SPARROW to protect against digital disasters

The University of Cyprus’ Centre of Excellence “Koios” has launched the “SPARROW” (Solid Preparedness and Resilience for Robust Operations during disaster Wilderness) project, aaimed at enhanced disaster resilience for Europe.

The project, funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe Programme, involves 15 organisations from across Europe and aims to better equip societies and First Responders against digital and natural disasters.

The three-year SPARROW project addresses the vulnerabilities of Europe’s critical infrastructure, including digital breakdowns during crises.

SPARROW addresses vulnerabilities exposed by recent crises. During Storm Daniel, severe floods across Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Libya caused digital breakdowns in Greece, leaving areas without electricity, water, and communications for days. The project seeks to develop solutions to prevent such widespread impacts in future disasters.

The project will create a Digital Twin platform and other tools to support emergency communication and coordination. Tools will be evaluated through tests and exercises involving end-users to ensure practical, real-world effectiveness.

Project partners include academic and research institutions, industry, SMEs, NGOs, and public and private bodies from Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, France, Greece, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.

Assistant Professor Matthaios Pantelis, the Project Coordinator, said, “SPARROW seeks to play a key role in strengthening the resilience and sustainability of Europe’s societies, at a time when disasters are occurring with increasing frequency and intensity.”

“There is a need for concerted efforts and innovative solutions to help manage and respond to their impacts,” he concluded

The kick-off meeting took place on September 11, 2024, at the University of Cyprus, with all partners present.