Changes in rural areas, such as depopulation, land abandonment and the loss of biodiversity, may proceed very slowly yet are often irreversible. Policymakers can steer these developments in order to reduce their negative impacts but this requires knowing whether current policy instruments are effective, who is benefiting from them and in what measure, what driving forces will be most influential and how they will affect people, planet, profits and land-use. To be truly useful, this knowledge must transcend siloed thinking and be the corollary of a joint effort uniting different actors under a common cause. PoliRur will provide this knowledge by combining several key activities needed to design effective place-based, human-centric and forward-looking rural policies. These include actionable research that takes place within an inclusive learning environment where rural populations, researchers and policymakers come together to address common problems; an evaluation exercise that uses text mining to assess the perceived effectiveness of past or planned policy interventions; and a foresight study that tries to glean the development trajectory of agriculture and its allied sectors until 2040 using several scenarios in which the evolution of rural populations occupies a central place. As a result of these activities, PoliRur will leave decision makers at different levels of government better equipped to tackle existing and emerging rural challenges, rural populations more empowered and rural areas more resilient.

CONTEXT: 1. Population studies indicate that within the rural areas there are groups socially excluded such as women who emigrate because of lack of professional perspectives and the existence of a large number of people over 40 years old with few or none possibilities of employment. 2. The European Strategy of Employment (ESE) proposes an elaboration of new educational models and tools that allow adult training; this will favor the training and labor insertion of people “less qualified” and “less advantaged groups” of the rural areas. 3. Agriculture and rural areas in general are going through an educational, cultural, social and economical delay leading this sector to be in clear disadvantage when compared to urban areas. In the center you find many necessities that have blocked a population very much in need of help. 4. According to the Eropean Rural Development Fund (ERDF) it is necessary to look for alternative formulas supported by emergent products (organic agriculture - OA) to improve the social and economic conditions as well as the fixation of population in areas of strong depopulation. 5. The necessity to increase the rate of participation in adult training is still one of main European goals especially in the southern countries of Europe and in the new members of the EU.SIGNIFICANT DATA: 1. Rate of unemployment in rural areas: marginalized groups 42%, rural women 28%, physically disabled 23%, young people without vocational qualifications 27%, people over 40 76%. 2. Non existence of specialized curriculum in non vocational training of adults in organic agriculture. 3. Lack of adult training tools capable of responding to the necessities detected. Indicators: 1. 87% of EU citizens consider that guarantying safe foods is an essential role of the CAP (Common Agricultural Policy). 2. 89% believe that it is essential to protect the environment. 3. Organic agriculture in the EU has increased at an average rate of 500.000 hectares per year. Currently in the entire EU there are more than 186.000 organic agriculture farm businesses. 4. In 2011 more than 225.000 organic farmers were registered in the EU. 5. Women represent 24% of the agriculture entrepreneurs of European organic agriculture holdings. In some countries this percentage is higher: Letonia 41 %, Croatia 32 %, Italy 30 %.Political Priorities: 1. At a European level: a. the new institutional framework of the Lisbon Treating redefines the budgetary framework with the new strategy “Europe 2020” of the EU economic growth supported by the potentiating of organic production. b. The CAP in force since 2014 till 2020 supports the organic agricultural sector. c. The training of adults is a vital component of the permanent education policy of the European Commission.2. The proposal reinforces, through training, the postulates of the Maastrich Summit (1991) and the EAFRD legislation regarding agriculture and environment that sustain the national and the EU agriculture politics.3. Experts in rural development and other activities related with the “Europe of Knowledge” have detected through the DAFO reports developed by the Rural Development Programs, Encouragement Plans, local Agenda 21…, that there does not exist itinerary of non vocational training with European dimension in the organic agriculture sector. GOALS: 1. Develop a Competency Unit (CU) in OA for the non vocational teaching of adults. 2. Potentiate the development of permanent learning: teaching, contents, alternant practices and handling ICT (information and Communication Technologies). 3. Involve the most vulnerable social sectors in a process of non vocational training of adults. 4. Incorporate in the adult training activities that can manage new ways of living: active aging, recreation and free time management and therapy activity.Number and Profile of the participants: 1. Adults (over 40) in rural areas, unemployed, in risk of exclusion and disabled. 