Eurostat data reveals that the 11% of the total population of the European Union is unable to keep their home adequately warm. Caused by low household income, high energy bills, and low dwelling energy efficiency, energy poverty has traditionally been associated with the inability of households to meet their heating needs during winter. However, up to the 19% of households declared not being comfortably cool in summer. Nine of the 10 warmest years have occurred since 2005, with the last five years comprising the five hottest. Not to mention this 2019 June has been the hottest on record. Climate change is increasing both the severity and frequency of extreme hot weather and heat waves and in dense urban areas, these heatwave episodes will be combined with the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, worsening city centres temperatures which will negatively impact human health and wellbeing. Thus, cooling needs and overheating risk need to be incorporated into the energy poverty equation. The project COOLtoRISE aims to reduce summer energy poverty incidence among European households improving their indoor thermal habitability conditions and reducing their energy needs during the hot season, which will decrease their exposure to heat and heat-related health risks. Not all households have an air conditioning system and it is known that energy poor households make a restrictive use of heating and cooling as they cannot afford associated energy bills. However, raising awareness on summer energy poverty and implementing actions to mitigate it will have a double benefit on European households. First, heat exposure of energy poor households will be reduced by increasing indoor thermal conditions, which will decrease in their risk to suffer heat related diseases. Second, raising summer energy culture and preventing air conditioning devices to be installed can have serious benefits on climate change preventing future emissions.

<< Objectives >>''The Music Balkan Train for Peace'' project aims to raise awareness and emphasize the importance of peace and grow the sense of prosperity on school kids, on their teachers, and in general, in school environments. In addition, the project through its results, seeks to deal with radicalization and racism phenomenaXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX<< Implementation >>This project aims to achieve its goals through the methods of exchanging good practices, transnational events in the participating project countries, training courses, short term joint events, the development of a useful toolkit for the needs of the project, and the combined creation of a song from each school along with a dance show.XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX<< Results >>The Music Balkan Train for Peace project is expected to have a significant and radical impact on the project participants, NGOs staff members, target groups such as teachers, school staff, students, as well as local, regional and national stakeholders, and the project countries. More specifically the Music Balkan Train for Peace project through school students’ training and education, will promote peace methods to young generations and strengthen their consciousness of becoming peace ambassadors

"High school students are immediate – “tomorrow’s” democratic force of our society who should actively participate in all aspects of economical, environment and social life in local communities. Unfortunately, performed surveys show they have scarce knowledge and are not interested in getting involved in any aspect of local community existence. The project aimed to contribute in increasing the present and future generations of high schools students’ skills and competences to face different challenges in everyday social life from different perspectives and to become active members of their local communities. To achieve this, the project focused on increased skills and competences of the teachers, for teamwork and cooperation that leads to development and implementation of common education approach for their students. The project aimed to present advantages of using of ""learning by doing"" students-based approach in topics of high community interest. This project also supported teachers in adopting cooperative and innovative practices with their training to apply some of the existing web 2.0 tools (OER) and eTwinning platform to increase their skills in application of ICT-based techniques, which leads to development of more attractive learning approaches towards students. The project was implemented by 9 PP, 3 partners form each country (Bulgaria, Slovenia and North Macedonia) involved, those were: 3 high schools (HS of Economics and Management (BG), HS ""Ljupco Santov"" (MK) and School Centre Velenje (SLO)), 3 local public bodies (Pazardzhik Municipality (BG), Public utility “Vodovod” Kochani (MK) and Ljudska univerza Velenje (SLO)) and 3 NGOs (CSEG (BG), MAGA (MK) and KSSENA (SLO)). High schools participated with teachers (3x3) trained on implementation of OER in school subjects and learning-by-doing methods, and they became part of teachers’ network, and were guiding students during the project; also 45 students (15x3) increased competences and skills in creation of Virtual Cities through team work. CSEG, MAGA and KSSENA had responsibility to deal with coordination and organization of the project activities; preparation of education handbook; training for ICT-based tools, using of RES and implementation of EE measures; dissemination of project’s results; organization of national dissemination events. Local public bodies were engaged in teachers' training for community managements topics, for human rights and anti-discrimination, preparation of Document for strategic transnational partnership and increasing of public awareness. The activities carried out in the frame of the project were the following: project management, coordination and implementation; preparation of materials and necessary IT equipment for transnational meetings and short-term trainings; short-term trainings to increase teachers’ skills and competences; mentors and students’ teams work on development of “Virtual City”; development and printing of the intellectual outputs; development and maintenance of project web-site; preparation of brochures and leaflets; organization of media publications and press releases; preparation of presentations for final dissemination events. Foreseen methodology that was used within the short-term joint