SaltyBEATS First Annual meeting
A week of science, innovation and collaboration in Tunis
The SaltyBEATS project is pleased to announce its 1st Annual Meeting, which will take place at the Manouba School of Engineering (MSE), Tunisia, from 21 to 24 April 2026.
A dedicated stakeholder workshop will bridge science and practice through a range of interactive field and laboratory activities. These include visits to CBBC and CERTE, as well as the Soliman wetlands and surrounding agricultural fields. Participants will engage in hands-on sessions such as soil sampling, soundscape analysis and QBS assessment, alongside a Stakeholder Café and co-design workshop aimed at developing practical, actionable solutions.
In addition, the programme will feature two further flagship events:
5th SUSTAIN Training School (21-22 April)
The week will begin with the 5th SUSTAIN Training School, focused on mapping soil salinity using remote sensing and machine learning.
At the end of the training, students will:
Understand the causes, processes, and impacts of soil salinity.
Explore remote sensing principles and satellite data sources relevant to salinity mapping.
Apply image-processing techniques to detect and characterize salt-affected areas.
Use machine-learning models to classify and predict soil salinity distribution.
Develop thematic maps and validate results with ground truth.
First MSE Hackathon – GeoAI & Ecosystem Restoration (23–24 April)
The meeting will also host the first MSE Hackathon, bringing together students, innovators and experts to address real-world environmental challenges using GeoAI approaches. This initiative benefits from strong international collaboration and visibility through ENoLL (European Network of Living Labs), the UNESCO Green Education Partnership, and the Hanns Seidel Foundation – MENA Climate Network.
Are you passionate about AI, GeoAI, climate action or game development? Join the first edition of the MSE Hackathon and take part in an innovative experience at the intersection of technology, sustainability and creativity.
Theme
GeoAI and Serious Games for Ecosystem Restoration
Challenge Areas
Participants will develop innovative solutions addressing:
Flood and wildfire risk mapping
Climate and ecosystem monitoring
Serious games for education and sustainability
Smart and resilient urban planning
Who can participate
The hackathon is open to students, researchers, developers, designers and innovators from diverse backgrounds. Participation is possible both onsite in Tunis and online.
Teams must consist of three members, and multidisciplinary profiles are strongly encouraged.
Prizes and opportunities
Please check more details using the link below