The EU-DualS project was based on the idea to alleviate Europe's job crises as well as - on the other hand side - lack of skilled workers, starting from professional training and educational systems in different EU-Member States. Youth unemployment rates in Europe, especially in the southern countries, are still extremely high. The EU-DualS project intended to create a bridge between schools and the job market, introducing students gradually and practically into the work enviroment.In this context, the actual German Dual System for VET represents a best practice in Europe. It is able to introduce youth into the job market, applying learned competences during practical work in companies, and only the necessary theoretical teaching at schools (1-1,5 days/week). The purpose of the project EU-DualS was to elaborate a fast-track approach to adopt the German Dual System in an innovative way in other member states, like Italy and Spain. EU-DualS project has for this planned a pilot school class period in professional training schools, where less time is dedicated to school lessons, and more at work in companies, plus a 1 month mobility abroad to work in companies in another country.EU-DualS introduced this new methodology for school and company cooperation and elabrated an approach to adapt the 6 most important principles of the German Dual System to other countries like Italy and Spain. In order to do that, a school or a regional school office can use the 2 Intellectual Outputs of EU-DualS, one Guideline (O1) to prepare for such experimental teaching/training, and a European Model Curriculum (O4) that describes the approaches implemented by the project partners in collaboration with 3 pilot schools, 1 in Lombardy (I) and 2 in Basque County (E). These tools allow now to be applied also in other member states, piloting a step twoards the Dual System, introducing key elements in line with national school and training requirements. The idea is to encourage students, schools and entrepreneurs to discover the advantages of the Dual System, and thanks to the positive results get more engaged in establishing step-by-step a complete - also institutional - system, adapted to national needs and specificities.With the 1-month work experience mobility abroad for 21 students from Italy and Spain in German SMEs, with tasks in their field of professional training (mechatronics), the students made an important experience. They understood which skills they learned are key competences, as well as getting in touch with the job markets and economic realities and culture of another country. This resulted in an additional motivation push for the learners for the last year of school.With all its activities, the project was be able to:- bridge the gap between VET professional schools' world and companies, contributing to reduce the unemployment rate among youth: all students of the 3 pilot classes found a job right after the end of their school final exams!- create sustainable relationships and collaboration among enterprises and schools: the cooperation on local levels will allow to repeat similar experiences in the upcoming years with other students.- (ET2020 strategy) contribute to decrease the rate of early school leaving: none of the students left the school before the end of the school curriculum.- (ET2020 strategy) contribute to achieve an high quality of efficiency for the education sector, boosting mobility activities as part of the a European school curriculum: the 1 month mobility to Germany the quality of the training of the 21 learners involved into the pilot activities of the project was definitely increased. EU-DualS target groups were students (aged 17-19), VET teachers, entrepreneurs as well as students' parents, which were regulating invited to events organised at the pilot schools about the project.Thre project activities implemented in different phases have been:1) project management: along the project lifetime, coordinating all actions in a collaborative manner among partners2) preparation of the pilot phase: 3 technical workshops (1 in Germany, 1 in Italy and 1 in Spain, in total 30 people) in 2016.3) PILOT ACTION with 15 students in Italy and 30 in Spain in 3 schools. It followed a regular school year. Students had between 50 and 80% of school lessons, and 20-50% work experience. Moreover 21 of the 45 students participated to a 1-month work experience mobility in Germany. In order to be prepared, they have attended German language classes.4) E-learning: all IO's and 5 examplary videos have been uploaded to the project website www.europeandualsystem.eu available for other schools, companies and students.5) Evaluation: eventually, all students found a job after their school, and enterprises in the areas ask for even more learners/apprentices.6) Dissemination: 4 multiplier events in Italy, Spain, Germany and Belgium (Brussels) have been organised in 2018, with more than 250 participants in total.

