DANOVA NEXT meeting in Varna, Bulgaria

From June 26th to 28th, 2024, the DANOVA NEXT team held a meeting in Varna, Bulgaria, to present the project's progress and planned activities. The meeting began with Dubrovnik Airport providing an overview of the current implementation stage, followed by a presentation of upcoming activities and expected outcomes. Representatives from the University of Maribor presented the updated Catalogue of Best Practices, while WU Wien showcased the results of needs assessment and existing solutions, including stakeholder mapping and activities for involving target users.

SOIH, BSVO, and ANSR presented the results of target user involvement at the transnational level through online surveys and feedback from workshops. BATTI introduced the DANOVA NEXT toolkit, the framework for innovation and the exploitation of advanced technologies, and the next steps in tool development.

The Municipality of Maribor outlined the steps for defining the strategy for accessible transport in the Danube Region, including drafting the macro-regional strategy and organizing three transnational working groups. Discussions also covered the creation of a smart transport network for digital accessibility data for persons with disabilities.

BATTI then presented the approach for establishing standardized data levels and defining features of the DANOVA NEXT application, including the potential use of digital travel information tools and interface requirements. Andrea Donda explained the reporting method for the first reporting period, while SOIH presented the Project Communication Strategy and EU visibility rules.

Special contributions were achieved through workshops where participants, divided into four sections, worked on elements that will be integral parts of the strategic framework for accessible transport in the Danube Region. This was followed by discussions and planning for the next steps for the upcoming meeting in Bucharest.