"Although islands account for only 5% of the earth’s surface, they host 20% of terrestrial plants and vertebrates and 600 million people depend on island ecosystem services for their sustainable development. Small islands are laboratories for sustainable development and innovative, environmental, social, legal or technical solutions. Islands share similar challenges and common solutions to ensure the sustainable management of their environment. However, the isolation, the scarcity of resources, the limited space, the lack of technologies reduce a priori the range of solutions. This is why networking between small islands is essential. It helps reducing this isolation as well as identifying and sharing sustainable solutions, thus increasing their skills and knowledge in the fields of sustainable resource management.The general objective of this project is to respond to the need for exchange and knowledge strengthening of managers of small European islands. The specificity of the European islands is characterised both by a common identity, historical and cultural heritage, but also by a shared political and institutional framework. The selected theme is tourism, both as a vector of development and pressure on ecosystems, and a major common issue on islands. The project aims to strengthen their capacities to work in a network to bolster their initiatives to develop a more sustainable tourism, in a logic of cooperation and solidarity between islands in Europe, and beyond. It also aims to strengthen their technical skills in the fields of biodiversity conservation and sustainable tourism; contribute to the definition of an international strategy for the sustainable development of small islands; enrich the SMILO ""Good practices platform"" dedicated to gathering, promoting and disseminating good sustainable practices of European resources; and strengthen the presence of the European islands within the SMILO network, on the islands beyond the project.This project is coordinated by the NGO Small Islands Organisation (SMILO), which supports small islands of less than 150km² towards the sustainable management of their territory and resources. It bolsters integrated operations for the preservation of islands’ natural resources, in relation to water and sanitation, waste, energy, biodiversity, landscapes and heritage issues. The Sustainable Island label rewards the positive local dynamics and sustainable practices. To strengthen cooperation and solidarity between islands, the NGO coordinates an international network, with members from Europe, West Africa, the Indian Ocean, and Southeast Asia. The project partners are small emblematic islands with an exceptional heritage. They are close to the mainland and carry out actions that combine tourism development with the preservation of their natural heritage. The partners are the islands of Brownsea (United Kingdom) with the National Trust, Zlarin (Croatia) with the Tourist Office, Saint-Honorat (France) with the Abbey of Lérins, and Mausund (Norway) with Eider AS, Mausund Feltstasjon.The project launch meeting will take place during the international event ""ICO Solutions"" (Coast Island Ocean), from January 11 to 13, 2021 in parallel with the IUCN World Conservation Congress. In addition to the launch meeting, the partners will be able to participate in a session entirely dedicated to sustainable tourism on islands, organised within the framework of ICO Solutions. Throughout the project, four technical workshops will be organised by the partners on their territory to discuss sustainable tourism issues, with the participation of key local actors. Local partners will be associated to lead a training session to share good practices and discuss the possibility of replicability with the participants. The last workshop will be dedicated to writing a technical note. It will include reflections and recommendations on the challenges of sustainable tourism on small islands. This note is intended to be used by other European islands, and will contribute to the definition of an international strategy for the sustainable development of small islands, which SMILO is developing.These continuous exchanges are expected to lead to new partnerships between these European islands, and with islands from the SMILO network. In addition, the project will support stakeholders to better plan territorial projects, for example through the definition of investment priorities or the enhancement of local initiatives effectiveness. The local community and visitors should ultimately benefit from an improvement of the environment and the quality of life."

