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About the Project
Shaping the future of immersive storytelling through transdisciplinary education.
About INSIDE-ACT
About
INSIDE-ACT
INSIDE-ACT stems from a deep reflection on the recent digital trends of the market, on the growing gap of skills in digital communication and on the emergence of the current social, environmental and economic challenges.
In relation to this, the main goal of INSIDE-ACT is to develop the profile of an Immersive Storytelling Designer (ISD), able to mix methods and tools typical of Design, Performing Arts, Social sciences and Digital (DASD) in order to be able to design a strategic immersive digital communication (XR), with a view to raising awareness of EU values. Within the DASD, performing art will play a disruptive role, providing the tools to overcome disciplinary limits and build a new transdisciplinary-informal, almost "indisciplinary" methodology.
To achieve this goal, INSIDE-ACT develops an innovative training package built thanks to the alliance - stimulated since the early stages of the project - among HEIs, VETs, sector representatives, clusters, digital companies and CCIs. The INSIDE-ACT training package consists of 6 modules that develop a direct training experience between companies (traditional, digital and creative) and students.
The companies are an active part of the training modules and driving forces of the final intensive workshop which will lead to the creation of immersive storytelling executive experiences based on the concepts produced by the groups of learners (composed of university students and professionals from the various sectors of the DASD).
This training model - as well as all the activities and outputs developed in INSIDE-ACT - will clearly show the transformative potential of strategic immersive storytelling which, in addition to disseminating European values, sensitises the community by stimulating virtuous behaviours (Transformative Design). In this sense, the ISD profile will play the role of trigger of a sustainable, inclusive and critical innovation that will disruptively fit into the imminent demands of the labour market.
PARTNERS
Meet our partners
INSIDE-ACT brings together universities, VET providers, research institutions, enterprises, clusters, cultural and creative organisations, combining complementary expertise to develop an innovative transdisciplinary training programme.
Objectives
Objectives
INSIDE-ACT is designed to address the growing gap between education, technological innovation, and labour market needs, particularly in the field of immersive digital communication.
The project aims to train a new generation of professionals capable of combining creativity, critical thinking, and advanced technologies to design meaningful experiences with a strong transformative impact.
The main objectives of INSIDE-ACT are:
- A new professional profile
INSIDE-ACT aims to define and develop the figure of the Immersive Storytelling Designer (ISD), an innovative professional capable of designing strategic immersive experiences using advanced technologies (XR: virtual, augmented and mixed reality). The ISD is not only a technical expert, but a mediator between content, technologies and values: they integrate narrative, design, social and digital competences to create experiences that generate emotional engagement, empathy and awareness. This profile responds to the growing demand for professionals able to use immersive technologies in a critical, ethical and socially impactful way, capable of fostering positive behavioural change.
- Transdisciplinary education model
The project develops a transdisciplinary training model (DASD) that goes beyond simple collaboration between disciplines, fostering a real integration between Design, Performing Arts, Social Sciences and digital technologies. This approach enables the hybridisation of methods, tools and languages, generating new ways of learning and designing. Performing arts, in particular, play a key role in breaking disciplinary boundaries and fostering empathy and identification processes, while social sciences introduce a critical understanding of contexts and impacts. The result is a fluid knowledge system, capable of addressing the complexity of the present.
- Innovative training pathways
INSIDE-ACT designs and tests a training package structured in collaborative modules, operational tools and experiential activities, closely connected to real-world challenges and concrete market needs. The pathway is based on active methodologies such as co-design, learning by doing and experimentation in real contexts, directly involving companies, cultural and creative industries and other stakeholders. This approach enables participants to acquire applicable skills, develop advanced design capabilities and engage with real professional dynamics.
- European values in action
One of the core objectives of the project is to use immersive storytelling as a tool for communicating and disseminating European Union values. Through the design of immersive experiences, INSIDE-ACT promotes key themes such as inclusion and diversity, environmental and socio-cultural sustainability, civic engagement and digital awareness. Immersive technologies are used to stimulate empathy and perspective shift, allowing users to “step into others’ shoes” and gain a deeper understanding of contemporary challenges.
- Stronger connection with the labour market
The project strengthens the dialogue between education, research and the labour market through close collaboration between universities (HEIs), vocational education and training providers (VET), companies, clusters and cultural and creative industries. This synergy helps align training content with emerging market needs, facilitating the acquisition of relevant skills and improving participants’ employability. Moreover, the direct involvement of companies in training processes fosters the development of practical experiences and professional opportunities.
- Impact through experience
INSIDE-ACT aims to generate real impact through the development of immersive storytelling projects capable of actively engaging communities. The experiences designed by participants are not only communicative, but aim to stimulate behavioural change, promoting more sustainable, inclusive and conscious attitudes. Through the transformative design approach, the project contributes to social innovation processes, where technology becomes a tool to activate awareness and transformation.