"Context/background of the project:Strategic PartnershipDIGAS – Developing Innovation Agents for SME’sThe inspiration for the DIGAS project origins from the successful Danish ESF project “IGA”, Innovative Globalisations Agent (www.iga-project.dk) that came to an end in March 2015.The consortium behind the DIGAS project consists of partners from Spain, Belgium, Italy, Finland, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Denmark. The project has furthermore spread to other European countries through the SPACE network. The DIGAS project has been an European project focusing on bridging students and graduates from studies with high unemployment rates with SMEs in need of academia when striving to bring their business abroad. The activities have therefor been both transnational and cross-cultural. Both for the SMEs involved, for the trainers, and for the students and graduates.Objectives:The project addresses the European target: ""foster citizens' potential and ensure employability"" by:• Matching companies need for young graduates with VET competencies• Smoothing transition of young labor market entrants - with education with low employment rate - to the labor market by integrating world of work in the last year • Enhancing better skills matching • Stimulating higher competitiveness for SMEs in a global market and opening the SMEs for new employee groupsNumber and profile of participating organisations:•Pic: 950186490, Tietgen Denmark (lead), Organisation, Other•Pic: 949316982, Artesis Plantijn Hogeschool Antwerpen, Other•Pic: 949506035, FLORIDA UNIVERSITARIA, Other•Pic: 942767639, SPARK, Other•Pic: 944733441, Istituto Formazione Operatori Aziendali, Other•Pic: 950182222, SPACE European Network for Business Studies and Languages, Other•Pic: 949241613, Högskolan Arcada Ab, Other•Pic: 944452723, V.A. Graiciuno aukstoji vadybos mokykla, Higher education institution (tertiary level)Describtion of undertaken main activities:Management•Management report 2014-2016•Biannual Management Report•Plan for the project results sustainability•Plan for the consortiums futureTraining programme adaption for European focus•Best practice collection•Programme and learning materials developmentAnalysing academic competencies versus company needs•Mismatch pattern reportPilot training•VET training for unemployed and/or last year students•Pilot project reportPlatform for internship and real life assignments•Platform•Online supportQuality monitoring and evaluation•Impact Audit report•Digas quality and evaluation plan•Compilation of Status reports•Expert reviewDissemination•Dissemination strategy and plan•Project website•Project identity manual and templetes•Leaflet and brochure•Video•International conferenceInternational conference•AGM SPACE/DIGAS conference, Ghent, Belgium LTT-activities: Intensive studyprogrammes for learners and Short-term joint staff training eventsDIGAS: Results and impact attained:The target groups were first and foremost graduates, students and SMEs. In addition to these target groups other relevant stakeholders were•NGO’s• former partners and Co-operators and potential partners• HEIs and VET adult learning centers,•Local, Regional and National governments•NPO’s•Universities and other members of educational associations in partner countries•Labour market participantsThe DIGAS project has clarified that SMEs are in need of academia when going abroad. It has also clarified that graduates and student, when given VET competencies, can create jobs in SMEs. Jobs that are not present before academia is introduced. Therefor this project will contribute to creating brand new jobs, leading to growth. ‘Europa 2020’ is the EU’s growth strategy for this decade. In the executive summary of ‘the Europe 2020 strategy’ three mutually reinforcing priorities are put forward. They are:•Smart growth: developing an economy based on knowledge and innovation. •Sustainable growth: Promoting a more resource efficient, greener and more competitive economy.•Inclusive growth: Fostering a high-employment economy delivering social and territorial cohesion.The activities in the DIGAS project have supported these growths pillars.From the beginning of the project the consortium outlined a dissemination plan (see attached) in order to make sure that the results would reach the target groups and stakeholders. We fully believe to have achieved this aim. As an important part of the dissemination plan we set out to create a website including a platform where the different members of the target groups and stakeholders can reach each other, even after the duration of the project."

