ACTLIFE project Kick-off meeting - Bologna 7-8 February 2018
A two half days meeting, hosted by the Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli (IOR) in the historical venue and the Research Center, opened the ACTLIFE project. 20 representatives from the seven European partners involved in the project attended the meeting and actively cooperated to better frame actions and outcome as well as setting the project agenda.
During the first day (7th February in the afternoon), after a welcoming session, ACTLIFE project coordination team introduced the general workplan and each Partner presented their organization. Objectives, expected outcomes and workpackages where illustrated in detail.
The second day in the morning (8th February) was first dedicated to the contractual, administrative and financial aspects of the project. Then ACTLIFE project coordination team illustrated the managerial and communication strategies foreseen. Deadlines for the first expected actions (February – August 2018) have been drafted.
ACTLIFE project second meeting - Bologna September 14th, 2018
Guests were hosted again in the marvellous Research Center of Rizzoli Ortopaedic Institute in Bologna. The general aim of this second meeting was the presentation of the WP2 prelimiary findings and dissemination and general management activities carried out during the first 9 months of partnership.
To share results regarding european best practices on treating osteoporotic patients, experts from Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) presented the methodology and activities carried out to obtain the first results by analyzing scientific literature, national and European experiences and the current state of the art on exercise protocols as well as possible ideas for their improvement.
While during the first part of the afternoon session, FAU and UNIBO presented their pilot study protocols, whithin the second part of the afternoon, some Partners shared their experiences on facing the dissemination activities with public and private stakeholders, participation to sports congresses, getting contacts with local sports clubs, aerobics trainers, associations,etc.
The next Consortium Meeting has been preliminary fixed in Erlangen in June, 2019.
ACTLIFE project third meeting - Erlangen June 17th, 2019
The Friedrich-Alexander University (FAU) hosted the third ActLIFE Partners' meeting at the Institute Of Medical Physics (IMP). 13 representatives from the six Partners involved in the project attended the meeting and actively cooperated to provide feedback on the previous activities as well as to discuss next steps concerning both exercise protocol administration and coordination of multiplier events.
After welcoming participants, the ActLIFE coordination team introduced some of the main points of the agenda when creating a highly participative atmosphere in which ActLIFE protocol dissemination, among other issues, were faced with increasing involvement.
Wonderful coffee break, lunch and tour of the Institute's areas devoted to research helped dinamizing the pleasant day spent together.
Summarizing, the emerging impression confirms what advanced in the proposal: ActLIFE's success resides in cooperation and sharing of information.
Next meeting appointment will be fixed within March 2020 in Bologna.
ACTLIFE project transnational meetings (and not only) during COVID restrictions
In this difficult period, lasting nearly a year and a half, ActLIFE Partners' transnational meetings have been held with the aid of a a communication and collaboration platform. Teleconferencing and content sharing helped all teams from the six Partners involved in the project to interact actively and share progresses achieved or difficulties faced during lockdown.
But technology does not only "helped" during "programmed" project meetings. Partners have been particularly active even from home so other informal web-meetings have been held to remain in close contact discussing on next steps concerning both exercise protocol administration and coordination of multiplier events under the new light of COVID-19 restrictions.
Web-meetings granted meetings' shortness though dinamicity sometimes dipended on internet connections' speed.
Next meeting appointment, that will have the aim of closing the research project lifetime, will be fixed within June 2021 and hope to hold it in presence in Bologna.
ACTLIFE project last transnational meeting - June, 18th 2021
Besides our best wishes of a return to normality, uncertainty on travel restrictions pushed us to hold online our last project meeting.
Partners' seriously discussed on project's achievements and on future alternative ways of carrying on physical activity for women with osteopenia/osteoporosis both in a scenario without the European Commission's support and by means of a new/eventual project proposal to be submitted to EACEA by the same partnership.
Optimism has never left neither this great team nor "patients" involved in the project's physical activities carried out during ACTLIFE lifespan.
