BEACON: Bridging Education and Action for Comprehensive One Health Nurturing

EU COST science and technology cooperation action proposal OC-2023-1-26255

BEACON: Bridging Education and Action for Comprehensive One Health Nurturing, is a transnational initiative to be submited to the present open EU COST science and technology cooperation call aiming to set a new gold standard in health education for middle and high school students across Europe. This collaborative effort brings together interdisciplinary experts and stakeholders to develop an innovative educational platform that fosters diversity, mutual respect, and understanding.

The initiative is structured around five key groups. The Educational Content and Curriculum Integration Group will develop comprehensive health-related content, seamlessly integrating it into existing curricula. The Technology and Platform Development Group will harness the power of open health technologies, with a particular focus on the ethical and transparent use of generative artificial intelligence and expert systems. The Training and Professional Development Group will equip educators with the necessary skills to effectively utilize the platform. The Research and Evaluation Group will continuously assess the initiative's impact, guiding its improvement. Lastly, the Outreach and Engagement Group will ensure the platform's wide reach, promoting its adoption across the EU.

BEACON's ultimate goal is to empower middle school students to become informed, healthy members of a global community, capable of overcoming local and individual challenges. The initiative aims to inspire a proactive generation of young individuals who will positively impact their own lives and contribute to the well-being of their communities. By leveraging cutting-edge technology and engaging local experts in addressing local problems, while keeping an eye on global challenges, BEACON is poised to make a significant contribution to health education not only in Europe but also in other regions around the world.

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Among the fourteen co-organizers of the call we are proud to count with top scientists and specialists such as: Dr. Funmilola Oluwafemi from the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) [Space Life Sciences Division, Space Physical and Life Sciences Department ] of Nigeria, Dr. Ajay Kumar from the Institute of Aerospace Medicine Indian Air Force - IAM IAF [Department of Acceleration Physiology and Spatial Orientation], Prof. Dragan Mijakoski from Institute for Occupational Health of RM-Skopje [ World Health Organization Collaborating Center on Occupational Health ] of Macedonia, Prof. Mr Manuel Llorens from Universidad Catolica Andres Bello of Venezuela, Dr. Alexander Hope Ferdinand Ferguson from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Dr. Piers Gooding from University of Melbourne [Melbourne Law School] and eight more first class scholars.

At the moment six of writing, six EU COST members are represented: Ukraine, North Macedonia, Spain and United Kingdom. On the other hand, six COST international partner countries are represented: Australia, Ghana, India, Nigeria, Peru and Venezuela

A final push is now required to improve gender parity among our experts (now 35.7% Females, 57.1% Males), include more professionals and stakeholders with diverse backgrounds, younger researchers, and recruit representative from other COST country members regarded as most-in-need, neighboring EU countries and cooperating members, as well as membership from European RTD Organisations, EU Institutions, Bodies, Offices and Agencies, and International Organisations.