The Digital solutions for trainers and educators /DIGISOL project addresses the vocational and adult education sectors and the professional individual needs of educators and trainers who are working mostly with the adult learners.The objective of the project is to develop a Curriculum for the training course on the Digital solutions for trainers and educators in the VET and adult education sectors aiming at increasing their digital competences and skills by learning the most demanded and broadly used digital tools in each of the partner organisation countries.There will be 3 Transnational meetings organized in the framework of the project :- Kick-off meeting in Latvia, January 2020 : 8 – 10 teachers/staff members participating.- Intermediate evaluation meeting Germany, August 2020: 8 – 10 teachers/staff members participating.- Final recap’ meeting Estonia, October 2021 : 8 – 10 teachers/staff members participatingIn total there will be up to 40 teachers/staff members in total taking part in the Transnational meetings. 36 teachers and staff members of partner institutions will be involved in the short-term joint staff training events that will be held in:- Estonia in May 2020 .- Latvia in November 2020 - Germany in March 2021.The main outcomes of the project related activities are expected as follows : - trainers and educators know how to use different digital learning tools; - trainers and adult learners have the possibility to have the blended learning approach (face-to-face + online);- they can choose the better digital learning solution for their individual needs;- survey on the specific digital needs of trainers in each partner institution country (100 trainers and 100 adult learners will participate from each country, in total 800 people involved) and its analysis.- Curriculum for the online training course on the Digital solutions for trainers and educators (DIGISOL) in the VET and adult education sectors. - Pilote of the DIGISOL Course for 2 groups of 12 learners in each partner organization country (96 people in total)- free access to the DIGISOL course through a Moodle platform for everyone.- online testing option and online certificate' availability certifying the acquired digital competence / skills upon the test successful completion.- 3 Multiplier events - open seminar / conference - 1 in each partner institution country, 180 people in total (+ the organizers' team) will be taken part in these events.In labor market perspective, the open access to the the DIGISOL Course modules will increase professional qualifications of VET educators and adult education trainers and help them meet the education sector rapidly digitizing requirements and needs.The course will contain an innovative approach, methodology, schedule of the course, lesson outlines and activities to be ready for the use of trainer and educators from the VET and adult education sectors, but also educators or teachers from every other educational sector. .The course would contain 3 learning modules with different topics. The 3 main modules are :1)Cyber Security & Digitization2) Webinars and other Communication Tools3)Files & Documents Sharing ToolsThe choice of the topics for the each module will be based on the results of the survey - the Assessment Questionnaire on the specific digital needs of VET trainers led in each partner institution country before designing the Curriculum of the Course. The Curriculum will be drawn after the analysis of the results of the Assessment Questionnaire and will be fully based on them.The curriculum and the course will be designed in order to improve EU countries trainers’ and educators’ digital skills and knowledge of different digital solutions used in the new era of teaching / learning, to learn how to use and apply the Information and Communication Technologies, to better understand the concept of the digitization and to apply it in accordance to their competence arias.

