is to positively change pedagogy and performance of music in Turkey, raising awareness of the importance of Bozlak and Bogaz Havalari traditions, embedding TTI's principles and processes first within workshops, and eventually the curricula of schools and conservatories to ensure lasting impact. Such transcultural methodologies and models meanwhile will be found applicable to a wide variety of disciplines, providing models for a society today frequently faced with the selfsame communicative challenges. The Newton Fund builds research and innovation partnerships with developing countries across the world to promote the economic development and social welfare of the partner countries.
Past environments, future challenges: Fossil insects and the preservation of environmental evidence from Egyptian  archaeological sites This project, taking advantage of the optimal preservation by desiccation in the Egyptian desert of organic materials, in particular insect remains, will produce new information on environmental and climate change through the study of insects by researching rural and urban environments from pharaonic and Roman Egypt and placing them in the context of existing environmental and archaeological research in the eastern Mediterranean. The sites selected for analysis are the ongoing excavation of Elephantine, in Aswan and material on permit in the UK from Qasr Ibrim. Environments and climate will be reconstructed, based on evidence from within and around settlement areas, in particular species from the natural insect fauna as well as those which live with man as uninvited guests and accidental travelers including insect pests, flies and ectoparasites. In addition, analytical techniques will be applied to material currently outside of Egypt either on permit or in museum collections. Both AMS dating and DNA of insect chitin will refine interpretation and produce new results. The Newton Fund builds research and innovation partnerships with developing countries across the world to promote the economic development and social welfare of the partner countries.
The Historic City of Ajmer-Pushkar: mapping layers of history, use and meaning for sustainable planning and conservation The project will create a network devoted to developing more inclusive, informed and sustainable planning decisions for public spaces in historic Indian cities, by carrying out a pilot study in the walled city of Ajmer and nearby Pushkar in Rajasthan. These are thriving centres of pilgrimage for different faiths, attracting thousands of devotees at festival times. A rapid growth in tourist numbers has exacerbated the stress on infrastructure. The research will focus on the role of the beliefs and associations, ritual processes, and behavioural patterns of devotees and visiting pilgrims, in order to establish these as crucial factors in the design and conservation of public spaces with religious significance. The primary objective is to create prototypes of digital tools to contain images and information about the city, its history and heritage and, most importantly, to allow reflection, exchange and dialogue among different groups. The tools to be developed will be based on an interactive map of the historic areas as whole, and 3-d interactive scans of key public spaces. Once the basic work on these has been done, an interdisciplinary workshop with participants from India and the UK will be held in Ajmer. This workshop will be the starting point for the continuing network. Relevant public bodies and community representatives will take part. Varied expertise and perspectives will help to refine the tools, and the methods for gathering further data on differing perceptions of the city and on the activities within its spaces. The interactive models will be put online to be supplemented and critiqued. Findings from the study will be fed to the relevant authorities, and it is expected that the tools and approach will be applicable in historic cities throughout India, and worldwide. The Newton Fund builds research and innovation partnerships with developing countries across the world to promote the economic development and social welfare of the partner countries.
NEWTON SEA - Creative and Participatory Transcultural Practices and Problem Solving Through Game Design and Computational Thinking (CreativeCulture) The project aims to address learning issues, challenges and opportunities with Malaysian children of remote rural areas, and to investigate their acceptance to and engagement with learning using the CreativeCulture model. Upon successful implementation and testing in the proposed participatory studies, the outcome of the research will inform Malaysia on means for effectively infusing the CreativeCulture model to assist and accelerate learning for children in remote rural locations.  To develop the CreativeCulture model, the project will explore, exploit and experiment the impact of arts, design and culture in enhancing creative thinking, problem solving and development in education through game design and computational thinking. The project is aligned with the inclusion of Arts in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics education (STEAM), realising the potential of these subjects by enabling true innovation and new thinking through creativity. Art and culture boost creativity and creativity leads to innovation, new thinking and moving beyond existing skills; all together are triggers and needed in the social and economical transformation. There is also a need for fun, playful, hands-on, socially and culturally grounded explorations of topics during primary and secondary school to foster contextualised and deeper learning. Hence, creating games as a cooperative activity on the edge of the diverse fields of Art, Design, Culture, Science, and Engineering can be a fertile ground to cultivate these mind-sets and practices. The Newton Fund builds research and innovation partnerships with developing countries across the world to promote the economic development and social welfare of the partner countries.
