<< Background >>Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are considered one of the main causes of Earth’s climate change. Transport is Europe’s biggest source of CO2, responsible for the emission of over a quarter of all greenhouse gases. Transport emissions have increased by a quarter since 1990 in the EU increasing at its fastest pace since 2001. Mobility policies must play a decisive role in contributing to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, the commitments of decarbonization and better air quality. Providing more sustainable forms of mobility can also make an important contribution to mitigating climate change.However, policy focuses have essentially been put on the major urban centres, forgetting mobility between urban and rural areas and mobility within rural areas. Rural areas present specific challenges such as the low density of population (and fast depopulation), the long distances between towns, the ageing of the population, higher poverty rates and in many occasions bad connections with airports /railway /road nodes.Recent studies shows that mobility is behind the high average of CO2 emissions attributed to citizens in rural areas compared with urban residents. This comparison is not only unfair (based on the lack of public transport and inadequate calculating methods), but it is also very dangerous for rural communities that might see how public financing mechanisms based on green indicators will give priority to other areas. An adequate sustainable mobility scenario in rural areas will facilitate the possibility to access work, education or services and can make an important contribution to mitigating climate change and depopulation. Smart mobility strategies and technological tools will help rural communities to design and implement new solutions. Rural mobility can be a key component to other economic, social, tourism or environmental improvements by increasing the connectivity of rural areas.Therefore, It is urgent to act towards a more reliable and efficient mobility in rural areas in Europe.Any initiative for the development, revitalization or organization of the territory must start from a careful programming. The rural development agents are the professional who know the techniques and tools to program, plan and help the community to manage and make its resources profitable. That is why training in sustainable mobility for these professionals is the basis for the implementation of new sustainable mobility models in rural areas. This Project will develop a practical and dynamic training program on mobility solutions and training platform for rural development agents. The training will be available in the e-platform also for the general public. The project will also set the basis for the development of a curriculum for an agent for rural mobility in Europe.<< Objectives >>The objectives of this project are: I.Promoting efficient and sustainable rural mobility and the uptake of new mobility strategies and technologies in rural areas (through developing an innovative course and platform on efficient rural mobility for rural development agents)II.Capitalise and promote the use of digital tools and new technologies for mobility in rural areas III.Elaborate on a framework to set the basis of a European curriculum for rural mobility agentsIV.Creation of a cooperative network for the promotion of policies and initiatives for rural mobility Although the long-term beneficiaries of this project are all the citizens from rural areas, the main public objective of this project and of the training are the rural development agents working in municipalities, association of towns, provinces and local action groups.Rural development agents are technicians are a key element to transfer to rural societies the tools and knowledge to use more efficient transport means. These professionals will benefit directly from the training of the project and will acquire new competences and tools for their daily tasks. These agents also asses local decision makers and therefore have a valuable influence for the potential improvement of mobility at local levelLocal and regional authorities are another target group of the project, they will be involved through partners in project validation activities and multiplier events. Project partners currently collaborates actively with different municipalities and regions in the participating countries and have direct access to this stakeholder groupsSecondary target group are VET entities working in mobility issues in rural areas. The training and platform are of open access and can be used by these entities if requested.These target groups will be involved directly in the initial analysis of needs/barriers, and the validation of the training program and tool. They will be the main target of the project dissemination actions.<< Implementation >>The project activities will lead to the project objectives thorugh the following specific work packages of actions:WP1: PROJECT MANAGEMENT / COORDINATION ACTIVITIES will allow the proper implementation of project activities with good quality and in time, as well as the proper justification of costs, transference of money and the delivery of reports to the National Agency.WP2 RURAL MOBILITY TRAINING CONTENTS AND HANDBOOK: It will guarantee the development of up-to-date and quality training based on the identified project modules of knowledge on rural mobility. The content of the courses will include a handbook on good practices that have proven successful in Europe.WP3 Rural Mobility E-PLATFORM: the development of this platform will allow the implementation of the course on line, the exchange and dissemination of content and experiences and of updated resources according to market evolution. In addition, rural development agents and other actors will be encouraged to share content related to their experiences, to serve as a framework for knowledge exchange. WP4 TRAINING WORKSHOP TO VALIDATE THE COURSE AND E-PLATFORM. The objective is a transnationall capacitation to test and improve project results with stakeholders and to validate and ensure the quality and adequacy of the contents and of the e-platform. WP5 CREATION OF A NETWORK FOR THE PROMOTION OF RURAL MOBILITY POCILIES AND THE PROMOTION OF FUTURE EUROPEAN RURAL MOBILITY AGENTS: this project will serve as a starting point for the creation of a stable network of collaboration for rural mobility in Europe though the creation and promotion of a working group for rural mobility and the definition of an action plan for such group Partners will develop a proposal for an EU curriculum for rural mobility agents at the end of the project WP6 DISSEMINATION AND MULTIPLIER EVENTS. The project will implement a set of adhoc actions for dissemination to guarantee a good project impact and the transference and maintenance of project results during and after the project finalization, including the organization of local events in each member country to properly disseminate the outputs and to involve stakeholders<< Results >>Digital