"<< Background >>The logistics industry is one of the productive sectors with highest economic growth and trade integration, influencing social welfare and new technological advancements in this and other transversal industries (food, health, tourism,). An optimal logistics performance relies on the type of national infrastructure and trade facilitation which, in turn, depends on the level of training, skills and qualifications of the logistics employees. In consequence, the extensive modernization of logistic services and operations (mechanization, automation) have incurred in a higher diversification of occupations and professional profiles, and in particular, the rapid digital transformation of the logistic sector is changing the industry and therefore the need to change the VET education provision. The logistics industry encounters difficulties in Europe to fill in these new jobs, as this technological modernization clashes with a lack of adequate skilled labor to adapt to the recruiting needs and perform the assigned tasks. That impacts negatively in a higher level of youth unemployment rates. Moreover, this has been aggravated by the lately changes in supply chains and markets behaviour that the Covid-19 pandemic and digitalization are bringing into this sector.Europe is considering these shortcomings an opportunity to convert into logistics-based training centers. These new challenges require a larger and cooperation investment between logistics business and VET education to rethink human capital and get qualified logistic graduates to acquire the specific knowledge and training to fit in the new job occupations and environment, and be prepared to work in any point of the value chain. By focusing on the key role of VET as the best education line to better adapt to new and future challenges to overcome the high levels of youth unemployment, the Logistics VET Hub is the first of its kind to become an international partnership of VET schools, companies and institutions over 6 countries in Europe gathering together in mutual interest upon their will to cooperate, share good practices and learn experimental approaches to reshape their VET systems to the world logistics scenario. In future, the Logistics VET Hub will be expected to become the foundations of a long sustainable collaboration in time, based on common issues and stimulating direct exchange among strong partners with common difficulties and solutions.The main needs to be addressed in the project are the following: -There is a low supply of technical skilled labour across operational workers; -There is a lack of/low adaptation of VET curricula at schools sensitive to the real recruiting needs of logistics companies according to the market trends;-The VET specialization in Logistics is transversal and/or belong to different fields: International Trade, Marketing & Trade Management, Transport Management, IT applied to Logistics.-There is a high demand of employees in the logistics subsectors (e.g. transport,, delivery, warehouse management, plant logistics, air & shipping transport, distribution, etc.);-There is a high demand of qualified employees competent to use new technologies (identification of products, data transmission) and digital devices used along the value chain; -There is a high demand of language, transversal and social skills;-There is a low level of awareness about the importance of recruiting VET graduates to fill some of the jobs positions;-There is a general misinformation among VET students about the potential of logistics as a professional careerThe LVH project will address these needs by putting all European partners together to work closely with companies in their territories to understand their demands, to have the opportunitiy to exchange what good practices are working in other contexts with same challenges, and to find solutions to adapt their VET offer according to the future expectations of the sector.<< Objectives >>The general objective of the Logistics VET Hub is, therefore, to build a sustainable strategic partnership based on the cooperation among international logistics and VET experts in Europe to exchange good practices on VET logistics specializations in line with the professional profiles, skills, needs and trends of the logistic sector in Europe. Besides, it contributes with recommendations to address the improvement of quality and innovation of the EU VET systems for logistics field of specialization.The specific objectives are the following:(1) To influence logistics companies in all partner countries about the advantages of VET as fundamental educational path to meet their sector demands in terms of recruiting high skilled staff; (2) To adapt/modify VET logistics-related studies curricula and training offer, according to new sector trends and skills demanded by the companies;(3) To raise awareness and attractiveness of VET logistics studies and professions as a strategic career option for present and future youngsters.For doing this, the Logistics VET Hub will use its transnational approach to bring together regions and cities located in different EU countries in Northern (Finland, Sweden), Southern (Portugal, Spain), Central (Netherlands) and Eastern Europe (Estonia) with shared needs to jointly tackle common challenges that cannot be solved separately by each in their territories.Partners will be required to do so by working together to help them to address challenges together in the field of VET logistics by building a sector Hub based on trust and mutual interest among project partners, but also with their respective logistic sector upon their will to cooperate and share experiences, developing new ideas and creating experimental learning approaches to better adapt VET systems to the rapid evolution of the logistics scenario in Europe. In the age of globalization, transnational cooperation is gaining more and more importance to tackle common concerns and there is special interest in combining the best characteristics of the more and less advanced VET systems in Europe in the field of logistics. In addition, partners will be able to offer better education to their population in general, more open to internationalisation and digitalization, but especially in logistic-related fields, that in the long term will help to invest in the future of youngsters and, in turn, of the future of the European Union.