2. European organizations that work with retired people in rural areas. 3. Instructors and professionals specialized in adult training. 4. Professionals and social agents dedicated to work with adults in rural areas. 5. Universities that investigate the subject of active aging. 6. Authorities in charge of making the decisions in this area.ACTIVITIES 1. Coordination and evaluation of the Project. 2. Development of the work tools. 3. Training, teaching and learning activities with 15 people per partner, belonging to the destined group. 4. Dissemination of the results.METHODS:a) Innovative working techniques: 1. Exchange of experiences within the transnational association. 2. Implication of the partners in the collective activities. 3. Comparison of the results for further corrections. 4. Adaptation of the tools to the concrete necessities of each country. 5. Allow the participation of local social agents, teachers, specialists and destined group. 6. Use of multimedia tools. 7. The destined groups will participate in the Project

"""LIVING HERITAGE"" is a project of cooperation for innovation for the school education of a strategic partnership among 7 partners from 5 countries: Slovakia, Estonia, Greece, Spain and Portugal, led by Diputación de Palencia (Spain). Aims to:- Strengthen the profile of the field of formal and non-formal educators. - Promote the pedagogical update of teachers with peer teaching method. - Design a curriculum, methodological strategies and innovative educational materials for the transmission of the cultural heritage, especially valid to facilitate learning of students that underachieve , in groups with high diversity and/or schools with school drop-off issues and in disadvantaged rural areas. - Create links between school and public and private entities, related to the management of the heritage. - Develop educational experiences to promote intercultural and intergenerational exchange of material and intangible heritage. - Connect the European heritage through schools using ICT tools.The main direct target-groups are educators (from formal and non-formal education), which is why the project has involved schools, teachers' organizations and educational authorities. But also entities linked to local, regional and national heritage; associations and companies related to education, training and cultural tourism; managers of heritage; heritage interpreters and guides; cultural associations, foundations, museums and other heritage conservation entities (where educational programs are also developed), entities of local development, tourism, rural development, etc. The final recipients are Primary and Secondary students who will put into practice the results obtained.Among these stakeholder groups have been achieved more than 150 accessions and collaborations that have contributed to the project in an important way and have made possible the final contact with more than 2000 beneficiaries and the direct participation of about 300 people in the Workshops, multiplier events and activities developed throughout the project. In addition, a network of experts has been created to support the project and the evaluation of the results.Thanks to ICT and the effort to disseminate results, which continues to be done to ensure sustainability, it is estimated that at least 2300 beneficiaries will be able to participate with access to the intellectual products and results of the project.The main actions and intellectual outputs (IO) have been:1) Creation of a methodology among peers called Peer Leraning Method (on which the Workshops for educators were based) -IO1.2) Development of school curriculum on European cultural heritage (Primary and Secondary) -IO2, based on a previous analysis3) Preparation and impression of a methodological guide-IO34) Educational materials for implementation-IO45) Development of a Seminar and Multi-Agent Sessions (for dissemination and evaluation among interested agents)7) Transnational, face-to-face and remote meetings and a whole system of communication, coordination and follow-up, as well as dissemination of results8) Educator training courseThe intellectual products have been created in 6 languages (5 of the project and in English), have been supported by local and regional authorities and are accessible to schools, heritage managers and socio-economic fabric related to cultural heritage in Europe.The main impact in the short and medium term has been the strengthening of contents, competences and methodology in the area of European cultural heritage and therefore the profile of educators and the creation of communication networks between participants, direct and indirect.The medium and long term benefits are expected: 1) The creation of open results (OER) will allow its use, extension and improvement by professionals and agents of education and heritage. 2) Support for the strategies generated by educational authorities for their incorporation into the educational programs of schools and the non-formal sector. 3) The internationalization of educational curricula through their incorporation into European communication networks.All with the overall objective of supporting European policies that aim to make the European cultural heritage a point of community interaction with great educational value and social cohesion, but also to turn it into a good with future projection and great interest for sustainable economic development of many areas."