and Green skills are essential for the decarbonization of economy. The project will try to cover the specific lack of training in mobility solutions (mainly applied to e-mobility) and digital opportunities for rural agents. The e-mobility industry is moving fast and we need to be ready to apply new knowledge and technologies in our daily life. Therefore, in response to these needs, MobiRural will develop a practical and dynamic training program and training platform for rural development agents working in rural areas. The training will be available in the e-platform also for the general public. The project will also set the basis for the development of a curriculum for European agents for rural mobility.So, the project will have the following Results:A.Training course on mobility for rural areas (Result 1)B.E-platform for the implementation of the training, auto evaluation tool, and the promotion of best practices, exchange of experiences and improvement of policies towards rural mobility (Result 2)But apart from project direct results, the project will also have the following direct outcomes:-A training action to validate the course and the e-platform among selected stakeholders-Handbook with best practices and tools for rural mobility In Europe (capitalisation of previous projects and initiatives)-Setting of a network for the promotion of policies and initiatives for rural mobility (project partners + other interested entities)-Setting the basis for a European Agent for rural mobility (proposal for an EU curriculum)A need analysis has been developed prior to the writing of this proposal and although a deeper study with stakeholders will be implemented at the beginning of the project (questionnaires and interviews), the results of the project will contain:A.The content of the learning courses will contain at least the following modules:1.Compilation of good practices in rural mobility2.Digital tools available to explore the new opportunities created by technological and other forms of innovation.3.Rural shared mobility. Sustainable mobility is vital and therefore there is a need for alternative public transport services to guarantee mobility in rural areas, without a car. So-called flexible transport services or transportation on demand point the way to possible solutions, as innovative practices to encourage creative economically viable solutions that can be effective and efficient while being environmentally friendly.4.No mobility: E-tools for online services (bureaucracy, training, work,…)5.E-mobility solutions: technologies and new opportunities from the industry. 6.E-wastes: strategies for the management of new wastes produced for e-mobility in rural areas7.Policies and regulations for rural mobilities B.All the key materials, documents and media produced within the project will be made available on the E-platform. The platform will contain the course, a basic guide to implement the course, an auto evaluation section and other sections for networking and exchange of experiencesThe partners will accredit the participation of rural development agents in training actions. Participants will receive a certificate of attendance, indicating the content, the duration of the training and the result obtained. Rural development agents will be able to transfer the training received to the general population, who will be able to access the platform (rural development agents usually perform training courses for the general public in their municipalities/counties).At the same time, these rural development agents, after receiving the training, will be empowered to apply mobility solutions in their environment, according to the mobility needs of the specific populations in their field of action. The courses will be developed so that this can be carried out in a structured way so that the results are those required for each group of population.

<< Objectives >>The TWIN 4.0 main aim is to boost the capacity of manufacturing SMEs for twin transition by equipping them with comprehensive training and thus raise their awareness on the need of this transition.The specific objectives are to:+enable manufacturing SMEs to adopt a sustainable approach towards digitalisation;+create prerequisites for boosting green, digital skills & competencies of manufacturing SMEs’ staff;+strengthen VET–business collaboration with regards to supporting twin transition;<< Implementation >>The project implementation phase is structured in five work packages (WPs): project management; dissemination and exploitation and three WPs focused on the development of the project core results. Each of the result-oriented WPs follows identical stages: 1)Planning stage2)Research and Development stage3)Validation of quality through testing with target groups4)Refinement & Finalization<< Results >>The project objectives are directly linked to the 3 main results that TWIN 4.0 project will aim to produce, as follows:R1: TWIN 4.0 environmental impact audit tool R2: TWIN 4.0 transition training course R3: TWIN 4.0 transition guidelines for VET providersThe expected impact of the TWIN 4.0 results application will be raised awareness and boosted capacity for twin transition of the manufacturing industry.

The Apulia Region is renowned for its diverse agricultural output, a fundamental element of its economy. However, climate change poses significant threats to the health of soils, due to diverse degradation factors, water scarcity, and non-sustainable land management practices.The depletion of water resources, the prolonged droughts, and deficiencies in soil nutrients threaten the region's agricultural productivity, its biodiversity, and its overall environmental sustainability. Addressing these issues requires a systemic approach through collaborative, transdisciplinary research with practical, on-the-ground involvement of stakeholders (farmers, land managers, local administrators). The University of Foggia (UNIFG), is ideally positioned to lead innovation activities to co-design an innovative model for soil health enhancement at regional level, in collaboration with farmers, land managers, policy makers, and civil society organizations.The project will combine different solutions, to be tested with the support of international leading partners, at a scale that is representative of the regional dimension and characteristic of most geographical regions of Mediterranean Europe. In particular, the project will develop experimental actions using Nature Based Solutions (with the support of FC.ID from Portugal), developing short supply chains for high potential biofertilisers (with local industrial partners), cutting edge precision fertigation systems (with Ugent) and a digital dashboard to enhance data-driven soil policies based on scientific evidence.The project will reinforce UNIFG’s positioning as a leading knowledge institution in rural economies and agrarian sciences, as well as contributing to sustainable regional soil health policies in the framework of the new European legislation on soil health and monitoring.