<< Implementation >>The project activities will be structured into 4 work packages (WPs) and will be the following:WP1. Coordination & Quality: Overall project coordination and guarantee of quality and dissemination transversally during the entire project life: project calendars, budget, dissemination and quality plan; circulation of quality procedures, monitoring & evaluation tools; preparation of initial project materials; tracking of partner roles, tasks and responsibilities -Celebration of the 1st transnational/Kick-off meeting in Lisbon to launch the project-Elaboration of the main research methodological tools (e.g. surveys, focus groups, interviews) to identify and analyse the present (WP2) and future (WP3) state of affairs of the logistics and education sector, as well as good practices' templates for the final Manual.WP2. Present Situation Scenario:Identification of the present situation on existing type of logistics profiles, employment needs, specializations and skills, as well as momentum of the VET education-work nexus in each country, using the agreed methods, tools & templates.-Partners to collect data on detailed characteristics of the logistic business sector, type and quality of the VET logistics-related studies and skills taught and existing initiatives to promote logistics and VET education among youngsters in order to elaborate the project results ""Infography on logistics companies, training and skills needs"" and the ""Report of Present Scenario"" (as part of Manual of Good Practices & Recommendations) -Celebration of the 2nd transnational meeting in GroningenWP3. Future Situation Scenario:Analysis of the future situation on future trends of the logistics sector; how a VET curriculum can be modified/adapted to better orientate to future logistics sector needs and initiatives could better promote VET logistics specializations among youngsters in order to elaborate the project results """"Report of Future Scenario"" (as part of Manual of Good Practices & Recommendations);-Celebration of the 3rd transnational meeting online in Rovaniemi-Celebration of the Staff training activity in SkellefteaW4. Recommendations Compilation of strategic recommendations at the local, national and European level for logistic companies, for VET schools with logistics-related studies and for youngsters/society to increase the attractiveness of logistics as a career option, in order to elaborate the recommendations that will be integrated into the ""Manual of Good Practices & Recommendations"";-Celebration of the 4th transnational meeting in Kuopio-Celebration of the Student learning activity in Tartu -Organization of a Forum/event (hybrid) in Barcelona-Celebration of the 5th transnational meeting in Barcelona to close the project<< Results >>At the short term, the LVH will help to identify, as reflected in the first project results of the “Infographic” and “Report of Present Scenario of VET & Logistics in Europe”, the logistic profiles, occupations and types of skills required by the sector companies in the local and EU level, as well as the existing initiatives to promote logistic VET within all partner countries, all compiled in the “Manual of Good Practices & Recommendations"" (or Manual). Partners will also gain deeper understanding on the real information levels that companies have on the VET offer in their city/country, trends in recruitment levels in the years and present causes of the lack of existing cooperation between VET and business occurring in all project countries. In addition, a new space of debate will be open about the additional difficulties found in the logistic sector due to measures taken in the context of COVID-19.At the mid-term, the results are expected to improve significantly and we will be expected to achieve deeper knowledge on what can be done in future to match the trends of the companies with regards to future skills and jobs, reflected in the “Report of Future Scenario of VET & Logistics in Europe"". In addition, partners will share the best practices in every country among their VET schools, logistic companies and youngsters/communities to acquire the consensus upon which to create the tools and mechanisms to finally make recommendations, included in the ""Manual"". The logistics VET studies will hopefully be considered both an attractive and strategic career option among youngsters and potential students, and a career option of strategic meaning to entering the labor market and achieve full youth employment. It is also expected to consider the LVH as a half-way progress towards the common adaptation of VET studies to the needs of logistics industry as whole sector across all project countries. In addition, a Forum will be organise by the end to help review of project results and continue working with stakeholders on how the logistics sector looks like and how will change in the future as part of the digital transformation, but also to keep pursuing companies about the benefits of VET education for logistic to favourably face common logistic-skills mismatch. At the long-term, we hope to continue running the LVH after EU funding to keep adapting curricula of VET studies to the needs of the sector in other countries. Also, future projects might emerge from this other innovative hub in logistics, for example a more geographically extended Hub to adapt to the need of other regions (EU-Med or Latin America where we currently have started logistic-related collaborations). Ideally, other future editions of this Forum after EU funds will continue beyond our partnership. Other expected outcomes will be:-Creation of a stronger network of trust among project partners on this common topic and for other related projects in future;- ¡Visible internationalization of the project partner organizations based on the openness to other realities and contexts in Europe where also facing common problems of logistic-related skills mismatch and lack of VET awareness;-Exchange and implementation of new working processes, tools and research methods for project staff that will be implemented systematically in every partner country;-Developing together new actions to be implemented to adapt the curriculum of VET logistic specializations to the needs of the logistics companies;-Real exchange and implementation of best practices exported from every country and elaboration of recommendations;-Share of experiences resulting from the learning activities;-Exchange of points of view from educators and business involved and also from target groups in each local/national context."