"CONTEXT: In the community support framework 2,000-2006 and the 2007-2013 financial framework of 39% of all projects had implications for rural development. These data should be added to the Community initiative LEADER + rural development specific. Does not exist in the Member States a vocational qualification, or Transversal competence in community rural development within the professional families of MEC (Marco Europeo de las Cualificaciones), without specific training to prepare versatile professionals adapted to these specific needs. OBJETIVES: 1) Develop, recognize and validate a Transversal Competence (horizontal Priority Strategic Partnerships in the field of education, training and youth ) in the European Qualifications Framework ( EQF) for a new professional profile "" rural community development technician HORIZON 2020 ""to contribute to European rural development strategy that takes into account the regulations and related EU directives rural areas . Transferable skill that will be included in the professional qualifications of the following professional families of related INCUAL rural areas in the EU: 1) land ; 2) hospitality and tourism ; 3) food industries; 4) safety and environment ; 5 ) energy and water; 6) sociocultural community services and 7) physical and sports activities .2) Increase transparency of this new professional competence to influence qualifications and employability through the professionalization of rural development. Over 60% of workers in the sector or have no formal qualifications or are not high and unrecognized . They are necessary qualified to advise , train, assist and implement the work of all stakeholder rural professionals.3) innovative pedagogical approach based on TRAINING IN ALTERNATING OR DUAL referred to alternating learning in rural enterprise ( multiple jobs ) and the school as a successful recipe for successful transitions to work and having the following 4) Develop a methodology for cooperation centers formal and non-formal agricultural unions, local authorities and local action groups of LEADER , to facilitate the development Itinerary serve rural economies.5 ) Design the units cross competition (valid for seven professional families ) and appropriate for the development of the training on 7 areas with the completion of a pilot training course in 6 countries to validate the technical manuals professional profile.PARTICIPANTS- ACTIVITIES: 1 ) Each partner will perform in the first six months 6 local seminars informative, explaining the project to sign RURALITY 25 accessions to the stakeholder project (total 175 indirect beneficiaries).2) For the selection of the 20 students in the course structured pilot training each of the 7 partner contacted over 450 potential beneficiaries: a) agricultural centers, formal or informal training working in vocational training. b) Local Action Groups (LEADER projects) working in the area of rural development and help start-ups. c) family and small business companies where the Agent is a tool to facilitate communication with job seekers, improving demand-employment relationship needs real labor. d) Unemployed receive support Agent Development to abandon their unemployment by contacting with companies or individuals and counseling for self-employment, management training needs. e) national / regional for approval and government agencies who need professional development (municipalities, municipal councils, prefectures, regional authorities, local action groups, agricultural unions) educational authorities.3) Indirect beneficiaries through INTELLECTUAL OUTPUTS contemplating applying ICT (Facebook, Website, Linkedin, New Letter ..) and will be approximately 2,200 indirect beneficiaries.RESULTS-IMPACT: 1) Study and analysis of the occupational families and existing qualifications in Europe to adapt to Cross competition with professional qualification level 1, 2 and 3 of the following professional families.2) Community rules required Research 2014-2020 report on the potential for job creation in rural areas and entrepreneurship in 2020. HORIZON to know the potential of R & D applied to rural areas, which is a priority of the EAFRD Regulation and HORIZON 2020.3) Development of competencies: curriculum complete with the following training modules and pilot course in six countries.4) Teaching materials for students: alternating training twofold: the part of an innovative Guide alternating pedagogical methodology based learning approach between enterprises and schools; union of theory and practice, systematic and random. Rural business practices are considered an important factor in student learning.5) The materials methodology Guide Open Educational Resources ""rurality"" (OER); publishing the results according to. free ""digitized materials offered and open to educators, students and self-learneS."

