Nexus Competence Cells (NCCs) are innovative research units integrated within communities aimed at driving responsible research and innovation (RRI) in the water-energy-food nexus. By implementing NCCs, host communities can leverage Nexus Ecosystem technologies, networks and shared infrastructure to enhance cooperation, standardization, and acceleration
Nexus Competence Cells (NCCs) are innovative research units integrated within universities aimed at driving responsible research and innovation (RRI)
Access to Diverse Funding Sources
Hosting NCCs opens up various funding opportunities that can enhance the financial stability and growth of communities.
Enhanced Financial Efficiency and Resource Optimization
NCCs enable communities to optimize their use of resources, improving financial efficiency and sustainability.
Revenue Generation through Innovation
NCCs foster innovation and the development of new products and services, creating additional revenue streams for communities.
Cost Savings through Collaborative Efforts
NCCs facilitate collaboration with other communities and stakeholders, leading to significant cost savings.
Improved Donor and Stakeholder Engagement
NCCs enhance transparency and accountability, strengthening relationships with donors and stakeholders, which can lead to increased financial support.
Attracting Talent and Expertise
NCCs attract skilled professionals and volunteers, reducing the costs associated with talent acquisition and retention.
Economic Development and Community Benefits
NCCs contribute to local economic development, creating economic benefits for the community and enhancing its reputation and support base.
Fostering Sustainable Practices and Local Solutions
NCCs promote sustainable practices that can lead to long-term economic benefits for the community.
Advanced Risk Assessment and Predictive Analytics
NCCs utilize the Global Risks Index (GRIx) to perform comprehensive risk assessments and predictive analytics. This capability allows communities to identify potential risks early and develop proactive strategies to mitigate them.
Decentralized Decision-Making and Autonomous Governance
By implementing decentralized decision-making processes, NCCs enhance the agility and responsiveness of community governance. This model ensures that decisions can be made quickly and effectively, even in rapidly changing risk environments.
Enhanced Emergency Response and Coordination
NCCs function as Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs), capable of mobilizing quickly in response to emergencies. By leveraging the Nexus Ecosystem, communities can enhance their emergency preparedness and response capabilities.
Comprehensive Training and Capacity Building
NCCs implement continuous learning programs through Integrated Learning Accounts (ILA), equipping community members with the necessary skills to manage risks and enhance security.
Transparent Reporting and Accountability
Through the Integrated Value Reporting System (iVRS), NCCs enhance transparency and accountability in community operations. This system ensures that all actions are documented and reported accurately, building trust among community members.
Incentivizing Innovation and Engagement
The Integrated Credits Rewards System (iCRS) incentivizes engagement and innovation within the community, encouraging residents to contribute to risk management and security initiatives.
Promoting Sustainable Practices
By adopting the Micro-Production Model (MPM), NCCs promote decentralized and sustainable production practices, reducing vulnerabilities and enhancing community resilience.
Fostering Cross-Sectoral Collaboration
NCCs, through the Decentralized Innovation Commons Ecosystem (DICE), foster collaboration among different sectors, enhancing the collective ability to manage risks and improve security.
Holistic Research and Innovation
NCCs enable communities to conduct cutting-edge research and develop innovative solutions tailored to their unique sustainability challenges. This integration facilitates the generation of actionable insights and the creation of scalable, impactful projects.
Community Engagement and Empowerment
NCCs empower communities to foster greater involvement in sustainable development initiatives. By leveraging the Nexus Ecosystem, these communities can facilitate participatory approaches that ensure local ownership and resilience.
Policy Advocacy and Implementation
NCCs enhance the ability of communities to influence policy and drive systemic change. Through the Nexus Ecosystem, these communities can develop evidence-based policy recommendations and advocate for sustainability at various governance levels.
Resource Mobilization and Sustainability
NCCs provide a framework for communities to secure and manage resources effectively. By leveraging the financial tools and networks within the Nexus Ecosystem, communities can ensure the sustainability of their initiatives.
Capacity Building and Continuous Learning
NCCs enable communities to implement robust capacity-building programs that enhance the skills and knowledge of their members. This continuous learning approach ensures that communities are well-equipped to address evolving sustainability challenges.
Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting
NCCs enhance the ability of communities to monitor, evaluate, and report on their sustainability initiatives, ensuring transparency and accountability. The Nexus Ecosystem provides advanced tools for tracking progress and demonstrating impact.
Sustainable Practices and Circular Economy
NCCs support the implementation of sustainable practices and circular economy principles within communities. By leveraging the Nexus Ecosystem, communities can promote resource efficiency, waste reduction, and long-term sustainability.
