Karolinska Institutet (KI), with support from Arbisense AB (ARBI), recently showcased the PREVENT project’s innovative technologies and scientific methods through a series of dissemination actions. These activities, conducted in collaboration with the FOODSHIFT Pathways project within the KA2 Cooperation in Schools Erasmus programme, reflect the project’s dedication to fostering healthier and more sustainable dietary choices through the use of technology and participatory approaches. The dissemination actions brought together diverse audiences and demonstrated the practical application of PREVENT’s Swedish use case, designed and led by KI and implemented by ARBI.
FutureFoodS Summer School
At the “FutureFoodS: Schools as Enablers for a Fair, Healthy, and Sustainable Food System” Summer School in Marathon, Athens, PREVENT technologies were presented in the context of open schooling and living labs. This program provided educators and other stakeholders with tools to transform schools into innovation hubs within their communities. On July 4, 2024, Ioannis Ioakeimidis from KI delivered a presentation titled “Eating Habits and Food-Related Marketing Targeting Students in Swedish & Greek Schools.”
The session explored how schools can act as catalysts for change by offering new learning opportunities and engaging with local communities to promote sustainable dietary practices. In addition, 15 teachers engaged in hands-on testing of ARBI’s MobileSense and GeoEnv platforms, offering valuable feedback on how data collection and visualization technologies can enrich educational activities.
Erasmus+ Collaboration
During an Erasmus+ Training and Cooperation Activity event that took place between on 6-8 November 2024, in Bergen, Norway, PREVENT’s efforts were introduced to a diverse audience of 50 participants, including teachers, SMEs, and policymakers. Attendees explored the integration of research-grade data collection tools into educational programs, emphasizing how technology can enhance engagement, improve learning outcomes, and provide valuable data to inform research and policy decisions.
Interactive Learning in Athens
On November 9, 2024, Ellinogermaniki Agogi, a Greek school in Athens, hosted a hands-on event focusing on educating primary school students about healthy and organic diets. Over 40 students and 3 educators participated in interactive sessions that highlighted the importance of sustainable food choices. Students were introduced to data collection and analysis tools developed within the PREVENT project, gaining first-hand experience in using technology to explore their dietary habits. The event emphasized how these tools can inspire informed decisions and foster long-term healthy practices among both students and educators.
Exploring Food Perceptions in Denmark
As part of the Foodscape Walkabout, PREVENT engaged 11–12-year-old students in an immersive activity to map their perceptions of food and green spaces in their community. Taking place on November 22, 2024, this initiative combined the use of data from ARBI’s MobileSense and GeoEnv platform, and qualitative discussions to understand students’ views and experiences.
The conversations revealed critical insights into how young people perceive their local environment, underscoring the importance of communication in addressing community needs. The heatmaps—depicting food spaces on the left and green spaces on the right—were generated from student contributions and offered a visual representation of their findings in the Copenhagen area. This approach highlighted the effectiveness of combining technology with dialogue to inform and inspire sustainable community development.