"The Project “Training Plan on Bioenergy for the Agri-food Sectors-RURAL BIOENERGY” is a project of cooperation for innovation of a partnership strategy for vocation education and training among 6 partners from 5 countries. RURAL BIOENERGY derives from the needs analysis that arises from bio-economics in rural areas. EU’s Horizon 2020 objectives have given rise to policies that encourage bioenergy projects related to the agri-food sector. This project is based on the promotion of manpower requirements in rural áreas in order to meet EU objectives, policies and strategies. The transition towards a circular economy also requires skilled labour with new and specific qualifications as well as the creation of employment opportunities. There is a training gap in this field and in the following years training will be demanded when the deployment of rural bioenergy will step up. Currently, some professional qualifications cover certain needs regarding bioenergy. Nevertheless, it is necessary to develop specific professional qualifications that integrate the mentioned aspects, as we find ourselves facing a confluence of different sectors and knowledge areas. PROJECT OBJECTIVES: - Development of a Training Plan on Bioenergy to contribute to the professionalization on bioenergy in rural areas . - Elaboration of the methodological guide of new qualification and training and other educational resources and tools that contribute to the professional development of trainers/teachers/mentors and enhance the access to training and qualifications for all. - Development of the new competence of worker “BIOENERGY SPECIALIST FOR AGRI-FOOD SECTORS” (for potential recognition and validation in the future). - To promote innovative pedagogical methodologies as a successful recipe for satisfactory transition to labour market. - To promote the cooperation and offer training opportunities for local communities as well as to facilitate the development of bioenergy use and rural economy. The applicant is MANCOMUNIDAD ALTA SANABRIA, a Spanish local entity. The rest of the partners are the Spanish environmental company SERVIMA, the Portuguese association for the development CoraNE, the Italian Confederation of Farmers in Tuscany, CIA TOSCANA, the Slovak vocational training institution, AGROINSTITUT NITRA and the Bulgarian engineering company in energy efficiency, QUATTROGI. The project aims the involvement of the target groups in drafting the contents and the consensus of a methodology to develop the training route. It will be achieved through a fluid exchange of information and common experiences among a broad network of stakeholder, direct and indirect participants, especially in rural areas: local Action Groups and rural development actors ; agricultural unions; associations for the valorisation of biomass producers of renewable energy, bioenergy technology enterprises; environmental associations; institutes of rural youth and women associations; research centers and University; non-formal vocational training entities and with lifelong learning programs; formal Centres of VET; public and private entities of employment; associations of entrepreneurs; local authorities, educational authorities , etcIn order to involve that stakeholders, the consortium has done a great effort in dissemination activities: around 20 dissemination seminars have been held, in addition to other project presentation meetings; 4 Newsletters have been disseminated; news and articles published; website; blog; mailings; social networks, etc The results of the Project will materialize in the following intelectual outputs: O1. Methodological guide for training O2. Structured training course O3. Educational materials for students O4. ICT Platform (for training and for knowledge and job exchange)There has been also two multiplier events (E1 and E2), one training activity (Short-term joint staff training event C1) and 4 Transnational Meetings: 1. Padornelo (Sanabria -Spain); 2. Bragança (Portugal); Florence (Italy); 4. Lubián (Sanabria- Spain).""RURAL BIOENERGY TRAINING PACKAGE” (OER) will have an impact on all local, regional, national and international stakeholders in participatory and community development groups and will contribute decisively to the sustainability of the project, as well as the ICT platform E-learning, the website and other activities (articles, Newsletters…)In the short and medium term, the positive impacts of the project are: training in bioenergy, professionalization of the rural population; promotion of bioenergetic uses; increase competitiveness of the agricultural and agroindustrial sectors; improvement of teacher skills and curricula for vocational training, promotion of initiative and entrepreneurship; greater employability and creation of new companies; more positive attitude towards Europe as a common space."