"<< Objectives >>The project implementation is aimed at strategic strengthening of the educational brand ""GIGAnt Youth Center of Excellence"". With the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, we entered a deep economic recession that will affect the trends in professions for years. This coincides with the climate changes and so-called The European Green Deal. We want to get ready to support youth in these difficult years, making it easier to understand changes and interpret economic knowledge in future career choices.<< Implementation >>""Small-scale partnership"" will be used to carry out extensive, substantive work on a new educational game for youth. The path to the final solution will require analyzes on several levels: existing games, business models, climate change areas with strong links to economic activity. In a creative process, we will transform the collected knowledge into game mechanics, which in the next operation will be tested in the youth environment.<< Results >>We expect two main results: 1. A professional tool for informal youth education - we want to create an educational game combining aspects of the economy of enterprises and business models with the problem of climate change. 2. Permanent and proven international partnership - we want to confirm the high quality of the created partnership and learn to work together in the future. Therefore, we want the project to change institutions and open the perspective of practical education for youth."

"Accessibility is still recognized as an annoying and costly duty but not as an opportunity. The legal position is clear - all public services and goods must be barrier-free (European Unions charter of fundamental rights and UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities CRPD). Accessibility concerns approximately 15% of the population with an increasing tendency in aging societies. However, awareness about the four major disability types and their different requirements is largely lacking and understanding of barrier-free adaptations is not available despite standards. In addition to the socioeconomic importance, the importance and basic requirements of vulnerable groups facing barriers - as a growing group of clients - cannot be ignored (World Bank Group: World report on disability, Online 15.12.2014: http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2011/ 01/14440066 / world-report-disability). In fact, if the market of the future is the ""Silver Market"", accessibility is the foundation for participation and success. The main focus of this project is to improve the work place situation of people with disabilities and to enable a better integration at their work places. Specific objectives to reach this were:1) Study of the current status of workplace inclusion in different regions of Europe2) Collection of best-practice examples from different regions3) Preparation of teaching and learning materials for the WI4.0 training4) Test course conducted in all five partner countries with achieving a certification5) Evaluation of testing phase and improvement of the WI4.0 trainingThe participants of the training used their opportunity and strengthened their own profile and expand their business activities with the offer for the improvement of workplace inclusion. Overall the project involves the following group of participants: More than 100 000 received information about the project through different channels like newsletters, reports in media, websites and social media activities. Another 600 people of different organizations were approached in online surveys and interviews. And 76 participants took part in the test training and 27 received the international standard certificate (ISO 17024) for persons. The profile of the test training participant slightly varies from partner by partner depending on their national situations. The main target group were business consultants and people in HR, but also guidance counselors in universities. The main project activities were related to the Intellectual Outputs O1 to O3 as planned: The study about the current situation consisting of Online survey, interviews, other data sources and a literature research helped to improve our training specification with the requirements of customers, primarily addressing the customers of our training participant group. The preparing of the certificate-process and EQF-requirements was done in parallel. The development phase of the training materials with peer reviews has to consider the results of O1. The test phase of the training and the certification of the first participants ended with a feedback loop and an improved version of the training materials. The pm methodology according to IPMA was used in carrying out the project and proved to be feasible and efficient. The results and the impacts of the project match the plans and even exceed the expectations of the proposal stage: 1) a holistic training, which enables the participants ie business consultants and HR manager to improve the situation for people with disabilities at their workplace, 2) the training is also valuable for people with disabilities who , as ""experts on their own cause"", seek new job opportunities. 3) lot of people got informed about the lacking implementation and this raise their awareness for this issue 4) 76 participants were trained in the test training 5) an extended business case for the participants of the testing phase is available 6) a certificate conforming to an international standard (ISO 17024) for persons is now available and supported by FH JOANNEUM in cooperation with SystemCert 7) the training corresponds to the national EQF-implementations As social inclusion is not limited to the partner nations, the results can improve the situation across the whole European Union for people with disabilities. The training will continue to be offered by the partners and the training materials will be available for self-study via the website. Also the certification can be completed by other individuals. The know-how of the participants and the sharpened awareness of the informed people will be a good basis for the further development of this topic. Dissemination activities of the project supported this objective."