Europe currently spends less on R&D than the US, Japan and many other countries. Meanwhile, Europe's public authorities are major consumers of goods and services. Public procurement accounts for about 19% of the GDP in the European Union and offers an enormous potential market for innovative products and services [1].The Europe 2020 Strategy sets a target of 3% of the EU's GDP to be invested in R&D by 2020. In this way, innovation has been incorporated into the new European Public Procurement Directives approved on 26th February 2014 [2] as a new public policy, at the same level as the social and environmental one, which should be promoted through contractual instruments.The new directives open up a number of opportunities for Public Procurement of Innovative solutions (PPI), while maintaining the basic requirements of competition, transparency, equal treatment and compliance with EU state aid rules.Likewise, the European Commission establishes, among other strategic priorities, to boost innovation through public procurement, and to improve SMEs access to public tender market.On the other hand, the European habitat sector, dominated by SMEs, provides 1 million direct jobs in 130 thousand companies generating an annual turnover of around EUR 96 billion, and their purchases represent 16% of the GDP.The “Study on the EU furniture market situation” highlights that R&D and innovation are crucial factors to maintain market positions [3]. Nevertheless, only a small number of European companies carry out industrial research activities in order to develop new materials or technology for furniture.At the same time, there is an increasing demand for smart health care services, whose costs are covered by public expenditures in all EU countries. Thus, a high number of habitat companies has appeared in the last few years that implement Ambient Assisted Living technologies to offer new products related to the eHealth sector. These new products benefit patients, in the form of a more efficient treatment, and reduce the treatment costs. Hence, supporting innovative practices in the health care sector is a crucial step towards improving the services.For that reason, the main objective of the HAePPI project is to develop a new learning curriculum on PPI in line with the needs of habitat and eHealth SMEs. An innovative and open resource programme of vocational education and training, which will provide an adapted curriculum to equip professionals with the specific, basic and transversal skills currently required for the public procurement of innovation.To reach the main objective, different activities will be carried out:1. Learning outcomes definition based on a complete analysis of current best practices on PPI and SMEs´ needs2. Joint Curriculum definition3. Development of the training materials with interactive tools4. Complete learning evaluation on a developed online e-learning platformIn order to achieve such purposes, a Strategic Partnership has put 6 entities together from different countries and expertise in the different fields of the proposed project: two Universities with high expertise in public procurement policies (UNIZAR and ULO); two clusters from different sectors, habitat and eHealth (AMUEBLA and iVITA); a Technology Park and a business organisation expert in innovation management (STP); and a macro-regional hotspot for health and innovation (ScanBalt). The consortium will be completed with several associated partners (business associations, universities, development agencies, etc.) that will be involved in different tasks and will ensure wide dissemination for the project results.Although a HAePPI training course will be launched for the habitat and eHealth sectors, the final beneficiaries of the results will be a great number of SMEs and public institutions around Europe. Therefore, the HAePPI project will have a high final impact on thousands of enterprises and therefore in the European economy.The HAePPI project will achieve the following results and benefits:- The outputs obtained will strengthen the education and training paths of SMEs managers and workers, equipping them with the necessary competences and skills to participate in public tenders of innovation.- Development of specific, basic and transversal competences and skills relevant for SMEs, such as management, entrepreneurship, leadership, digital and creativity skills, and language competence in the field of VET.- Promotion of creative and innovative practices in the habitat and eHealth sectors, such as the implementation of electronic devices or internet of things technology.- Foster the PPI as an essential instrument to achieve the Horizon 2020 targets and to improve innovation in Europe.[1] Guidance for public authorities on Public Procurement of Innovation. DG Enterprise & Industry[2] Directives 2014/23/EU; 2014/24/EU, and 2014/25/EU[3] Study on the EU furniture market situation. Csil

