<< Objectives >>The general AIM of the project is to support the internationalisation process of VET- at the three levels of teachers/trainers-learners, VET provider organisations and regional VET systems- by using the full potential of digital transformation opportunities, and thus increase the attractiveness of VET and its capacity to support the internationalisation process of the economic systems.<< Implementation >>Develop indicators and diagnostic capacity to accompany the internationalisation process of VET systems (teacher and trainers/learners, VET providers, regional VET systems);Jointly develop a competence framework instrumental to internationalisation of VET systems and a dedicated multilingual learning platform to support the development of the identified competences for teachers and trainers, managers and internationalisation staff in regional development agencies and VET policy agencies<< Results >>A VET Internationalisation Benchmarking on line system, a competence framework for VET Internationalisation of teachers, managers and policy makers, a training path and Open Educational Resources available on a digital plattform, internationalisation Plans for each of the participating VET Providers and methodological guidelines for reproducibility, Blueprint (strategies and best practices) to support the integration of VET into territorial development and innovation systems.

The EXCEED - EXCELLENCE IN GREEN AND DIGITAL MANUFACTURING project aims at establishing a European COVE network of 6 centres in 5 countries, Italy, Spain, Finland, Czech Republic, and Greece to support innovation and sustainable competitiveness of the Advanced Manufacturing (AM) sector. As one of the pillars of the European economy, AM has been strongly impacted by the twin transitions, generating disruptive changes, beside the urgency to foster industry decarbonization. To face those changes and new challenges, citizens, present and future workforce needs new competencies, for life and work. VET providers can play a crucial role preparing the workforce and the society of the future, no one left behind, increasing their responsiveness, operating in strong connection with policy levels. EXCEED assumes the synergic and mutual benefitting application of digital and green, according to the so-called “digital eco-innovation” paradigm and the transition to the circular digital economy as powerful leverages to accelerate innovation in AM. Involving a public-private platform of overall 39 partners, 18 full and 21 associates, EXCEED will work as an alive integrated skills ecosystem, promoting, 1) upskilling and reskilling of low-skilled adults and workers at risk of marginalization through a joint internationalized, flexible and individualized Life Long Learning training offer; 2) strengthening the HIGHER VET (EQF 4 and 5) through design of new curricula and updating of existing ones; 3) adopting joint strategies for Talent Management by the establishment of an International Talent Factory, aware of the fact that talented and skilled individuals have a key role to play in countries’ future prosperity; 4) upskilling and empowerment VET professionals as key profiles translating innovation in education contexts. In 4 years, partners expect to involve at least n. 600 learners and an overall number of 26.000 beneficiaries through an extensive multichannel communication strategy.

The collaboration between education institutions at all levels and industry is not a new priority in the European debate and policies, but the scenario of collaboration is not homogeneous in Europe, the good practices of some countries and regions in fields like apprenticeship, work-based learning and dual learning at all educational levels contrast with the limited experience of others and, even in the most “virtuous contexts”, an image of fragmentation, overlapping and –most important- serious gaps results from the analysis. The recently concluded COKLEECO Project, that was focusing on the school and VET sections of education systems in six EU Regions (of five MS) has allowed partners and stakeholders to reflect, in each of the regions, on what works and what is missing in order to improve and systematise the collaboration framework.The ED-EN HUB project is aimed to improve the quality of education (focusing but not limiting itself to VET) through the consolidation and systematisation of the education-enterprise relationship in a long term perspective. Dual learning and work-based learning in their different forms (to be defined and classified also through the help of existing glossaries and a renewed mapping/classification exercise) will be a significant part of the scope of the project, but other ways to cooperate (co-design of new qualifications, tracking employment results of former students, proving input to guidance and career services, developing entrepreneurship competences, maintain the existing set of qualifications) will also be covered, coherently with the review of good practices conducted by COKLEECO. In particular, the project will have the following operational objectives:1.To develop a methodology for the joint (education-enterprise) development of innovative complex competences resulting from the emerging needs of the labour market and active citizenship;2.To create the conditions, in the partner regions, to make joint training of teachers/trainers/tutors from VET and trainers from industry an easily accessible opportunity;3.To support the development of regional ED-EN HUB, as visible and institutionally supported Centres of Excellence for Education-Enterprise collaboration;4.To co-create, test and diffuse collaborative education-enterprise approaches for the professional guidance and individual support of young and adult learners searching (re)qualification and employment perspectives;5.To link the activities of the ED-EN Hub Network to Regional Development policies and maximise their impact at the regional, national and EU level.In order to achieve the above mentioned objectives, the project will develop the following Intellectual Outputs:IO1 – A Toolkit for the joint development of transversal and transferable competencesIO2 – A European platform and model for ED-EN HUB structures, to be proposed to other EU regions, as an impact multiplier of the project.IO3 –Guidelines and learning resources for Joint Training the Trainers, including instruments for joint design of collaboration activities between education and IndustryIO4 – Guidelines for cooperative guidance and support to individual learners searching qualification and employment perspectives, following the principle of Learner’s agency (autonomy and intentionality);IO5 – Policy Recommendations to support education-enterprise collaboration through the integration of private and public funding (structural funds, Erasmus + and local resources).The project is expected to produce a significant increase in the level of collaboration and synergies among existing initiatives in the partner regions, and to inspire similar developments in other EU regions in the later phases of its development. It will allow an in-depth analysis of collaboration approaches and the broad diffusion of methodological know how within and beyond the partner regions. At least 100 teachers and trainers will be directly involved in the validation of the joint training-the-trainers model, while at least 10 organisations per partner region will be involved as active stakeholders in the development of the ED-EN Hub structures.