Europe has a fascinating history and various historic sites, which demonstrate imperial glory and power, which attract tourists and students of different disciplines like architecture, building culture, but also cause serious concerns. In Austria, a vast number of buildings are considered of great historic value. On one hand each building causes costs for maintenance, on other hand they need to be kept in shape to fulfil the requirements of modern life and commercial needs. Staff of bodies looking after such historic buildings does need specific skills in order to ensure that Austrian sites, historic buildings of the UK and Amalfi coast villas are available for future generations – and at the same time can be utilised for several purposes to cover costs. Nowadays you find offices, flats, museums, shops, cafés and restaurants and many other ways of utilising those buildings and above all we can learn about environmentally friendly building techniques.The aim of “MODI-FY” - Maintaining Historic Buildings and Objects through Developing and Up-grading Individual Skills of Project Managers: Fostering European Heritage and Culture for Years to come” is to provide professionals with the required certified skills and competences to help Responsible Bodies (RBs) in developing innovative VET; this includes -recognition of previous learning and already available skills -establishment of a European certificate issued by ECQA-train-the-trainer education for experts in maintenance management of historic buildings and sites.The Aims of MODI-FY are:* Recognition of prior learning (non-formally and informally acquired)* Development of specific (holistic = containing various aspects of management of historic buildings as described above) training for employees and volunteers of RBs, their suppliers and subcontractors to include the evaluation of innovative teaching techniques;* Creation of new job opportunities for young people and securing the jobs of current staff* Establishment of a European training and certification system, linking into ECVET and Skills Passport, which allows transferability of skills into other EU countries* European Standards for assessing the state of preservationObjectives:* Assessment of prior learning in partner and associate partner organisation* Specific and individual needs analysis of staff and volunteers concerned* Research/Adaption of appropriate tools for recognition of prior learning* Development of specific basic blended training modules for people working in the field* Development of blended train-the trainer training material and training modules* Testing and modifying training modules for people working in the field and trainers (pilot course modules in Budapest, Vienna, Bilzen and Ravello)* Conducting training modules (real course module in Manchester)* Certification of learners and trainersBeing able to have prior learning and available skills recognised is an important motivation factor for staff, while it also is a tool to select appropriate partners, suppliers and sub-contractors for building projects. Annual budgets for managing historic buildings are likely to be reduced in times of crisis and cost effectiveness becomes more and more an issue for responsible bodies. Therefore the project managers are also under pressure for providing high quality work outcomes. This is only possible when project managers are excellently trained and educated and this was the ultimate goal of “MODI-FY”.The need for innovative VET for the target groups were met by developing a model of certified education for maintenance management of historic buildings and sites. In a blended training approach old and new skills and competences were merged into a standard requirement for current and future employees of the partner organisations as well as their suppliers and subcontractors.The consortium of MODI-FY consists of 9 organisations from 7 EU countries:5 responsible bodies (RB)3 training institutions1 certification body During the project duration partners established and developed-7 country reports on educational offers in the field-clear standards and terminology for VET of professionals working in/with historic buildings-2 curricula for VET of project managers of historic buildings and 1 for train-the-trainer called “Heritage Asset Management”-4 pilot course modules of “Heritage Asset Management” for the target groups-a certification procedure and online exam platform-1 real-time course module for project managers of “Heritage Asset Management”The project results are made available to other organisations around Europe and the World after completion of the project. By offering a certified training, acknowledged by ECQA, linking it into ECVET and European Skills Passport, “MODI-FY” helps responsible bodies to guarantee the survival of European historic treasures and protected heritage.

According to the climate change and energy policy of the EU, each member state needed to identify and develop a series of energy efficient goals and regulations, of which buildings are a key element, in order to reach the set goals. However, Europe has numerous historic buildings, which need permanent maintenance and refurbishment in order to fulfil the requirements of sustainability and use. When responsible bodies do spend money anyway, it seems logical and ecologically worthwhile to apply “soft” maintenance procedures, which save costs and also reduce energy consumption of historic buildings. Integrating these buildings into national climate change and energy policies seems therefore quite necessary and a challenge, as far as appropriate techniques and procedures are concerned, which can only be met through excellently trained craftsmen and apprentices of the crafts concerned. PRO-Heritage partners aim to offer initial and permanent education for professionals and craftsmen providing traditional competences and skills for built heritage, based on Best Practice of partner organisations. Additionally, PRO-Heritage is going to establish a structure and environment for regular journeyman's travel in Europe, in order to further support the exchange of competences and skills across Europe. Major needs addressed in PRO-Heritage are • to protect traditional competences and skills for built Cultural Heritage relevant for energy efficiency and renewable energy • the need to involve adequately educated and trained professionals and craftsmen in “soft” conservation, maintenance and ongoing care • the need to certify those professionals and craftsmen in order to give them recognition of their competences and skills Achieving better energy performance in historic buildings is a WIN-WIN situation for all – owners facing less energy costs, residents enjoying modern comfort at reasonable prices and society reducing energy consumption and CO2 emission.