TOWARDS A LIFE LONG LEARNING AND A KNOWLEDGE SOCIETY

The program Learning for Community Action in the Sector of for Life Learningwas for life enacted with the Decision of European Parliament and Council with fundamentalobjective to contribute in the growth of Community as a advanced society of knowledge, withsustainable economic growth, more and better places of work and bigger social cohesion,ensuring also the social and economic growth and the protection of environment for thefuture generations. More special objectives are the modernisation and the adaptation ofsystems of education and training of member states particularly in the line of strategicobjectives of Lisbon. The particular article aims to analyze the subjects of education and lifelong learning in E.U. in the context of knowledge and learning society.Life Long Learning, Education, Training, Knowledge, Socio-Economic Development.

Economics of innovation : a review in theory and models

Innovation activities contribute essentially to the regional dimension and growth. The technological infrastructure and innovation capabilities affect not only the regional growth, but also the whole periphery and economy as well. There are a lot of problems and questions regarding the measurement of innovation activities at a regional level. This paper attempts to analyze the whole framework of innovation statistics and in particular to examine the measurement and also the statistical estimation of innovation activities. On this context, it’s also aiming to emphasize and to review the appropriate techniques, the most common methods and the particular problems.peer-reviewe

Internal and External Sources of Regional Growth

AbstractThis paper examines the pattern of regional growth due to their ability to adopt technology. Whether regions exhibit a ‘high’ or ‘low’ path of growth depends on the adoption of technological improvements. Technology adoption can be either ‘internal’ or ‘external’ to the region. This approach is tested empirically using data for 247 European regions. The results suggest that adoption of technology has a significant and positive effect in regional growth in Europe

Inner Ear Disease and Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo: A Critical Review of Incidence, Clinical Characteristics, and Management

Background. This study is a review of the incidence, clinical characteristics, and management of secondary BPPV. The different subtypes of secondary BPPV are compared to each other, as well as idiopathic BPPV. Furthermore, the study highlights the coexistence of BPPV with other inner ear pathologies. Methods. A comprehensive search for articles including in the abstract information on incidence, clinical characteristics, and management of secondary BPPV was conducted within the PubMed library. Results. Different referral patterns, different diagnostic criteria used for inner ear diseases, and different patient populations have led to greatly variable incidence results. The differences regarding clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes may support the hypothesis that idiopathic BPPV and the various subtypes of secondary BPPV do not share the exact same pathophysiological mechanisms. Conclusions. Secondary BPPV is often under-diagnosed, because dizziness may be atypical and attributed to the primary inner ear pathology. Reversely, a limited number of BPPV patients may not be subjected to a full examination and characterized as idiopathic, while other inner ear diseases are underdiagnosed. A higher suspicion index for the coexistence of BPPV with other inner ear pathologies, may lead to a more integrated diagnosis and consequently to a more efficient treatment of these patients

The Role of Innovation Activities in Tourism and Regional Growth in Europe

Tourism plays a crucial role for national economies throughout the world. In Europe, international tourism receipts were almost three times higher in the late 1990s than they were in the late 1980s. Tourism has great potential as regards contributing to the achievements of several major EU objectives, such as economic growth, employment, sustainable development and economic and social cohesion. The importance of innovation was long underestimated in service and tourism activities. Successful innovation, as for instance innovation that is also profitable to the tourism firm in a competitive market, must increase the value of the whole tourism product. The production and the dissemination of new technologies has been the subject of much research. This paper illustrates why technological innovation is considered as a major force in tourism industry. It also attempts to analyze the impact of technological innovation and the implications on regional growth of member states

The Role of Innovation Activities in Tourism and Regional Growth in Europe

Tourism plays a crucial role for national economies throughout the world. In Europe, international tourism receipts were almost three times higher in the late 1990s than they were in the late 1980s. Tourism has great potential as regards contributing to the achievements of several major EU objectives, such as economic growth, employment, sustainable development and economic and social cohesion. The importance of innovation was long underestimated in service and tourism activities. Successful innovation, as for instance innovation that is also profitable to the tourism firm in a competitive market, must increase the value of the whole tourism product. The production and the dissemination of new technologies has been the subject of much research. This paper illustrates why technological innovation is considered as a major force in tourism industry. It also attempts to analyze the impact of technological innovation and the implications on regional growth of member states

ADOPTION OF TECHNOLOGY AND REGIONAL CONVERGENCE IN EUROPE

Abstract: This paper examines the pattern of convergence in labour productivity across regions due to their ability to adopt technology. Whether regions exhibit a pattern of convergence depends on the degree to which infrastructure conditions are appropriate for the adoption of technological improvements. The ability of a region to adopt or create technology is reflected in the percentage of its labour force employed in technologically dynamic sectors or, more generally, in the resources devoted to science and technology. A high percentage of labour employed in technologically advanced sectors leads a region to a pattern of convergence. This hypothesis is tested using data for the NUTS-2 regions of the EU-27 during the time period 1995-2006. The results suggest that adoption of technology has a significant and positive effect on regional convergence in Europe. The analysis is also shown to have important implications for the direction of regional policy in Europe. To be more specific, regional policies, in order to enhance regional growth and convergence, should encourage employment in advanced technological sectors

REASSEMBLY OF ROCK SEGMENTS, THE CASE OF AREOPAGUS HILL

There are no specifications and/or standards for the restoration of collapsed masses of rocks, as in most cases the rocks bear no historical/archaeological value and their restoration would require significant budget and resources. But plenty of colossal statues, ancient temples, tombs and whole cities are carved on the surface or even expand in the interior of solid natural rocks. These so-called rock-cut monuments are located all around the globe and, in most cases, are made on a grand scale. Earthquakes, rock’s faults, erosion and karst can lead to massive rock collapses.The purpose of this paper is to establish an integrated methodology for the relocation of detached rock segments to their original positions. Specifically, the proposed methodology is based on the case of the Areopagus Hill and involves the generation of 3d models of the rock segments, their virtual reassembly and their utilization for the reconstruction of a part of the peak of the hill

Implementation and validation of a new operational wave forecasting system of the Mediterranean Monitoring and Forecasting Centre in the framework of the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service

Within the framework of the Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS), an operational wave forecasting system for the Mediterranean Sea has been implemented by the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) and evaluated through a series of preoperational tests and subsequently for 1 full year of simulations (2014). The system is based on the WAM model and it has been developed as a nested sequence of two computational grids to ensure that occasional remote swell propagating from the North Atlantic correctly enters the Mediterranean Sea through the Strait of Gibraltar. The Mediterranean model has a grid spacing of 1∕24°. It is driven with 6-hourly analysis and 5-day forecast 10&thinsp;m ECMWF winds. It accounts for shoaling and refraction due to bathymetry and surface currents, which are provided in offline mode by CMEMS. Extensive statistics on the system performance have been calculated by comparing model results with in situ and satellite observations. Overall, the significant wave height is accurately simulated by the model while less accurate but reasonably good results are obtained for the mean wave period. In both cases, the model performs optimally at offshore wave buoy locations and well-exposed Mediterranean subregions. Within enclosed basins and near the coast, unresolved topography by the wind and wave models and fetch limitations cause the wave model performance to deteriorate. Model performance is better in winter when the wave conditions are well defined. On the whole, the new forecast system provides reliable forecasts. Future improvements include data assimilation and higher-resolution wind forcing.</p