<< Background >>According to UNESCO-UNEVOC, the introduction of entrepreneurial learning in VET institutions is an effective and practical means of cultivating transferable skills, that are essential and in high-demand, in a constantly changing world. In this context, the European Commission has published the “Entrepreneurship Competence Framework” and has highlighted the value of entrepreneurial competences in the Skills Agenda, so as to raise consensus about entrepreneurship education. Nevertheless, the VET system is yet to adapt, so as to promote the competences that graduates will need to be equally integrated in the labour market. In addition, the competence of entrepreneurship, as well as the entrepreneurial readiness among VET graduates is low, as only an average of 32,6% of VET students participate in entrepreneurial learning programmes, that in most cases are not a compulsory part of their studies. Based on the above and in a logic of lifelong learning, the following needs (Ns) are created:N1: Upskilling of VET graduates so as to be capable to launch their own business, and to ensure their equal and seamless access to the labour marketN2: Transformation of the training system, in terms of entrepreneurial capacities N3: Design and development of resources and good practices for the active support of VET students in entrepreneurial initiatives (entrepreneurial methodology tools, networking opportunities, hackathons ect.)N4: Inclusion of the fostering of the entrepreneurial spirit in VET, in mainstream policies.<< Objectives >>This project is focused on the fostering of the entrepreneurial spirit among VET students, so as to improve their integration in the labour market. This will be achieved through the:•Upskilling VET staff and teachers on key entrepreneurial skills and competences (Result 2)•Improvement and update of the operations, procedures and practices of VET institutions, in terms of entrepreneurship, based on the Model Institution, to be developed in EntreVET (Result 1). On this basis, the main objective of the EntreVET project is to create an open and entrepreneurship-friendly environment in VET institutions, which will enable VET students to start new business ventures and start-ups and improve their employment opportunities, within the EU labour market.In order for this objective to be achieved, two specific objectives are set, that cover the two levels of action to be undertaken, during the EntreVET project. In detail, the first specific objective is to boost the entrepreneurial skills and competences of VET students, so as for them to be capable to engage in entrepreneurial initiatives. The second one, is to upskill the VET staff and teachers with key entrepreneurial capacities and competences, so as for them to transfer their entrepreneurial skillset to VET students, through their practices and working culture.<< Implementation >>A number of activities, procedures and steps have been planned to be implemented, under the EntreVET project. In detail, the partnership is going to:•Implement 3 Results, comprised by 13 Activities, where we are to develop1.One Assessment Tool, which will be comprised by an assessment and evaluation methodology of the entrepreneurial practices of VET institutions, as well as a certification scheme for the award of a label of entrepreneurship. The award will be received after both the evaluation of the VET institution in question and the upskilling of the VET staff and teachers, via the OER developed (see next point)2.One OER tailored to the entrepreneurial needs of the VET staff and Teachers, comprised by one core curriculum and two specializations (one for each type of learner, VET Staff/Teacher)3.One Policy Recommendations Report, which will be communicated with both stakeholders and policy makers. •Organise 4 Transnational Project Meetings, the first two (kick-off meeting and TP2) are to be held online, due to the restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic, while the TP3 and TP4 are to be face-to-face meetings. •Implement a total of 4 Multiplier Events, to present and disseminate the project results to relevant beneficiaries and stakeholders, the forth one being a Final Conference in Brussels (organised by EVBB), so as to reach more policy makers at an EU level.<< Results >>The following results are being expected, during and after the implementation of the EntreVET project:R1: Boosting of the employability of VET students, via their upskilling on the entrepreneurial competences needed to become self-employedR2: Enhancement of the attractiveness of VET education, due to the improvement of the employability of VET graduates and the adoption of innovative practicesR3: Increase of the position of VET institutions in ranking systems, due to the adoption of entrepreneurial practices, through the evaluation and award of a label of entrepreneurial competencesR4: Upskilling of VET staff and teachers, through the use of innovative, e-learning material in the form of Modules, leading to better understanding of the entrepreneurial skills and behaviour R5: Increase of the entrepreneurial spirit among VET students, through their exposure to the entrepreneurial practices and support implemented by their institutionR6: