Selected as one of the leading examples of integration between Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) and STEM disciplines within European research and innovation programmes.
A new and significant achievement for MUSAE (Museum Sector Alliance for Digital and Sustainable Innovation), which continues to gain recognition at both national and European levels for its innovative approach to interdisciplinary innovation.
Following the ADI Compasso d’Oro Honourable Mention awarded to its Design Futures Art-Driven (DFA)methodology, MUSAE has now been selected by the European Commission as a Best Practice Example of SSH Integration (Social Sciences and Humanities Integration). The project has been included in the Commission’s official publication showcasing outstanding examples of collaboration between Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) and STEM disciplines within European research and innovation programmes.
This recognition highlights the work carried out by MUSAE between 2022 and 2025, during which the project developed, tested, and validated an innovative open-source Factory Model based on the Design Futures Art-Driven method. The model supports organisations and companies in integrating artistic experimentation into technological innovation processes and future-oriented sustainable transformation strategies.
Through two art-tech residency programmes, MUSAE involved 23 artists and 11 technology SMEs in the development of future scenarios and industrial prototypes, supporting their advancement from TRL 3 to TRL 5 while embedding ethics, sustainability, and human and more-than-human perspectives into innovation processes.
The European Commission recognised MUSAE as an exemplary case of interdisciplinary integration. The project brought together expertise from art, design, Design Futures, and nutrition science alongside technological fields such as robotics, artificial intelligence, and wearable technologies. Within this framework, design acted as a bridging discipline between SSH and STEM, translating social and cultural insights into operational tools and innovation processes.
The selection as a Best Practice Example represents an important acknowledgement of the research, experimentation, and knowledge-transfer activities carried out over the past three years. It also confirms the relevance of the approach developed by MUSAE and the contribution that the Department and its researchers can offer to interdisciplinary innovation and sustainable transformation at the European level.
This achievement follows the recent ADI Compasso d’Oro Honourable Mention, further reinforcing the scientific, methodological, and practical value of the project and its growing impact within the European research and innovation landscape.