"Additive Manufacturing (or 3D printing) is one of the technologies under the umbrella of Advanced Manufacturing which has been identified by the European Commission as one of the Key Enabling Technologies (KETs).Creative industries are core elements of the EU economy. Creative workers are talented and flexible with a range of core capacities that can be developed and improved naturally via practice and lifelong learning. Creative enterprises are usually small, often micro. They work with clients in sectors that have been traditionally connected to creative industries for some time, using flexibility to add value to products by applying their ability to realize innovative ideas.Increasingly these capacities are becoming more relevant to the European Economy as new sectors find out that they need the skills provided by creative enterprises workers. At the same time new, often disruptive, technologies come to light and require highly skilled creative labour to allow maximum exploitation of capital.This also applies to other Advanced Manufacturing technologies, like Advanced Industrial Robotics (AIR), slowly emerging for small and micro enterprises. Just like AM, AIR is a transversal technology requiring investment and knowledge on design and software can bring crafts closer to the market’s needs by customizing batches (i.e. footwear). The global market is estimated to reach $6.4 trillion by 2025.Hence Advanced Manufacturing technologies are often adoptable by relatively traditional sectors. However, they often need ready and competent workers. And when they do have a high level of technical skills, workers often lack capacities for creativity, innovation and entrepreneurial approach to use such technologies. These are required capacities if the capital (tools, machines) is to be exploited to the maximum of its potential.ACCESS-3DP brings together an innovative consortium of 5 partners with experts in 3D printing and design from the VET, HE world and business organizations from creative industries from 5 EU countries. The partners jointly embrace the following objectives:- Identification of skills mismatched between the craft and traditional industries with additive manufacturing technologies- Use the skills needs to develop and tailored VET curricula according EUI standards to foster the mobility and employability in craft sectors in Europe- Improve the competitiveness and efficiency of the traditional sector enterprises through the use of 3D printing technologies- Improve the entrepreneurship in craft sectors and Additive Manufacturing sector through better understanding of the 3D printing value chain- Evaluate the impact of tailored training about 3D printing in entrepreneurs and craftsmen.- Sustain the project results, in the course of time, through the development recommendations for certification.To achieve such objectives, the partners will develop the following intellectual outputs:- A report on how VET providers can connect creative and traditional-craft industries- A joint VET curriculum according national and EU standards- Learning Modules based on the VET curriculum supported by a MOOC platform- A course assessment and qualification resource package in order to support the certification of the ACCESS-3DP Learning Modules and Course- A pilot implementation and study of the Learning Modules and CourseA workshop in the form of a short-term joint staff training event (L/T/T) focusing on innovating crafts through 3DP technology will take place during the last project period and will involve Associated Partners. At the same time, 5 Multiplier Events will be organized in order to enhance the impact of the ACCESS-3DP project through the dissemination of the project results.A partnership composed by HE, Business representatives and research will develop approaches to training people in the creative industries that promote that creativity, alongside entrepreneurial thinking and skills for applying innovative ideas in practice. It is vital for anyone working industries that may apply 3D printing, to understand the ""value chain of 3D printing"" and how it may evolve over time. An insight needs to be given on where in the chain value is added, and how. ACCESS-3DP training materials will empower students to successfully enter the market, and/or to successfully sustain their business.Increasingly, these capacities are becoming more relevant to the European Economy as new sectors find they are needing the skills provided by enterprises in creative industries and their workers, and new, often disruptive, technologies come to light that require highly skilled creative labour for there to be maximum exploitation of capital based in the tools and machines of these technologies. Additive manufacturing will be an asset to the factors of competitiveness, such as flexibility and time to market, among others for the craft and creative industries."