The purpose of MOBVET project was to support achievement of the objectives of the European education area. Those objectives are focused on developing a learning space, which is not hampered by national borders and there are no obstacles in recognition of international learning outcomes. According to the EU Council Recommendation on VET for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience (2020), all Member States are encouraged promote vocational education in an international context. At least 8% of learners at national VET institutions should benefit from a learning mobility in abroad and their studies should be recognized internationally. In order to promote learners` mobility, not only students should be addressed, but also the VET teachers. We identified that the barriers of international mobility are often related to VET teachers, who have limited experience and readiness to work in intercultural environment. Therefore, teachers are the key factor unlocking the potential of learning abroad. The project partners, representing seven different institutions (VET training providers, universities, NGOs and educational organizations), recognized the need to enhance international mobility in VET training programs in their countries and institutions. Within that context, the overall aim of the project was generating a supporting instrument (MOBVET platform) for students and teachers to prepare them to study and work at the international learning environment. The Project provided a practical tool for VET institutions, which supports and encourages international cooperation and staff/student mobility. The project had two main objectives. First, to create a functional and sustainable strategic partnership to achieve common goals of internationalization of VET learning programs. Second, to create a specific tool for internationalization (a learning platform), which is designed to assist VET program teachers, trainers and students. The platform allows develop their intercultural competences and reflect their skills before, during and after a period of mobility. During the project MOBVET learning platform was designed, which is ready-made and open for use. The platform includes Study Module and Country Module with accompanying materials and instructions to cover all stages of mobility. The methodology used emphasized the significance of the learner’s own contributions to their learning process through active involvement, critical thinking and reflection. The platform was piloted in all participating countries with groups of VET students, teachers, teacher students and experts (study abroad program coordinators). Learning outcomes were defined and validated through the piloting in all partner countries. Based on the rich feedback received, the platform was improved to be more functional, informative and attractive for potential learners. The main outputs of the project were digital platform and specific instruments (e-learning tools) to promote high quality mobility and international dimension of VET programs. The COVID-19 situation also brought the need to rethink internationalization strategies and action plans. The keywords of the „new reality“, such as multichannel working and experimental agility became relevant for the MOBVET project. The project accumulated the best practices of the partner countries in introducing systemic approach for developing practical solutions to support VET teachers and trainers competences to promote internationalization and change in mindset. The outcomes of the project are sustainable in the long term, as the MOBVET platform has become an important part of the Erasmus mobility preparation in our partner institutions. The Study Module of platform is integrated into a VET teacher education curriculum in terms of mobility window. The MOBVET platform is open to all other institutions who are interested in adapting it for its own curriculum or for mobility preparation and support. In the long term, the project will result in an increasing number of mobile VET teachers and learners in Erasmus+ Program countries and provision of high quality mobility through all stages of study abroad.