Sustainable solutions towards cultural heritage preservation in the Asyut region. The current proposal aims to implement a new approach to fieldwork in Egypt by looking at the broad spectrum of history - up until the present day - at multi-layered sites, including efforts to preserve heritage rather than only researching it. The project will undertake and develop a sustainable conservation policy for archaeological sites using the Asyut region in Middle Egypt, and the village of Shutb in particular, as a case-study. Rather than merely looking upon archaeological sites as salvage missions or narrow-eyed academic pursuits, the project supports local interests to better the lives of local communities so that they can function as working partners in preserving the site.  The envisioned methodology promotes (1) better integration of preservation and heritage management methodologies and specialists into archaeological fieldwork projects, (2) coordination and collaboration amongst different institutions and agencies concerned with heritage preservation, (3) engaging with local communities, local heritage professionals and other stakeholders through training and capacity building by hands-on experience and implementation of policies.  To achieve these goals, the British Museum will collaborate with an interdisciplinary team of Egypt-based consultants and local stakeholders to develop a set of protection measures in order to uphold Shutb's archaeological value, to prevent further decay of the historic fabric and to enhance the socio-economic (living) conditions of the inhabitants.   To this means, two seasons of fieldwork in Shutb will include a series of surveys and meetings to assess the impact and perception of the village's presence on the archaeological remains, identifying and prioritizing meaningful ways of intervention and a documentation training mission. Many of the defined threats to heritage also negatively affect people's health, such as proximity to garbage disposal and ground and water pollution. The gathered survey data will be used to define programmes to reduce and redirect garbage dumping and improve waste and water management systems of residential units to reduce ground pollution and increase personal health. Depending on the outcome of the community meetings and interviews; the project will develop solutions to the community's most pressing needs.   Such an all-inclusive approach has never been tested in Egypt, where fieldwork has traditionally been physically and intellectually separated from the surrounding environment and communities. It is, however, an opportune moment to develop more sustainable methodologies as ancient tells are at risk from the forces of nature and the impact of social, political, and economic change.Through collaboration with the Ministry of Antiquities, the impact of the established methodology can be accelerated if implemented at other sites or -even more fundamentally- incorporated into governmental strategies. The Newton Fund builds research and innovation partnerships with developing countries across the world to promote the economic development and social welfare of the partner countries.
Sounds from a Threatened Suburb: Developing a People's History of Heliopolis as a Route to a Sustainable Urban Future Heliopolis was arguably the first truly modern suburb in Africa, yet is not a threatened heritage asset.  Its old cosmopolitan communities are gradually breaking up, its buildings decay and fall and even its historic electric tramway is about to disappear.  Its contribution to the making of modern Egypt is little understood outside a few university specialists and old residents.  As traditional populations move away from the suburb, the oral histories and stories of Heliopolis are lost forever.  This project, therefore, seeks to capture the rich, storied history of Heliopolis through the memories of the many families and communities who have called it their home.  The project seems to raise awareness of what is threatened and what we have already lost.  It seeks to develop a collaboration between academics, residents and community activists to preserve the tangible and intangible heritage of the area in a sustainable form.  It also seeks to raise awareness of the wider threats to Egypt's modern heritage, a heritage that is often hidden and neglected in a country with such a long and rich history.  This, it is hoped, will be a model for other community heritage project across Egypt and one which will help ordinary people appreciate the buildings and storied landscape that surrounds them.  The project will address the life of the great buildings of Heliopolis - the Empain palace, the Basilica and the Heliopolis Palace Hotel - but it will also examine the buildings and places that gave Heliopolis its everyday human stories.  This history will be a history of tram stations, cafes, crumbling hotels, fish markets, dive bars and cinemas.  It will the story of the doorman, shoe-shine boys, the flower sellers, the donkey cabbies, the rubbish collectors, the car-repair men, the juice sellers, the shop keepers, the waiters, the rent collectors all those who gave life to the buildings of the suburb.  It will reveal a positive and cosmopolitan vision of Egypt, one in which those of different nationalities and religions of a suburb live together in peace and mutual respect.  It will reveal a history that future citizens can be proud of and one which they might cherish. The Newton Fund builds research and innovation partnerships with developing countries across the world to promote the economic development and social welfare of the partner countries.