Advanced Risk Management and Security
NCCs play a crucial role in enhancing the risk management and security of communities by utilizing the advanced technologies and collaborative resources of the Nexus Ecosystem.
Promoting Innovation and Local Solutions
NCCs foster an environment of innovation, enabling communities to develop and implement local solutions to their unique sustainability challenges.
Cultural and Social Integration
NCCs ensure that sustainable development initiatives are culturally and socially integrated, enhancing community cohesion and resilience.
Access to Advanced Collaborative Platforms
NCCs provide communities with access to cutting-edge digital platforms designed to facilitate collaboration and networking for anticipatory action across various sectors and geographies.
Interdisciplinary Research and Development
NCCs enable communities to engage in interdisciplinary research and development, bringing together diverse expertise to proactively address potential challenges.
Enhanced Stakeholder Engagement
NCCs facilitate stronger engagement with a wide range of stakeholders, including local residents, government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector, to support proactive risk management and anticipatory action.
Global Networking and Knowledge Exchange
By leveraging the global reach of the Nexus Ecosystem, NCCs provide communities with opportunities to connect with international networks and share knowledge on a global scale for anticipatory action.
Access to Funding and Resources
NCCs enhance the ability of communities to secure funding and resources through collaborative efforts and innovative financial models for anticipatory action projects.
Capacity Building and Professional Development
NCCs provide opportunities for continuous learning and professional development, enhancing the skills and capabilities of community members to effectively engage in anticipatory action.
Leveraging Nexus Ecosystem Components
NCCs integrate various components of the Nexus Ecosystem to enhance collaboration and networking for anticipatory action in communities.
Promoting Sustainable Practices and Local Solutions
NCCs foster an environment of innovation, enabling communities to develop and implement local solutions to their unique anticipatory action challenges.
Cultural and Social Integration
NCCs ensure that anticipatory action initiatives are culturally and socially integrated, enhancing community cohesion and resilience.
Hosting NCCs provides significant economic advantages, including cost savings through shared infrastructure and resources, access to diverse funding sources, and the creation of new revenue streams through the commercialization of research outputs. By adopting innovative and sustainable practices developed by NCCs, businesses can enhance their market positioning, attract customers and investors, and achieve long-term financial sustainability. Additionally, NCCs help businesses reduce operational costs, improve efficiency, and develop new products and services that drive revenue growth.
Structured Training Programs
NCCs offer a variety of structured training programs designed to build specific competencies related to disaster risk reduction, resilience building, and anticipatory action.
Continuous Learning and Professional Development
NCCs implement continuous learning frameworks that ensure ongoing professional growth and skill enhancement for community members.
Access to Advanced Technologies and Tools
NCCs provide access to cutting-edge technologies and tools that enhance learning and professional development.
Mentorship and Coaching Programs
NCCs establish mentorship and coaching programs to support the personal and professional growth of community members.
Collaborative Research and Development
NCCs foster an environment of collaborative research and development, encouraging community members to engage in innovative projects and interdisciplinary research.
Leadership Development
NCCs focus on developing leadership skills within the community, preparing individuals for future leadership roles.
Networking and Collaboration Opportunities
NCCs enhance networking and collaboration opportunities, enabling community members to build professional relationships and gain exposure to best practices.
Enhanced Organizational Capacity
By focusing on professional development and capacity building, NCCs enhance the overall capacity of the community to achieve its goals in disaster risk reduction, resilience building, and anticipatory action.
Economic Development and Community Benefits
NCCs contribute to local economic development, creating economic benefits for the community and enhancing its reputation and support base.
Engaging with Local CSO/NGOs
NCCs facilitate strong partnerships between host communities and local CSO/NGOs, promoting community-driven initiatives and leveraging NGO expertise.
Collaborating with Academic Institutions
NCCs provide a platform for communities to collaborate with local academic institutions, leveraging academic expertise and resources to drive research and innovation.
Partnering with Industries
NCCs enable host communities to form strategic partnerships with local industries, promoting sustainable business practices and economic development.
Engaging with Government
NCCs provide a platform for host communities to engage with government bodies at local, regional, and national levels, advocating for policies and initiatives that support sustainable development.
Leveraging Nexus Ecosystem Components
By leveraging the various components of the Nexus Ecosystem, NCCs can enhance their engagement with local CSO/NGOs, institutions, industries, and government.
Building Resilient and Sustainable Communities
Through effective engagement and collaboration, NCCs help build resilient and sustainable communities that are better prepared to address current and future challenges.
Economic Development and Community Benefits
NCCs contribute to local economic development, creating economic benefits for the community and enhancing its reputation and support base.
1. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Establishing clear and measurable KPIs is crucial for tracking the progress and impact of NCC activities within communities.
2. Qualitative Metrics
Qualitative metrics provide insights into the broader impact and effectiveness of NCC initiatives beyond numerical data.
3. Quantitative Metrics
Quantitative metrics provide concrete data to measure the direct outcomes of NCC initiatives within the community.
4. Longitudinal Studies
Conducting longitudinal studies allows for the assessment of long-term impacts and sustainability of NCC initiatives within the community.
5. Benchmarking
Benchmarking against similar initiatives or industry standards helps in understanding the relative performance of NCCs within the community.
6. Impact Assessment Reports
Regularly producing comprehensive impact assessment reports ensures transparency and accountability to the community.
7. Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (PM&E)
Involving the community and stakeholders in the monitoring and evaluation process ensures that the assessment is inclusive and reflective of their perspectives.
8. Technology and Data Analytics
Leveraging advanced technologies and data analytics enhances the accuracy and efficiency of impact measurement.
9. Social Return on Investment (SROI)
Calculating the Social Return on Investment (SROI) helps in quantifying the social, environmental, and economic value generated by NCC activities within the community.
Modular and Scalable Design:
Ad-Hoc Agile Unit Deployment:
Leveraging Nexus Ecosystem:
Interdisciplinary Collaboration:
Sustainable Development and RRI Focus:
Community and Policy Engagement:
Program Increment (PI) Planning:
Lean-Agile Leadership:
Value Stream Mapping:
Continuous Delivery Pipeline:
Agile Metrics and Reporting:
Host institutions need:
Go (Golang) is a robust and efficient programming language ideal for developing blockchain core components and smart contracts. Known for its simplicity and performance, Go is widely used in leading blockchain projects like Ethereum (via Hyperledger Besu), Cosmos, and Polkadot. Go's concurrency model and garbage collection make it suitable for building scalable and high-performance blockchain systems.
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Python is a versatile language extensively used for data analysis and artificial intelligence (AI). With powerful libraries such as TensorFlow and PyTorch, Python facilitates the development of AI models and data-driven applications. Its simplicity and readability make it a favorite among data scientists and AI researchers.
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JavaScript and TypeScript are essential for developing responsive front-end interfaces and server-side services using Node.js. TypeScript, a superset of JavaScript, offers static typing, which helps in catching errors early and improving code quality. These languages are crucial for building user interfaces, web applications, and API services in the blockchain ecosystem.
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Rust is a systems programming language known for its memory safety, performance, and concurrency capabilities. It is particularly suited for performance-critical components in blockchain systems. Rust's ownership model ensures memory safety without needing a garbage collector, making it an ideal choice for low-level blockchain development.
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R is a language and environment specifically designed for statistical computing and graphics. It is extensively used for data analysis, statistical modeling, and visualization, making it valuable for analyzing blockchain data and deriving insights.
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The Micro-Production Model (MPM) empowers communities through Nexus Competence Cells (NCCs) by establishing multiple micro-production units strategically located near markets or raw material sources. This approach significantly reduces transportation costs and lead times, empowering local communities and smaller manufacturing units. By boosting local economies and ensuring more resilient and adaptable production processes, MPM fosters sustainable development and resilience building across various sectors.
NCCs empower communities by integrating advanced technologies such as IoT, AI, and blockchain into micro-production units. These technologies enhance production efficiency, enable real-time monitoring, and ensure quality control. NCCs encourage the creation of innovation hubs within community facilities, serving as testing grounds for new technologies and production methods. This fosters a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, allowing for quick prototyping and testing of new products to meet market demands swiftly.
MPM integrates circular economy principles by promoting resource efficiency and waste reduction, with NCCs playing a crucial role in implementing these practices. Industries can implement closed-loop systems within micro-production units to recycle materials and minimize waste. Adopting sustainable practices, such as using renewable energy sources and environmentally friendly materials, reduces environmental impact and enhances the sustainability profile of the community. Decentralized micro-production units optimize energy use by leveraging local renewable energy sources and implementing energy-efficient technologies, reducing the overall carbon footprint of the production process.
MPM encourages collaboration between communities, local stakeholders, industries, and governments, facilitated by NCCs. This collaboration fosters a sense of ownership, promotes local economic development, and enhances innovation.
MPM reduces production costs by lowering transportation and logistics expenses, minimizing waste, and optimizing resource use. Decentralized production units lessen the need for large central manufacturing facilities, reducing capital expenditures. The modular nature of MPM allows communities to scale production up or down based on market demands, ensuring quick responses to changing conditions and consumer preferences. Implementing advanced technologies and efficient production methods enhances productivity and reduces downtime. Real-time monitoring and data analytics enable prompt identification and resolution of production issues.
