Tourism is very important for the European economy. It has one of the highest labour mobility rates, permitting discussion of the emergence of a truly European economic sector and a labour market with a truly European dimension. Nevertheless, skills shortage in tourism jobs is putting at real risk the employment in the sector. Thus, the identification of skill needs for the sector in Europe has a particular significance. The partners of CULTOUR project have identified that one main area of skills gap in tourism sector is related with the growing requirement of intercultural competencies necessary to deal with customers, co-workers and employees. This skills gap is transversal to the tourism sector and affects a wide range of professional roles, including employees, instructors and employers.A key factor to be taken also into account is that formal qualifications are not always required in tourism and there is a widely available opportunity to obtain qualifications by an alternative to formal education. Taking into account the very high proportion of personnel without formal qualifications, validation of informal and non-formal learning is crucial. The EQF is meant to address this problem and the ECVET tools and methodology should greatly assist with workers mobility. CULTOUR project aimed to overcome the skills gap and foster mobility in Tourism sector trough the recognition, validation and up-skilling of intercultural competences for tourism jobs. CULTOUR has integrated the intercultural competencies dimension in new VET training products, specifically addressed for tourism sector jobs and used innovative tools for the recognition and validation of these competencies. Six partner organizations (VET providers, companies and social partners) from six countries (France, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Turkey and Bulgaria) defined innovative common strategies and products to reduce the skills gap of intercultural competencies in tourism sector trough VET.During the last two years, CULTOUR partners worked in tight collaboration to:- identify the specific intercultural knowledge, skills and competences required for tourism sector jobs (IO1 State of the art report); - increase transparency and mobility of tourism professional by means of recognition and validation of intercultural competencies for tourism sector jobs, based on the previous successful curriculum CULTOOL (IO2 ECVET Curriculum);- design new pedagogies and innovative methodologies to train intercultural competencies in tourism jobs (IO3 CULTOUR Handbook)- Upskill teachers and instructors of the tourism sector, both working on VET centers and/or in the industry, on new pedagogies and innovative methodologies to train intercultural competencies in tourism jobs. (IO4 CULTOUR Toolbox)-Empower tourism workers in their capacity to understand and cope with cultural differences (IO4 CULTOUR Toolbox)- Increase labour market relevance of learning provision and qualifications in the tourism sector, reinforcing links between VET and the world of work (IO5 CULTOUR Open Online Center)The main target users of the CULTOUR project products and outputs are teachers, trainers and instructors of the tourism sector, both working on VET centers and/or in the industry. Also VET providers, companies and public and private entities active in the field of Tourism. Final beneficiaries are employees, apprentices, VET teachers and instructors, employers, students and other professionals working, or with previous experience, on the tourism sector.

What is a digitally competent language teacher in adult education? In Europe, there are rapidly changing demands for the profession of language teachers in adult education which require new or updated skills and a broader set of competences. The era of digitalization is involving the field of language teaching which means that the teachers have to improve their own digital competences in education to perform on a contemporary and competitive level and enhance the experience of their students, incl. migrants/refugees, literacy learners, senior people etc. Apart from a European profile of a digitally competent language teacher, the project “Integrating Digital Education in Adult Language Teaching (IDEAL)” will develop a hands-on approach with examples and tools for language teachers on how to establish digital competence in language teaching in their daily practice. Additionally, an OER platform will provide video tutorials and additional information for language teachers all over Europe. An innovative character of the project consists in the development of project activities and outputs based on the Digital Competence Framework for Educators (DigCompEdu, 2017) and the updates of Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR, 2018).The project consortium with partner organisations from Germany, France, Poland, United Kingdom, Spain and Italy, all of them involved in language teaching activities with adults, follows the project objectives:1) to provide language teachers in adult education with all the skills and competences needed to deliver their high quality work in the digital era2) to support the professionalisation of language teachers in adult education, in particular with regards to the rapidly changing demands in terms of digital competence for educators3) to provide open education and innovative practices for language teachers in adult educationFor this reason the project will deliver following planned activities and outputs:- Mapping content for digitally competent language teachers with the development of an overall report containing information about current situation of language education policy and programmes in the context of digitalisation, the use of digital tools in teaching process, good practices for use of digital technologies to enhance innovate education and training etc. The report will be available in six main European languages (EN, DE, IT, ES, FR, PL)- European profile of a digitally competent language teacher in adult education (in EN, DE, IT, ES, FR, PL) covering the requirements of DigCompEdu as well as CEFR with new descriptors and described in learning outcomes under the headings of knowledge, skills, responsibilities/autonomy. A self-assessment tool will also be part of the profile. - Open educational resources for language teachers available in six main European languages and containing 120 innovative and good practices and video tutorials aimed to facilitate the practical implementation of the digital contents in learning environment. - 1 Short-term joint staff training- 6 Multiplier Events: Final Conferences in all project countriesThe project is addressed to language teachers in adult education including those working with migrants, refugees, low-educated, seniors; literacy teachers for migrants; volunteers engaged in language teaching; adult and language education providers; language course planners/ teacher trainers; key stakeholders and decision-makers for language learning and digital education.More than 210 language teachers will directly participate in the project by self-assessing their competences, describing their needs and best practice and/or getting trained and at least 6000 people working in language teaching or being stakeholders will be informed about the project. The desired impact of IDEAL-project is to raise active participation of language teachers to strive towards becoming more digitally competent and make use of digital pedagogical approaches and methodologies, innovative tools and resources developed to effectively face the emerging trends in the education process. The innovative European profile will collate the knowledge, skills and responsibility/autonomy of a digitally competent language teacher. The availability of OER platform with innovative and good practices and videos in six main European languages (EN, DE, FR, ES, IT, PL) will ensure the transferability and sustainability of project outcomes upon completion of the project.