Tamil Temple Towns: Conservation and Contestation The project arises from pressing issues of contested heritage in the great, living temple complexes at the heart of rapidly growing cities in Tamil Nadu. It examines two distinct temple cities of Tamil Nadu, Madurai and Kumbakonam, to address current concerns over the ways in which some functioning temples are being restored. Such concerns have recently led to court cases, and the involvement of UNESCO in an attempt to find ways to create appropriate conservation guidelines acceptable to different stakeholders. These must take into account the prescriptions of ancient Sanskrit ritual and architectural treatises, still much revered though not sufficiently understood. The project therefore aims to provide an authoritative body of research to inform inclusive and sustainable guidelines for heritage conservation and management in the temple cities. It will provide a well-researched history of the architecture, urban settings, and phases of renewal of the representative temple structures, and articulate the different narratives and perceptions about these sites. The nature of recent restorations will be ascertained and evaluated. Sanskrit texts will be studied for an overview of their relevant instructions, and to show how their theoretical concepts relate to the actual practice of temple design and conservation. Digital models will be created to encapsulate the research findings, to provide data for architectural analysis, and as a tool to elicit and express the multiple viewpoints of the community and stakeholders. The findings, as a basis for the future guidelines, will be presented in a report, which will appear on the project website along with the models. Other outcomes will include a special issue of a peer-reviewed journal. The Newton Fund builds research and innovation partnerships with developing countries across the world to promote the economic development and social welfare of the partner countries.
Digital urbanism & diasporas: walking the cultural heritage of Calcutta's riverfront Indian cities suffer rapid urbanisation increasing demand for housing, infrastructure and services, causing densification, an increase in lower income households and informal populations in slums and squatter settlements, and urban sprawl.  At the same time, rapid transformations in the digital technologies offer new opportunities to city decision-makers in adopting smart solutions to urban challenges and 'smart' city plans offer a digital vision in which all citizens have equal access to and participation in a city life which is safe, secure, inclusive, healthy and desirable. However it remains unclear whether 'smart' urbanism is equally inclusive of migrants and diaspora communities, challenging notions of equality and social justice. Here we focus on the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of migrant communities living in one of India's largest cities - Kolkata. Historically known as Calcutta it has a long and rich tradition of trade, commerce and migration, which has left a lasting legacy in both contemporary society, its traditions, cultures and practices and also in the built environment. Working with local diaspora communities and social enterprises this project will focus on the Hooghly riverfront to engage with, document and co-curate Heritage Walks which narrate the stories of under-represented diaspora heritage in all of its forms. Through the use of social media and digital technologies, as well as public walks and an exhibition, the diversity and traditions of different urban groups will be shared, building increased awareness and understanding, a renewed sense of place and fostering social cohesion. By engaging with municipal authorities, institutions and policymakers this project aims to change the way diaspora heritage is viewed and valued and to inform regional and national heritage conservation policies. The Newton Fund builds research and innovation partnerships with developing countries across the world to promote the economic development and social welfare of the partner countries.