One of the indicators of progress in the evolving field of transportation & logistics is a 7% growth in the number of logistics lease transactions recorded on the European market in 2015 [http://www.cushmanwakefield.pl,2017]). To be able to flourish, the industry requires innovative solutions which enhance flexibility and competitiveness. The research shows that companies attaching great importance to innovation see the highest increases in turnover (Innobarometer, 2015). According to the report of the European Innovation Scoreboard (EIS) 2016 on innovation performance of EU Member States, Poland is much below the EU average and is ranked among the performers with an innovation index at 0.29 (the leader is Sweden with an index score of 0.7). The index score of the project partner Italy is at 0.43. Both the countries grapple with problems which prevent them from becoming pioneers and leaders in developing and introducing state-of-the-art solutions. The next project partner is based in Austria, ranked by EIS as a strong innovator with the performance at 0.59 which has been declining since 2014. This project will bridge a gap in the need for transport & logistics workforce equipped with innovation skills and knowledge. The purpose of the project is to improve innovation performance in the logistics industry through: • Raising awareness of the need for implementing innovative solutions among transportation & logistics employees and trainees • Creating and applying in practice the tools to identify the participants' predispositions and competencies for developing innovative solutions as Innovation Designers (IDs) and Innovation Executors (IEs) • Improving innovative solution developing skills in logistics • Gaining more insight into the potential for implementing innovative solutions in logistics companies • Bridging the gaps in the skills demonstrated by transportation & logistics employees and trainees • Developing e-learning courses with individual learning paths which provide their participants with innovation knowledge and increase their capabilities • Affording the project participant countries an opportunity to catch up with European leaders in innovation performance (Sweden, Denmark) • Changing the attitude of transportation & logistics employees and trainees from reactive to pro- active The project consists in building an innovative e-learning platform offering access to courses which boost creativity and innovation skills among transport & logistics employees, students and trainees. In the first place the platform members will be asked to complete a set of tests which identify creative competency and the level of knowledge on introducing and commercialising innovation. The diagnosis results will provide the grounds for allocating the participant to one of two groups: passive IE or active ID. This will enable proposing an individual learning path, designed specifically to close the gaps in areas of knowledge and skills as identified in competency tests. A new tool to use will be Assessment Center (AC) as a part of the SCRUM logic where test users verify the test based on which participants are classified as ID/IE. The subject matter of tests will be subject to control. The tools intended for final users will be amended in line with the test recommendations. The project will involves creating: - a tool to test and dividing users of the platform on two groups: “innovation designers” and “innovation executors” of the innovative solutions in logistics - Developing an online tool to diagnose the TSL employee creativity level and to specify the role of the tool in an innovative logistic organisation - the function of a designer or a conscious innovation recipient- executor - a tool to identify competence gaps related to the knowledge about tools and methods to implement innovative ideas in 4 language versions - Developing an online tool to diagnose gaps in 3 competences needed in the innovative organisation: a. Knowledge about the necessary tools and methods to implement innovative ideas in the organisation (e.g. design thinking), b. Knowledge about innovative solutions in logistics (e.g. Logistics 4.0. solutions) c. Innovation absorption. - e-learning courses in 4 languages The project's originality lies in adapting the course to individual requirements of the participant and offering him or her a custom learning path based on identified competency gaps. A new development will be an intelligent platform with e-learning courses which will automatically adapt and assign training modules to the user based upon the previous verification of his or her knowledge and skills. The project's target group include transportation & logistics employees and students. In the long run, an employee able to think laterally, be focused on the problem, familiar with creative thinking and unconventional idea implementation methods will prepare the ground for the next revolution.