staff training events and long-term teaching assignment was a mix of theoretical and practical participatory approaches, accompanied by using of ICT based methodologies. The most suitable is so called “learning-by-doing” method. The results achieved with the project activities were: Handbook for teachers; Document for strategic transnational partnership; 9 HS teachers with increased skills for practical use of OER (web 2.0 tools); Established teachers’ network through eTwinning module; 9 teachers - mentors with increased competences and skills for team work to develop common theoretical and practical teaching approach on the topics related with community issues; 45 students with increased teamwork skills in developing own educational approach for facing the challenges of active citizenship in local community; 9 students with increased skills and competences in transnational cooperation; 190 stakeholders became familiar with new students based ""learning-by-doing"" educational approach and the 2 intellectual outputs; project Web site, which is presenting all project activities and will be active a minimum of 3 years beyond the project end. Joint team work led to establishment of good partnership among project partners, increase their overall competences and skills for the implementation of new joint projects in the future. Secondary schools benefited from students’ satisfaction with the quality of learning methods, new methodologies and opportunities for research and learning, networking opportunities with other educational institutions, enhanced capacity for transnational cooperation."

"Main idea of the project is to create innovative pedagogical and teaching methods which will be based on digital technologies. The aim of our idea is to learn and encourage educators/teachers and students to collaborate and use technology in a creative and effective way. In present education systems in most of the EU countries, it is becoming very challenging for teachers to motivate students to learn the material presented in the classroom. Surveys made in the project partners secondary schools, in the phase of project idea development, just prove the well-known fact that students easily ""get bored"" by the academic content presented in formal education process. Traditional teaching methods are focused on providing facts; however, having access to and consuming a lot of information isn’t learning. Being informed isn’t the same as being educated. Virtual Reality (VR) can motivate students towards academic achievement. By using of VR technology, teachers can attract the attention of students to developed VR education material and make studying process exciting and more effective. VR is on the doorstep of education, and without a doubt, it’ll change the world as we know it. New school classrooms will be technologically advanced places of learning, with VR technology, that will allow significantly increasing of students’ engagement and learning. The present limits can be notified in the lack of necessary IT equipment, as well as lack of teachers skills in ability of the underlying technology to customise the material on such way that it can be easier to implement VR material as a part of the class curriculum. Main project objectives are to improve quality and attractiveness of education process in regions of Municipalities of Ludbreg, Croatia, Kocani, N. Macedonia, Limassol, Cyprus and Pazardzhik, Bulgaria by development and implementation of innovative VR based learning methodology; to increase secondary schools teachers’ and students' competences and skills in using of online available VR educational contents in everyday classes; to establish strategic partnership among different socio-economic types of organisations for increasing of quality level of education with implementing of the best practices and development of innovative education methods.The specific objectives of the planned activities will be: to develop own innovative ICT - based educational module with utilisation of VR technology; to improve students achievements in school subjects with help of VR educational technology; to improve students teamwork skills through the transnational competitive event in the frame of long-term teaching assignment; to establish transnational teacher's network by using of eTwinning networking modules and to create of a strategic Action plan for transnational cooperation in the field of education.Partnership include different types of organizations: Local government of Ludbreg (CRO), four secondary schools (Ludbreg, Pazardzik, Kocani and Limassol), two NGOs LAG Kocani (MK), and CSEG(BG) and SMEs (CRO and CYPRUS).Local public bodies and NGOs will prepare a document for development of strategic transnational partnership among local public bodies, schools and NGOs from four municipalities (Ludbreg, Kochani, Pazardzik and Limassol) for development of educational process by using of innovative ICT based methods and best practices. Teachers from schools will be trained for for using of and completing of the tasks for newly developed VR education module; also a number of students (436) in testing the education methods and to actually follow the course in full shape and content.Trainers (SME) will have responsibility to deal with preparation of education module and materials (Guidelines); NGOs will take over dissemination of project results, organisation and realisation of events and realisation of trainings.The main activities foreseen in the frame of the project are: management and coordination of the project; transnational meetings; theoretical and practical short term training events, long-term teaching assignments and short term exchange of groups of pupils; development of the intellectual outputs (Strategic document, Guidelines and education module); development and maintenance of project web-site; organisation of media publications and press releases for the project activities and results; preparation of presentations for final dissemination events.With realisation of project activities and dissemination of project results in front of local and national authorities that are dealing with education, project partners are expecting that impact of this project will be very positive and will lead to significant further efforts for increasing of implementation of ICT - based educational approaches in education process, as well as increasing of attention of authorities on possibility for “moving of” education activities beyond the classroom borders."

