LIST / DefisMed collaboration: on the way to sustainable development in the territories

The Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) formalises a new cooperation in the field of sustainable development in the territories with DefisMed, a French association working for a positive tourist transition.

This rapprochement was launched at the beginning of June in the framework of the collaborative activities carried out by LIST together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) to promote the transfer of technologies to the countries of the Southern Mediterranean. The first exchanges made it possible to demonstrate that the tools and methodologies developed and proposed by the institute were entirely suited to the needs of DefisMed. The quality and richness of these exchanges convinced the two parties to concretise their relations. On Thursday, December 8, 2016, they met at the Belval Innovation Campus at LIST to sign a partnership agreement.

In this context, LIST and DefisMed wish to collaborate on a certain name of subjects of common interest, taking advantage of the synergies created by their respective competences.

The synergies

DefisMed is committed to the preservation of the Mediterranean natural and cultural heritage and wishes to achieve a reasoned and innovative management of local natural resources. Consequently, DefisMed's ambition is to promote the most "VERTueuse" tourist transition possible.

LIST, with its experience, has developed an IT platform associated with mobile applications offering travelers a personalised experience tailored to their preferences, needs and constraints

In addition to providing classic offers, the solution integrates a complete set of services related to the problem of mobility and travel. Leisure activities, accessibility to health professionals, tourist offers, cultural places, visits or discovery circuits, accommodations, etc., are grouped together and offered in a customised and personalised way to the user to assist him and guide him in the best way throughout his journey. The tool, tested in life-size experiments, was developed according to a user-centered methodology, by taking into account the needs, expectations and characteristics of end users at each stage of its development.

Tangible results

LIST and DefisMed intend to give more practical form to existing cooperation links by launching joint activities.

The first step will be to evaluate the possibilities for cooperation in joint research projects, in particular European projects. Together, they will be able to co-develop projects with competitive national, European and international funding.

The two partners also aim to support, through pilot territorial actions, the implementation of the CHEMIN approach (Mediterranean Human Environment Cooperation Innovation Nature), in Luxembourg, France, Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria. Another aspect of the program is the contribution made by DefisMed and LIST to structuring and running a Euro-Mediterranean network of actors in the tourism transition. In order to share expertise and results, seminar-type events will also be organised around the theme of transition of tourism.

>> For more information about this collaboration, do not hesitate to contact Bernard Lambeaux.

Picture from left to right:  Pascal LHOAS (LIST), Bernard LAMBEAUX (LIST), Eric RAULET (DEFISMED). Aziz ZENASNI (LIST), Jean-Eric AUBERT (Président DEFISMED), Djamel KHADRAOUI (LIST), Pierre TORRENTE ( DEFISMED)