MPM ensures compliance with industry standards and regulations by integrating automated quality control and monitoring systems. Decentralized production units can navigate local regulatory environments more effectively, working closely with local authorities to ensure compliance and leverage local incentives for sustainable practices.
Unlock the potential of your community by establishing Nexus Competence Cells (NCCs). Harness advanced technologies like blockchain, AI, and IoT combined with decentralized governance to drive transformative research, groundbreaking innovation, and dynamic community engagement. Our pioneering cells employ smart contracts for streamlined operations, predictive analytics for strategic insights, and real-time monitoring for proactive risk management
The Global Centre for Risk and Innovation (GCRI)
We firmly believe that the internet should be available and accessible to anyone, and are committed to providing a website that is accessible to the widest possible audience, regardless of circumstance and ability.
To fulfill this, we aim to adhere as strictly as possible to the World Wide Web Consortium’s (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 (WCAG 2.1) at the AA level. These guidelines explain how to make web content accessible to people with a wide array of disabilities. Complying with those guidelines helps us ensure that the website is accessible to all people: blind people, people with motor impairments, visual impairment, cognitive disabilities, and more.
This website utilizes various technologies that are meant to make it as accessible as possible at all times. We utilize an accessibility interface that allows persons with specific disabilities to adjust the website’s UI (user interface) and design it to their personal needs.
Additionally, the website utilizes an AI-based application that runs in the background and optimizes its accessibility level constantly. This application remediates the website’s HTML, adapts Its functionality and behavior for screen-readers used by the blind users, and for keyboard functions used by individuals with motor impairments.
If you’ve found a malfunction or have ideas for improvement, we’ll be happy to hear from you. You can reach out to the website’s operators by using the following email
Our website implements the ARIA attributes (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) technique, alongside various different behavioral changes, to ensure blind users visiting with screen-readers are able to read, comprehend, and enjoy the website’s functions. As soon as a user with a screen-reader enters your site, they immediately receive a prompt to enter the Screen-Reader Profile so they can browse and operate your site effectively. Here’s how our website covers some of the most important screen-reader requirements, alongside console screenshots of code examples:
Screen-reader optimization: we run a background process that learns the website’s components from top to bottom, to ensure ongoing compliance even when updating the website. In this process, we provide screen-readers with meaningful data using the ARIA set of attributes. For example, we provide accurate form labels; descriptions for actionable icons (social media icons, search icons, cart icons, etc.); validation guidance for form inputs; element roles such as buttons, menus, modal dialogues (popups), and others. Additionally, the background process scans all the website’s images and provides an accurate and meaningful image-object-recognition-based description as an ALT (alternate text) tag for images that are not described. It will also extract texts that are embedded within the image, using an OCR (optical character recognition) technology. To turn on screen-reader adjustments at any time, users need only to press the Alt+1 keyboard combination. Screen-reader users also get automatic announcements to turn the Screen-reader mode on as soon as they enter the website.
These adjustments are compatible with all popular screen readers, including JAWS and NVDA.
Keyboard navigation optimization: The background process also adjusts the website’s HTML, and adds various behaviors using JavaScript code to make the website operable by the keyboard. This includes the ability to navigate the website using the Tab and Shift+Tab keys, operate dropdowns with the arrow keys, close them with Esc, trigger buttons and links using the Enter key, navigate between radio and checkbox elements using the arrow keys, and fill them in with the Spacebar or Enter key.Additionally, keyboard users will find quick-navigation and content-skip menus, available at any time by clicking Alt+1, or as the first elements of the site while navigating with the keyboard. The background process also handles triggered popups by moving the keyboard focus towards them as soon as they appear, and not allow the focus drift outside it.
Users can also use shortcuts such as “M” (menus), “H” (headings), “F” (forms), “B” (buttons), and “G” (graphics) to jump to specific elements.
We aim to support the widest array of browsers and assistive technologies as possible, so our users can choose the best fitting tools for them, with as few limitations as possible. Therefore, we have worked very hard to be able to support all major systems that comprise over 95% of the user market share including Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Opera and Microsoft Edge, JAWS and NVDA (screen readers).
Despite our very best efforts to allow anybody to adjust the website to their needs. There may still be pages or sections that are not fully accessible, are in the process of becoming accessible, or are lacking an adequate technological solution to make them accessible. Still, we are continually improving our accessibility, adding, updating and improving its options and features, and developing and adopting new technologies. All this is meant to reach the optimal level of accessibility, following technological advancements. For any assistance, please reach out to