In the last years antidemocratic and anti-European sentiment has increased in different countries all over Europe. The number of eurosceptic and right-wing populist members of parliament have increased among others e.g. in Germany, Greece, Estonia, Turkey and Italy, as well as the European Parliament itself, being elected by European citizens, who question the very existence of the European Union. Furthermore there has been an intensive debate in recent years about challenges like migration, digitalization and economic difficulties and how to tackle these problems.This project aims at overcoming anti-European tendencies and promoting pro-European sentiment in the near future by educating students as citizens of Europe about the importance of a unified Europe, especially in terms of peace, economy and freedom.Vocational and secondary schools from Turkey, Greece, Germany, Italy and Estland are participating in this project and are contributing to its quality by bringing in different European perspectives.Project work is overall exploring the past, present and future of the European Union, represented by the different countries. Students are first investigating the historical background that led to the formation of the European Union. The next step is to examine present-day benefits of the European Union for the students themselves, for their region and their country, as well as, current challenges, like migration, economic difficulties and the consequences of anti-European movements that led e.g. to Brexit.As a last step the students are considering future developments and possible solutions for present-day challenges, like digitalization and possible future members of the EU.The different subtopics are dealt with during short-term students exchanges in order to enable students to vividly explore the different European perspectives. Furthermore, an e-Twinning with the same topic is implemented to increase the number of participants in the project at every school, as well as, emphasizing Europe as a topic in everyday lessons, like Political Education, Ethics, History, Business economics, etc..During project work students are being encouraged to preferable create digital products like explanatory videos, online quizzes/games, audio files/podcasts, e-books, comics and cartoons, with the help of IT tools.The project is expected to raise all participants' appreciation of the achievements and benefits of a unified Europe over the past and the present, as well as, enhancing awareness of Europe's power and the need of joined European forces to tackle present-day challenges all over Europe to enable a better future of all Europeans.As a long term-benefit this project overall aims at supporting the original European idea and to strengthens Europe itself as a political institution within Europe and in a globalized world and to enable to adapt to the changing world of work in terms of digitalization.

Although for many years there has been a growing awareness around the world of the necessary essential changes in education systems, there is no consensus on what or how to do it. However, the belief, which stems from cognitive and constructivist theories of learning, that the student needs to be placed at the center of the learning process dominates. Nevertheless, active learning is still a rarity in practice.COVIDOM-19-induced teaching constraints have accelerated the application of ICT, the Internet, video lessons, and video transmission of lectures.Nevertheless, lectures remain the dominant way of teaching either in live teaching or at a distance.At the same time, one-way transmission of information is still predominant.It is necessary to change passive lectures into interactive ones, which will start a more active role of students in the educational process.Frequent and appropriate asking questions to students and encouraging them to seek solutions to problems raised by the teacher, as well as encouraging them to ask spontaneous questions during lectures can significantly raise the quality of acquired knowledge and understanding.The obstacle to this is the personal inexperience of teachers in active learning and the unaccustomedness of students to asking questions and actively seeking answers.The project proposes the development of an innovative tool to encourage interactivity in the AudIT lecture that will have properties not found in the currently available tools for testing knowledge and interaction. It will combine known properties and adapt them to the needs of students and teachers. Innovative features such as scoring unique answers, the ability for students to respond simultaneously both anonymously and under their own name, the ability to direct answers to any application such as mind maps and games will significantly raise students' motivation to actively participate in the lecture.A series of innovative solutions will facilitate the application of tools to teachers regardless of the educational situation, environment and technological equipment in which they find themselves.The innovativeness of the tool is that its use will not require maintenance or expansion of server resources when used by a very large number of users.The primary target group of project beneficiaries are subject teachers in primary and secondary schools.The partner schools in the project will create a core of 50 experienced practitioners who will create methodological guidelines for potential beneficiaries to give them concrete examples of knowledge and ideas on how to apply interactivity in their own teaching.To make it easier for teachers to use AudIT, the consortium partners will also develop an LMS (Learning Management System) with methodological instructions and examples. The LMS system will be designed as self-study material and will provide teachers with additional education and ideas on how to improve interactivity in the classroom with the use of AudIT.AudIT will also monitor interactive expert systems for use (text, recordings, video - designed as a decision tree that will easily and easily lead teachers to answers) and an interactive expert installation system (if teachers want to have a copy of AudIT on their own server - for reliability, adding functionality or privacy to student answers and questions).The project's website will contain text and video instructions, an expert system, and a database of good practice, as well as a directory of more experienced practitioners ready to help new interested teachers.The results of the project will be disseminated through education authorities, professional associations and the media to all EU countries and candidates.It is expected that the long-term results of the project will enable any interested teacher to increase the interactivity of their lectures and other educational activities. Thus, students will begin to take an active role in the process of acquiring knowledge, which leads to the achievement of higher educational outcomes.