Mainstreaming of the good practices of the project, at an EU level, through the reaching out to respective stakeholders and policy makers. Based on the above qualitative results the following tangible results are to be achieved:•One (1) Model Institution (available online as an interactive resource) of entrepreneurial capacities, covering the design, development and updating of Offices of Entrepreneurship of VET institutions (see R1/A1)•One (1) Assessment Tool comprised by an assessment methodology of the entrepreneurial capacities and a certification scheme for the award of a label of entrepreneurial capacity in VET institutions (see (R1/A2-5))•One (1) Core training curriculum addressed at VET staff and teachers on the topic of entrepreneurial behaviour and competences (see R2/A2)•Two (2) specialized training modules, based on a 2-dimensional approach, each one addressed to VET staff and teachers respectively (see R2/A3)•One (1) MooC platform, for the publishing of the developed OER (see R2/A4)•Ten (10) policy recommendations on the current entrepreneurial practices and needs of VET institutions based on the data of the Assessment tool (see R3/A1)•One (1) Final Policy Recommendations report, after consultation with stakeholders and policy makers (see R3/A2-4)

According to the importance of soft skills in the European Skills Agenda (transversal skills in the document) the EU has tackled this gap by working with competency and skills definition models such as EntreComp, LifeComp and ESCO classification. However, there are still at least two important gaps between soft skills and both the education and the labour market: High atomization and the absence of rigorous and affordable training and assessment methods. MEGASKILLS is a project whose main objective is to help bridge these gaps between education and the labor market through the research and design of an innovative and affordable methodology for training and evaluating soft skills through 3 main research tasks to figure out how to: 1) reach a consensus pact for soft skills taxonomy and normalization based on the manifest needs of industry and education; 2) training and evaluation techniques through the use of the massive amount of data from the interactions of players with their favorite video games (considering the very high penetration of video games among working-age citizens in Europe) and the use of AI and machine learning algorithms and 3) implement methodologies and educational designs that will build an affordable strategy for the new educational-labour paradigm at a European level. Thanks to this approach MEGASKILLS will intend to respond to at least six different Actions within the European Skills Agenda. The only way to address the gap between education, key productive sectors and their skills in demand and at the same time to comply with several of the points of the European Skills Agenda is from a perspective that is all rigorously scientific, multidisciplinary and disruptive as MEGASKILLS is. For the MEGASKILLS consortium, this disruptive approach must come from techniques and methodologies that can be both affordable and massive enough so that the impact on the labour and educational sectors is remarkable and sustainable both socially and economicall

SMART STEP main objective is to improve the inclusion of a transversal training program in the African VETSchools to skill the learners as future entrepreneurs. SMART STEP strategic partnership think tank across bothcontinents. It offers technical support on capacity development to education ecosystem both in the private sector andcivil society. It provides relevant knowledge related to capacity building and sustainable development of Africa.Consortium: 4 EU organizations (Spain, Italy and Belgium) with expertise in working in Africa, in VET educationand in Entrepreneurship and 6 African organizations (Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria) gathering both VET schoolsand Enterprises.Specific objectives: 1. Establish a comprehensive and collaborative system of Exchange of good practices, learningprocesses and activities among the partners establishing a space for mutual knowledge. 2. Introduce specific trainingon entrepreneurship to both VET teachers, tutors and learners making them think on enterprises which follow therules of sustainable innovation production and inclusiveness adapted to their economical environment.Activities: 3 operative Work packages: 1. Good Practice Compendium, 2. Knowledge Exchange Platform (KEP)and Open Education Resources, 3. Development of Capacity Building in VET programs for entrepreneurship. 7different outputs related the 3 operative WP.Impact: The project methodology is highly participative at all stages, involving our three main target groups (trainingproviders such as enterprise centres, VET schools and incubators; VET learners and wider stakeholders). At least:- >100 VET learners and >50 VET trainers follow the training program- >35 VET learners enter to the incubator to develop a new idea- >40 African SMEs included as collaborators to the VET program- >40 stakeholders participate in the multiplier events- >140 people actively follow the program in the KEP- Around 1000 people engaged with interactive KEP