Co-Working Space
Co-working space is the use of an office or other working environment by people who are self-employed or working for different employers, typically so as to share equipment, ideas, and knowledge. Co-working is not only about the physical place, but about establishing the co-working community first. Its benefits can already be experienced outside of its places, and it is recommended to start with building a co-working community first before considering opening a co-working place. Co-working is also the social gathering of a group of people who are still working independently, but who share values, and who are interested in the synergy that can happen from working with people who value working in the same place alongside each other. Figure shows the BIIC@AIT and its satellite co-working spaces.
Living Lab
Living Labs are defined as user-centered, open innovation ecosystems based on a systematic user co-creation approach integrating research and innovation processes in real life communities and settings. In practice, Living Labs place the citizen at the center of innovation, and have thus shown the ability to better mold the opportunities offered by new ICT concepts and solutions to the specific needs and aspirations of local contexts, cultures, and creativity potentials. Treating the University as a Living Lab [LL] involves using the University’s research capabilities to solve sustainability issues relating to its infrastructure and practices. The LL in the university context fosters applied research and education by using the campus to test real time sustainability solutions, offering opportunities to all university stakeholders to turn theory into practice, and enabling students to achieve greater engagement with their study material and a more well-rounded educational experience.