"<< Background >>The project is carried by partners experienced in European projects and very close to the companies. It is also fully anchored in the regional innovation strategy with a view to specialization smart technology in the AURA region, including the areas of activity: intelligent and efficient systems,digital and benevolent systems, to which mechatronics belongs.We have developed a great interest with our previous European projects (Woodigital, EQ-wood and Cookleeco) and the agility provided by digital modular training. This dual learning system is a source of innovation, and facilitates the skills development of trainers to help them catch the opportunities offered to mechatronics with Industry 4.0 (big data and IoT, new and advanced materials, circular economy, between other).Our project also creates a virtuous circle with a project led by our Italian partner Confindustria concerning the up-skilling of technicians in mechatronics.Known as an actor of change, the IPRA / MEDEF AURA is very attentive to strategic sectors and we are doing our best as a professional organization to offer new approaches and experimentation in order to facilitate the activities of companies in the Auvergne Rhône region. -Alps. By offering businesses and vocational training organizations in the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region, the opportunity to participate in European projects is to enable them to- Gain height by devoting time to a collective project- Open up to new partners- Benefit from an enriching professional and personal experience.Cooperation projects, which affect a more limited number of companies, are most often attractive to structures particularly oriented towards innovation and experimentation, which wish to feed their reflection on their own practices, in particular on HR topics. (recruitment, training…). These are generally companies which are already particularly invested in the field of education, training or research, and for which cooperation projects constitute an opportunity to ""widen their center of interest"".Industry, which has become 4.0, accompanied by strong expectations in terms of digital and green transformations, requires a constant review of teaching methods, such as training techniques in mechatronics. This context disrupts the expectations in terms of skills expected of professional trainers. We have chosen to work in the application context of mechatronics, because it represents an essential discipline of modern industry. It shakes up professional training and leaves companies with no solution to their recruitment problems.However, the shift to online learning in the local or distance STEM environment is forcing teachers to adapt their practices and get creative to keep students engaged, as home and its many distractions have become. a classroom - most often - without an environment conducive to learning (silence, collective work ...). - the pandemic has recalibrated the way teachers divide their time between teaching, engaging with students and administrative tasks.The training modules, accompanied by our guide to good practice, will aim to progressively capitalize on skills:- allow individual, social and salary recognition, with the short-term acquisition of skills that strengthen employability;- combine both professional experience anticipation and reactivity- Offer new training opportunities for VET institutions.<< Objectives >>In order to achieve our ambitious objectives in the complex and rapidly growing environment of mechatronics, we will create 2 tools to support trainers in following the needs of companies in terms of innovation in this rapidly advancing technical field. After having collectively developed the professional skills profile of trainers in mechatronics, we are going to develop a guide of good practices to help them to develop agile and innovative training courses close to the company's expectations. Finally, we will develop training modules to support the development of the skills of trainers.For all stakeholders in the mechatronics environment, our project will open up new opportunities to “get out of everyday life” and provide interesting perspectives, from both a professional point of view (work on themes relating to their activity, business development) and personal (meeting with European partners from a different culture, trips abroad, etc.).<< Implementation >>The stakeholders in our project have very varied profiles and functions, and companies are able to provide added value such as:• Operational knowledge of their sector of activity enabling them to take a look at the relevance of the content and methods of the projects;• A direct link with certain target audiences of the projects (employees in their sector of activity), which can, in particular, allow them to test the tools developed;• The ability to develop technical solutions (eg: development of an online platform, mobile application, a virtual reality module, a website, etc.).• The development of knowledge, skills, and tools that impact business practices over the long term.For trainers and member of our consortium, participation in the development of content brings different types of benefits, such as:• Acquisition of practical skills: Creative work is an opportunity to develop practices, and to use techniques and approaches that would not necessarily have been used otherwise (videos, interactive platforms, educational approach via storytelling, etc.);• Knowledge acquisition: the research and discussions between partners that are carried out in the context of content development are enriching for stakeholders, and allow them to gather knowledge on a variety of topics related to their sector;• New internal tools: development of training tools and materials intended to be concretely integrated into the practices of trainers and companies. Their participation is therefore a source of development in terms of representations, practices, skills, and knowledge.In the end, the impacts of these projects are generally perceived over the long term.<< Results >>At the heart of the project is strategic knowledge management by:- by organizing a feedback loop, the consortium is committed to maintaining strategic links to further strengthen synergies between the scientific universes of mechatronics;- being involved in a lasting cooperation, the partners have produced new knowledge that needs to be studied thanks to additional resources, facilitating a process of knowledge transfer between education and companies for mutual improvements.- the agility of the development of learning modules by trainers, Digitronics strives to indirectly strengthen the employability and key skills of young people. In addition, our modules are intended to be digital in order to be available to SMEs and to strengthen the effectiveness of training systems that are more useful for the market;"