<< Objectives >>DREAM (Digital Resilience for European Microenterprises) is innovative and timely as it tackles COVID-19 challenges and digitalization in the 2 worlds of VET and MSME with the objectives of:- support micro and small businesses by providing up-to-date training to help them cope with digital transformation and adapt to post-pandemic; - adapt VET to market needs via mapping and increase its flexibility via DREAM OER Digital Lab.- enrich the provision of formal/non-formal VET across EU.<< Implementation >>The activities envisaged are:- Develop DREAM Digital Lab, multilanguage open tool for the transmission of digital knowledge for MSMEs embracing digital entrepreneurship in postpandemic economy- Mapping economic impact of COVID on MSMEs and their digitalization process - Develop and translate learner-centred training contents in 6 languages- Develop DREAM position paper for MSMEs Digital readiness- Perform management activities- Monitor Quality and Financial Accuracy- Promotion & Sharing<< Results >>Results-At least 120 MSME trained-Report to map post-COVID digitalization challenges-Free tested trainings in 6 languages delivered online via Digital Lab-Impact on microenterprises, entrepreneurs, VET system in support of entrepreneurship-Increased resilience and competitiveness of MSMEs-Enhanced VET to adapt to markets’ needs in post-pandemicDREAM results currently do not exist, it bridges gaps with up-to-date training & tools specifically targeted at MSMEs in a pan-Eu perspective

Although Europe has been recovering from recent high unemployment rates, the general lockdown and consequences of COVID-19, will have a huge impact on local and global economies. The ILO estimates that more than 25 mil jobs will be lost in the coming months due to the outbreak. As a result, thousands of organizations in Europe and the world have shifted to working remotely, where possible. Still, many are struggling to apply good practices and routines to ensure productivity and wellbeing in their workforce during these challenging times. To make the transition as smooth as possible, those who lead remote teams need to have the skills needed to lead them effectively. When employees don’t gather together in the same physical location, a very different dynamic is created. Face-to-face meetings, casual conversations in the hallways, and break-room socializing all bring people together in unique ways. When people no longer work together on location, those shared experiences cease. The overlap caused by physically working at home can cause mental health-related problems including over-work. A study by Mann and Holdsworth (2003) showed that teleworkers experienced increased irritability and negative emotions, such as worry. This was attributed to social isolation and being unable to share problems with colleagues. So, stress among eWorkers can also be on the rise.This does not mean that organizational culture, team dynamics, and employee engagement levels have to suffer, but HR professionals and managers do need to find new ways to recreate these workplace assets through different channels.This project aims to help Leaders in SMEs to acknowledge the importance of digital skills and wellbeing practices in maintaining healthy and productive virtual teams. Its objectives include the development of appropriate competencies in team leaders to better manage virtual team wellbeing and productivity and at the same time enrich their capacity to use the appropriate technological tools. VirutalTeams also aims to equip HR professionals with tools and skills to be in a position to promote positive organisational cultures by adjusting their policies, practices and procedures and support their staff.OBJECTIVES1) Provide SMEs tools and techniques to overcome these challenges, by providing practical tips to help Virtual Team Leaders lead effectively, communicate successfully and so increase the performance of their virtual/remote teams2) Equip HR Professionals to improve their people’s wellbeing by adjusting their policies and procedures, thus maintaining a positive and productive eWork environment for all3) Improve the quality of work in virtual teams20 Managers/Team Leaders, HR professionals from SMEs and VET Trainers (in-company or external) from the 6 participating countries in the project will be chosen to participate in piloting the training modules of the training programme. Leaders will be trained on prioritising team building, fostering close collaboration, setting clear direction and objectives and leveraging technology. HR professionals will be trained to familiarise themselves with the IT infrastructure and available digital tools to set appropriate teleworking policies in place. The aim of these training activities is to assist eWorkers with improving their time management and productivity and bring about wellbeing, resilience and work-life balance. Also, associate participants and stakeholders will be consulted to provide feedback on all project outputs during the development stage.The project will be managed using Project Management tools and practices, including quality assurance, dissemination and sustainability plans.Short description of the results:-IO1: A toolkit for virtual team leaders, HR Professionals and managers-IO2: In-service training course for VET professionals-IO3: MOOC on effective management of virtual teamsWorking remotely is growing faster than ever and shows no sign of slowing down. It’s the future of work with benefits for both employers and employees. The project builds on the existing knowledge developed by partners and aims at supporting organisations thrive by developing positive and productive virtual work environments with longterm sustainability. The expected long-term benefit is creating work-life balance, wellbeing and productivity to teams working remotely with practices that can be easily adopted by any organisation, especially SMEs.

