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Period 2012-2015
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Coordinator Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO)
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Fund EU 7th framework program (FP7-SECURITY)
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Topics urban security, relevant data, indicators of safety, security performance
Research Activities
BESECURE (Best practice Enhancers SECurity in Urban REgions) project commenced in April 2012 and is due to be completed in by the end of March 2015. The BESECURE team consist of 14 partners and is coordinated by the Netherlands Organization for Applied Scientific Research (TNO). Urban security is a complex challenge to modern urban environments. Many factors influence urban security, from the physical layout to the social and economic makeup of urban zones, from national policies to the daily practices of local public services. Europe has seen rapid expansion of its urban environments, and the rise of new types of communities due to migration, economic tensions and social developments.
These developments demand a better understanding of urban security throughout Europe, and more sensible policy development and implementation on these matters. For this reason, it is vital to share knowledge and practices among stakeholders throughout Europe, and to jointly work on a better common understanding of urban security..
The project worked towards a better understanding of urban security through examination of different European urban areas. The besecure team worked together with local policymakers, organizations and communities to understand the local urban environment, and to evaluate the besecure outcomes and tools.
By examining eight urban areas throughout Europe, BESECURE built a comprehensive and pragmatic knowledge base that supports policy making on urban security challenges by sharing best practices in use throughout Europe, and by provides visualization and assessment tools and guidelines that help local policy makers to assess the impact of their practices, and improve their decision making”
Focus
- Knowledge: to develop a knowledge base for the identification of underlying problems associated with urban zones and to explore best practice in successful urban zones in Europe;
- Understand: to enable an understanding of key indicators of urban security and safety
- Develop: to develop a suite of tools and methods that policy makers can use to understand their urban areas, identifying potential problems and possible solutions
- Transfer: to facilitate knowledge transfer through dissemination methods and developing a systematic common support methodology
Case Study Areas
- Belfast (UK)
- The Hague (NL)
- Freiburg (GER)
- London Tower Hamlets (UK)
- London Lewisham (UK)
- Napels (IT)
- Reggio di Calabria (IT)
- Poznan (PL).
People
Carmelina Bevilacqua
CLUDsLab Director - Project CoordinatorAssistant Professor - PAU Department Università degli Studi Mediterranea of Reggio CalabriaClaudia Trillo
Project unit CoordinatorLecturer in Architecture - School of the Built Environment- SOBE - University of Salford - Manchester, UKGabriella Esposito
Researcher in Urban PlanningIstituto di Ricerca su Innovazione e Servizi per lo Sviluppo IRISS - CNR
Partners














Impact
Bevilacqua C., Trillo C., Pizzimenti P., Maione C. (2015). “Urban Form and Urban Security: Insights from a southern Italian Marginal Neighborhood” RealCorp 2015 International Conference corp2015_113_paper-pubblicato
Bevilacqua C., Trillo C., Pizzimenti P., Maione C. (2015). “EU Cohesion Policy and urban safety: the “local” dimension of crime in a Southern Italian neighborhood” Regional Studies Association – International Conference. Piacenza, May 2015 (Accepted)
Bevilacqua C., Trillo C., Pizzimenti P., Maione C. (2015). “Mixing communities for enhancing urban safety: insights from the ongoing ROMA integration process in a Southern Italian city” EURA 2015 International Conference, Sibiu, Romania. (Accepted)
Bevilacqua C. et al. (2015). The common context indicators:evidences from the southern Italy case studies. BESECURE Project partner consortium publication. besecure
BESECURE Project Final Event (2015). Reduce Urban Safety and Security Issues trough Urban Regeneration. Belfast, IR, 3 March 2015

This Project has received funding from the European Union’s 7th research and innovation program under the Marie Curie grant agreement No 285222