Today's students in secondary schools are not enough interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). At the same moment, STEM orientated school subjects are helping students to develop the skills needed to succeed in the global labor market, especially taking into account that scientific and technological innovations have become increasingly important as students face the benefits and challenges of globalization and a knowledge-based economy. Survey among the students in PPs high schools shows that not enough students consider a career in STEM so main questions that arise and lead to the idea for preparation of this project proposal were: How to overpass stereotypes that STEM are hard and boring? Can the modern technology help us?The main aim of the project is development and use of new software solution - innovative ICT based educational tool (Augmented Reality - AR learning module) to connect students with STEM fields, as a non-traditional approach beyond the limits of classic classroom.Main objectives of the project are:-to create strategic partnership for transnational cooperation among different socio-economic organizations (education institutions , civil sector and ICT SMEs);-to improve educational approaches in three secondary schools with new innovative educational tools;- to increase awareness of the importance of the STEM school subjects;- to increase students' interest for STEM subjects in school.Other specific objectives of the activities in the frame of the project will be:- to create of a Strategic action plan for transnational cooperation in the field of educational development with help of new innovative educational tool;- to develop new ICT based educational tool by using of Augmented Reality;- to increase teachers computer literacy and competences and skills to use AR learning module and OER; - to establish Q&A database with STEM related questions and answers;- to improve students results in STEM subject with help of OER and AR learning module;- to improve students teamwork skills through the use of AR learning module;- to share the best practice in teaching and learning by eTwinning module. In this project will be involved:- 34 participants from project partners' organizations- 30 teachers and 126 students from Secondary schools in internal dissemination and long-term teaching assignment events, - 120 local stakeholders on 3 national multipliers eventsActivities planned to be realized in the frame of this project are:- Project Management and Implementation activities - activity necessary to reach project goals and will be carry out by all project partner.- 4 transnational PP meetings- Development of 3 IOs: 1. AR learning module, 2. Manual How to use AR learning module and 3. Strategic action plan for transnational cooperation in the field of education - for its development with help of innovative methods- 2 Short-term training events to train teachers how to use AR learning module and OER in every day classes- 2 long term teaching assignments to test the AR learning module in order to improve it and to implement this module in every day classes- 1 Short-term exchanges of groups of pupils – mobility of students and teacher to share experience to promote and improve the transnational cooperation for use of innovative methods in the future- 3 multipliers events - National dissemination events in Bulgaria and Croatia and Final conference in Macedonia, with 120 local stakeholders (40 per event) - /and 20 foreign on final conference/.Expected result from the project are:- Established Strategic Partnership for transnational cooperation between three regions from three different countries which will lead to future cooperation in different areas;- Created strategic action plan for transnational cooperation in the field of education development with help of innovative methods;- Developed new innovative educational tool ( AR learning module) that can be used in future;- Developed Handbooks for implementation of AR learning module in STEM related school subjects;- 9 secondary school teachers with increased competences and skill for using of OER and AR learning module;- Developed Q&A database fulfilled with 400 questions and 1600 possible answers;- Increased interested among the students for STEM subjects; - Prepared dissemination material: website, leaflets, brochures, posters ;- Increased awareness on regional, national and international level about the importance of STEM subjects in school and the benefits from the use of new educational tools trough dissemination activities and project multiplier events project.The potential long term expected benefits from the project are :- Increased attractiveness of the STEM disciplines and consequently enlarge the number of the students choosing a technology oriented career/educational path;- To ensure the European labor market with a more adequate number of engineers and technologists.