Reusing Human Resources Management Standards for Employment Services

Employment Services (ESs) are becoming more and more important for Public Administrations where their social implications on sustainability, workforce mobility and equal opportunities play a fundamental strategic importance for any central or local Government. The EU SEEMP project aims at improving facilitate workers mobility in Europe. Ontologies are used to model descriptions of job offers and curricula; and for facilitating the process of exchanging job offer data and CV data between ES. In this paper we present the methodological approach we followed for reusing existing human resources management standards in the SEEMP project, in order to build a common “language” called Reference Ontology

An Ontology for Modelling Human Resources Management based on Standards

Employment Services (ES) are becoming more and more important for Public Administrations where their social implications on sustainability, workforce mobility and equal opportunities play a fundamental strategic importance for any central or local Government. The EU SEEMP (Single European Employment Market-Place) project aims at improving facilitate workers mobility in Europe. Ontologies are used to model descriptions of job offers and curricula; and for facilitating the process of exchanging job offer data and CV data between ES. In this paper we present the methodological approach we followed for reusing existing human resources management standards in the SEEMP project, in order to build a common “language” called Reference Ontology

Methodology for Reusing Human Resources Management Standards

Employment Services (ESs), Public ones (PESs) and Private ones (PrEAs), are becoming more and more important for Public Administrations where their social implications on sustainability, workforce mobility and equal opportunities play a fundamental strategic importance for any central or local Government. The EU SEEMP (Single European Employment Market-Place) project aims at improving facilitate workers mobility in Europe. Ontologies are used to model descriptions of job offers and curricula; and for facilitating the process of exchanging job offer data and CV data between ES. In this paper we present the methodological approach we followed for reusing existing human resources management standards like NACE, ISCO-88 (COM) and FOET, among others, in the SEEMP project, in order to build a common “language” called Reference Ontology

Dual mode nonlinear model based predictive control with guaranteed stability

Resumen En este artículo se propone un Control Predictivo Basado en un Modelo no Lineal (NMPC) pero que opera por modo dual y con estabilidad garantizada. El modo dual se logra usando un controlador PI dentro de la región terminal del NMPC. Para el cálculo de la región terminal (Ω) y del dominio de atracción se usa la teoría de conjuntos y un algoritmo aleatorizado tipo Montecarlo. En la estrategia de conmutación NMPC al PI se restringen los elementos finales de control suavizando la conmutación. El NMPC por Modo Dual propuesto se implementa en simulación en un Reactor Continuamente Agitado, comparando su desempeño con el de un NMPC multivariable convencional y dos controladores PI. Se concluye que el NMPC por modo dual propuesto es la estrategia de control que además de tener estabilidad garantizada, presenta mejor desempeño. Abstract: This paper proposes a Nonlinear Model based Predictive Control (NMPC), with guaranteed stability using a dual mode Model based Predictive Control approach with a PI controller inside a terminal region. Within the formulation of this control strategy, a terminal region (Ω) and an attraction domain are calculated using invariant sets theory and a randomized Montecarlo type algorithm. In addition, this proposal is complemented with a commutation strategy to constrain final control elements smoothing controllers commutation. This Dual Mode NMPC multivariable control is implemented by simulation over a Continuous Stirred Reactor Tank and comparing Dual Mode NMPC with a conventional NMPC multivariable and with two PI controllers. Finally, this article concludes that the NMPC for dual mode is the control strategy that in addition to having stability guaranteed, presents a better performance

Use of wastes to create new building materials

This paper is a teaching activity carried out on the subject of Building Materials from Building Engineering studies. This subject is developed in the second year and lasts for a four month period. The student teacher ratio is around 60:1. The goal of this work was the development of a new building material obtained from waste materials. Students were divided in teams of three students chosen by themselves. This activity helped students to develop knowledge about different materials and make them aware of the importance and possibilities to profit waste materials. Students should work with materials studied in the subject, mainly clay, glass, steel, wood and plastics. Before beginning they must do an important bibliographic research about the topic they wanted to develop. The university provided the use of lab facilities and the guidance of the teacher. Besides following up the work, the teacher encouraged the students to perform some tests on the new material obtained. Finally they should come out with a poster and a sample of the material. Results got from different works differed substantially according to the interest and time dedicated to them. Most of the students abused of the use of polymeric resins to elaborate the new materials, and therefore, even using wastes the new materials were not so sustainable. The use of natural materials such as cane fibres leaded to materials with interesting insulation and structural properties. It was a very good experience to attract students to materials research. Finally we discovered in order to get profitable results, this kind of activity should cover a longer period and should count with the continuous guidance of the teachers.Postprint (published version

The agenda for integral urban development in Spain (1994-2013)

Desde los años noventa la Unión Europea viene desarrollando programas e iniciativas de intervención integral con el objetivo de promover el desarrollo urbano, en general, y reducir los procesos de desigualdad socioespacial en las ciudades, en particular. En buena medida estas políticas han ido generando un conjunto de prácticas que vienen redundando en la progresiva elaboración de una estrategia para las áreas urbanas en Europa, a la que suele denominarse, ‘agenda urbana’ (Comisión Europea, 2014). Pero, ¿cuál ha sido la agenda promovida por los proyectos desarrollados durante las dos últimas décadas?, o de otra forma, ¿cuál ha sido la experiencia que permitiría ir definiendo una agenda urbana para las ciudades españolas?. En este trabajo presentamos un ejercicio básico para tratar de responder a estas cuestiones mediante el análisis de los proyectos desarrollados en el marco de los programas URBAN y URBANA en España (1994-2013).Since the 1990s, the European Union has launched comprehensive programs and initiatives that promote integrated urban development, the goal being improved urban development, in general, and a reduction of socio spatial inequalities in cities, in particular. The policies generated as a result of these programs and initiatives have shaped a European strategy that promotes integrated urban development, the so-called “urban agenda”. But, what in fact is the agenda that has been promoted by these initiatives during the last two decades? And, what are the experiences that would help define an urban agenda for Spanish cities? This article presents a basic analysis to respond to these questions, analyzing projects done in the framework of URBAN and URBANA programs in Spain (1994-2013)

A network of ontology networks for building e-employment advanced systems

This paper presents the development of a network of ontology networks that enables data mediation between the Employment Services (ESs) participating in a semantic interoperability platform for the exchange of Curricula Vitae (CVs) and job offers in different languages. Such network is formed by (1) a set of local ontology networks that are language dependent, in which each network represents the local and particular view that each ES has of the employment market; and (2) a reference ontology network developed in English that represents a standardized and agreed upon terminology of the European employment market. In this network each local ontology network is aligned with the reference ontology network so that search queries, CVs, and job offers can be mediated through these alignments from any ES. The development of the ontologies has followed the methodological guidelines issued by the NeOn Methodology and is focused mainly on scenarios that involve reusing and re-engineering knowledge resources already agreed upon by employment experts and standardization bodies. This paper explains how these methodological guidelines have been applied for building e-employment ontologies. In addition, it shows that the approach to building ontologies by reusing and re-engineering agreed upon non-ontological resources speeds the ontology development, reduces development costs, and retrieves knowledge already agreed upon by a community of people in a more formal representation