In recent years, the development of constantly growing Erasmus + projects has taken on a special dimension. However, the management of these E+ projects requires a strong technical mastery of applications and documents, reflexes, and organizational tools. The training of future/new coordinators and E+ project management teams usually takes place in the organizations that carry out these projects. Technical knowledge is passed on by peers, ie not experienced coordinators to new recruits. Project management tools are often developed internally and individually by coordinators. The current context, but also deeper changes in the organization of work, shows the limits of these usual practices of peer training on the job.The sanitary situation due to the Covid-19 has shown us the limits of face to face learning and vocational training. The situation has forced us to develop new ways of working and training, particularly at a distance. The importance of the digital in our professional practice is highlighting. We must include in our practices, digital tools to reinforce our digital competencies. Moreover, the context has also drawn attention to the difficulties in implementing peer training or mentorship which usually takes place in the workplace. In usual times, the professional practice of the Erasmus + project coordinators makes it difficult to mobilize them on a regular basis to train newcomers. At a distance, this is made even more difficult. In addition to this informal transmission, there is a lack of developed tools that would meet both the needs for technical training and the consistency of monitoring tools.This highlights the need to set up a digital training tool available to new recruits. On one hand, this tool must be based on self-learning to acquire the methods and practices of project management. On the other hand, this tool must also allow the functioning of quality mentoring by experimented peers, as well as a remote evaluation of the progress in the management practices of the learners. The bEUjo + project, therefore, proposes to create a common project management tool that also acts as a learning tool (self-training and peer training).Based on the now well-known method of the Bullet Journal which uses digital codes on analog media, our project proposes to offer a double version tool, a paper version, and a mobile application.The objective is to equip the European project managers ERASMUS + with a tool combining several functions: a common, flexible, transversal project monitoring tool that also acts as a learning tool for new project managers and that will allow peer training. This tool is a real self-training tool will learning path for new recruits. It’s also the adaptation of physical peer training in a digital way to not lose the link between the peer. The project aims to strengthen the organisational capacities of the leading organisations or partners of European projects and to strengthen learning capacities online (at the workplace and by distance) in the area of European project management.The project involves a minimum of 10 Erasmus + project coordinators as well as trainees or new recruits who are in training. The project addresses all organizations with Erasmus + European projects (experimented organizations welcoming new recruits) or wishing to carry them (newcomer and non/less-experimented organizations).The project will develop 3 different deliverables: IO1: The bEUjo + web appIO2: BOX +: coordinator's “annex” toolboxIO3: The methodological guide to peer learning with bEUjo +The project also provides training and experimentation, evaluation times.The results and in particular the tools will be widely disseminated to the network of European partners as well as to national agencies.The project is designed to have an impact at local, national, and mostly at European levels. At the local level, the project will contribute to supporting the involved organization to have better coordination and workplace training and transmission of Erasmus + projects. At national and European levels the project will help all the organizations which are carrying projects or are willing to, to adopt a common way of managing projects. At the European level, the project will help to avoid the loss of information during Erasmus + projects lifetime.The project involves 6 European partners from 5 different countries (France, Germany, Spain, Greece, and Portugal), very experienced in managing Erasmus + projects. With this project, we expect to get more efficient, coherent, and professional coordination of Erasmus + projects thanks to better care and reception of new recruits as new coordinators of projects. We expect to get a better handover of projects, better-equipped structures, and finally reach employees' well-being and stress reduction thanks to the fluidity of information.