"<< Background >>The project focuses in the development of the new professional profile of GASTRO-GUIDE. The GASTRO-GUIDE helps local villagers express their knowledge to those who come in order to welcome better the visitors. He gains the didactic collaboration and the hospitality of his own neighbors by teaching them the skills of receiving visitors. He encourages his local villagers’ neighbors to be enterprising by producing handmade food, rehabilitating old houses and proposing guest lodgings, helping them to be creative, handicrafts such as ceramics, etc. And also create small plantations of autochthonous food products, farm animals. He can encourage local people to preserve plants/food and encourage those who run restaurants to use local food/plants in their quality local cuisine. On one side the Gastro-Guide trains his local neighbors, and in the other side he teaches the visitors about the village's culture, gastronomy, local food products etc.The Gastro Guide makes its small village a didactic space for learning and experimentation for catering workers, food production companies and people of all ages interested in gastronomy.The project focuses in the further strengthening of the competences in the tourism especially in the Gastronomy tourism in rural low development regions through the development of the professional profile of the person who works as coach/trainer to inhabitants (mainly young, unemployment, women, disable) to cover their lack of skills regarding the local communities; gastronomy, cultural and natural heritage. Tourism is the largest employer of young people, migrants, part-time workers and women. It’s the main entry point to the labor market and provides job opportunities to people who want to re-enter the labor market. Businesses and the workforce must adapt to new technologies, new market demands and changes in customer behavior and expectations. Recent studies have highlighted the weaknesses of the tourism labour market and provided recommendations on how to address skills mismatches.The project through the training and the certification of Gastro-Guide, covers the lack of training/coaching in rural areas. It's well known the lack of VET infrastructures in the rural mountain areas in Europe. So, the Gastro-Guide as the coach is a necessary professional profile.<< Objectives >>GASTRO-GUIDE OBJECTIVESDevelop a new professional profile for coaches in the area of gastronomy and cultural tourism in rural areas.The CURRICULUM includes 5 Units (Training modules) covering the training needs of Gastro -Guideand leads to the GASTRO-GUIDE CERTIFICATION. The MODULES will be delivered with blended methodology, including THEORY in coaching techniques, tools and processes and PRACTICE in the gastronomy and culture (heritage, tradition, customs) of the rural area. The theory provided with interactive e-leaning courses and the practice will be the appropriate for each rural area.The project will provide a WEB PLATFORM which includes-the E-LEARNING,-a CERTIFICATION SYSTEM,-NETWORKING between the GASTRO-GUIDES in Europe and-TOURIST INFORMATION AND PROMOTION of the GASTRO-GUIDE regions.-The initial 50 GASTRO-GUIDES from the partners’ countries will certificate as the final outcome of the project.<< Implementation >>In the project participate 9 partners from 6 countries in Nothern and Southern Europe.1. The Identification of the training needs of the new profile is the first step to recognize the special needs and the level of competences need the Gastro-Guide as coach. The survey in the field(the rural regions in each participating country) will lead the consortium to the correct curriculum for the profile. The Identification shared in 3 phases.-a bibliography research for the existed situation in the rural areas in each participating country, accordingly the already known lack of knowledge of the people in the rural areas, in the sector of gastronomy and culture tourism.- a survey in the field, using questionnaires and the following national reports- a state of the art which compare the above two phases.The state of the art will conclude the results of the research and the survey and will highlight the necessary training needs.2.1 The multifunctional educational profile of GASTRO-GUIDE is enclosing the following competences:1. Know the local food products. How they are produced, qualities, kinds, etc.2. Know and improve culinary techniques and processes with local quality food.3. Know the other local attractions for visitors and tourists.4. Organize tourist packages and visits for tourists.5. Know pedagogical skills in order to transmit knowledge and practical techniques so as to fit in the knowledge value process.6. Collaborate and network with other local hosts from other European regions.2.2 The curriculum includes Units in the sectors:1. Coaching techniques2. Pedagogical approach in coaching low skilled persons3. Communication - Negotiation4. Marketing and sales techniques5. Management of micro enterprises3. The interactive platform which includes the networking application (Gastro-Guides community), an interactive map with the European Rural Gastro-Guides and information about the regions, the e-learning platform and the Gastro-Guides TV channel. This platform will integrate with the project website. The platform, includes info about 50 Gastro-Guides all over Europe, interactive communication, e-learning and information.We call the platform REA platform (Rural Educational Area) and is a platform which includes the networking application (Gastro-Guides community), an interactive map with the European Rural Gastro-Guides and information about the regions, the e-learning platform and the Gastro-Guides TV channel. The core system of the project is the e-learning platform.4.The guideline “Gastro-Guide routes” will developed as a “manual” for the GASTRO-GUIDES, includes the stories of 50 GASTRO-GUIDES from the participating countries, the evaluation of the use of the REA platform and the new professional profileThe multiplier events foreseen in the project have been carefully conceived in order to ensure their relevance in relation to the GASTRO-GUIDE project objectives. Their realisation has an extreme impact for (a) multiplying the results addressing to relevant stakeholders and (b) contributing to the recognition of GASTRO-GUIDE as a new educational profile in the Gastronomy and CultureThe project includes Training the trainers activity for the staff members of the partners. They will be the multipliers coaches/facilitators in each participating country.<< Results >>RESULTS DURING THE PROJECTThe results from the PR1 are:i.5 national reports of the existing situation in each participating county of the training in the rural areas.ii.300 questionnaires in the field’s survey.iii.Selection of 50 GAstro-Guides from the participating countriesiv.1 state of the art which includes the conclusions and the results of the two above results The state of the art will send for publication In scientific magazinesAccording the PR2v.A curriculum for the training of the Gastro-Guide, the curriculum will include:vi.5 Training Units (Modules) with Examination and Certification.The results from PR3 , PR4 and C1vii. The web platform with the forum, the resources/databases, the members database and the interactive map with the 50 Gastro-Guides tours .viii. The GAstro-Guide TV channel with movies from the training and movies uploaded by membersix. VET center's AREA. e-learning courses and certification system. 5 units with tests, self-evaluation and certification. x.The REA (Rural Educational Area) platform will integrated with the project's websitexi.The ""Gastro-Guide routes"" a guideline/manual for the GASTRO-GUIDES which includes the 50 GASTRO-GUIDES stories, the Evaluation of the REA platform and the new professional profile.The results from Multiplier Events (E)x.5 events in Greece, Bulgaria, Italy, Poland, Spain-Zaragoza and Lithuania to present the outcomes of the projectxi.1 final conference in Spain/Teruel with announcements for the establishment of the Gastro-Guides network and the Gastro-Guide certificationRESULTS AFTER THE COMPLETIONi.The results after the completion of the project will be available in the internet as, Resources, Survey, e-Learning course, the practice (C1) in video and other media during the project. ii.New members will be able to register, after the end of the project, in the web platform and upload videos, questions and proposals for the sustainable development of the rural areas. iii.The project partners will give information and support to any organisation interested in the subject and the development of rural areas through the learning."

“Creating Theory to Practice Centres for Innovation and Employment” project aimed to improve the relevance of higher education for the labour market and society in Kosovo through creating sustainable models of interaction between universities and enterprises. It responded to the Erasmus + objective in the Capacity Building in the field of Higher Education that strives ‘to improve the quality of higher education and enhance its relevance for the labour market and society’, since it assumes the establishment of Theory to Practice Centres (T2Ps) as sustainable models of fostered cooperation between universities and enterprises and exchange of experience and good practices with HEI from Programme countries. Six Theory to Practice Centers were established, which were also united into European Association of Theory to Practice Centers-T2P Europe, to ensure further sustainability of the project. While using a new teaching methodology (case studies), the T2Ps will continue to serve not only as advice centres, but will act as hubs for three disciplines and three sectors (education, business, public sector). The new established centres already brought together more than 150 local teaching staff from six partner institutions in Kosovo engaged in peer learning activities, 83 individual mobilities were realised, more than 500 students benefiting from updated courses and lifelong education studies and more than 340 researchers and business professionals at the conferences. The project will benefit to 20,000 persons engaged in higher education and economy in Kosovo and abroad (through its professional dissemination). This project will contribute to resolving the problem of identified skills mismatches in the long run, through modernization of higher education in Kosovo, its improved cooperation with the private and public sector and introduction of recognized lifelong learning outcomes as a base for flexible career paths. It is the first endeavor of this size and the impact to the whole territory of Kosovo, embracing its ethnic, cultural and language diversity as strengths in the project design.