Industry 4.0 is changing the world as we know it, requiring a higher level of digital literacy across all roles and industries. Vocational education is a key element of lifelong learning systems, which equip citizens with knowledge, skills, and competencies. To meet the demands of the changing labour market, VET educators must also undergo some changes since they play a crucial role in appropriately skilling the workforce of the future, through the development of their digital literacy. However, we are currently experiencing a unique state of affairs, in which students often have greater digital competence than some educators. So far, VET education has mainly been characterized by face to face and Work-Based-Lessons, thus this imbalance was partially concealed. Nevertheless, the COVID-19 pandemic has made this gap strikingly apparent, with many excellent teachers struggling with technologies that young people are already familiar with. The whole educational procedure is forced to rapidly and drastically adapt to the new circumstances of delivering training from distance utilizing the vast wealth of digital educational tools. In this context, it is imperative not to leave VET educators to face the problem on their own, but support them in acquiring the digital skills needed to smoothly continue to provide their educational work. The solution to the problem is to design, develop, and implement a structured training path on acquiring and strengthening digital skills in which the target group will be the VET educators. To achieve the aforementioned goal of the implementation of a structured training path, a consortium made up of 7 participants will constructively cooperate, everyone, contributing by its experience and expertise. The participants of the consortium are mentioned below briefly:1.Panepistimio Ioanninon (Greece) is a large Higher Education Institution.2.Transport and Telecommunication Institute (Latvia) is a modern university of applied science.3.Sistemi Formativi Confidustria (Italy) is a joint-stock option consortium.4.Cleantech (Bulgaria) is a business network focused on clean technologies, innovation, and sustainable development.5.Styrian Technology Park (Slovenia) is a non-profit organization. 6.Diavalkaniko Kentro Epicheirimatikis Anaptyxis AE (Greece) operates in continuous education and training since 2006 7.The Confederation of Employers and Industrialists in Bulgaria (KRIB) has the status of the national representative organization for the Bulgarian business.The implementation of the project includes a variety of activities being carried out. The project has been structured in 7 phases, closely connected to the development of the intellectual outputs, which will be carried out through the 24 months project period. The phases are as follows: 1.Developing and distributing an assessment tool for VET educators’ digital competence.2.Designing and implementing the training path for the strengthening of VET educators’ digital skills.3.Study of the current situation in the Green Economy sector, creation of the syllabus of the Green Economy courses, that will be used in the pilot testing, and didactic material design and production.4.Development of the VOOC platform, integration of the learning content, and quality assurance of the platform5.Train the trainers intensive workshop, that will be addressed to representatives from all partners, who will be familiarized with the environment of the e-learning platform and will acquire basic skills on digital technologies, so when they go back to their home countries to be able to train their VET educators to utilize the VOOC platform, as well as to act as multiplier factors for the dissemination and sustainability of the INGENIOUS project.6.The final release of the platform and the implementation of pilot testing from VET educators.7.Evaluation of the effectiveness of the whole project. The goal of the project is to develop an innovative training model for detecting and assessing the digital skills of VET educators and offering a well-structured training platform and program which can enhance their digital competence. In that sense, by adopting DOL methodologies, the smooth continuity of the VET educational system in relevant emergencies like the one we live at present is secured. Besides, the whole process of VET educators’ digital skills acquisition that constitutes a constant demand for fully implementing the vision of Industry 4.0 is accelerated. The implemented training platform will be freely accessible by the educational community to use and constructively contribute in order to ensure its sustainability, efficacy, and functionality. We envision that the outcomes of the project will act as a legacy for the future and motivation for undertaking similar actions.

"3D printing is playing a very important role in the new industrial revolution ""Industry 4.0 or connected industry"", and its presence is increasing every day in more sectors such as industry and education. Therefore, equipping teachers and students with knowledge about the use and benefits of this technology is very important to prepare them for the near future.The main objective of this project is to train teachers non-computer design (CAD) skilled in VET centres, with the aim of using 3D printing across almost of all the subjects. The use of this technology in VET schools will improve educational transversal skills of the students. Furthermore, it aims to enhance the concentration of students with Attention Deficit Disorder. At mid-term, it will feed an industry that is in high growth with future professionals, students natives of this fascinating technology.Our project team is composed by 6 partners from 4 countries composed by organizations with different profiles: 3D printing experts close to the academic and business sector, an international network of VET centres, one expert authority in training teachers and one web developer. To achieve the goals of the project, the consortium worked on the following intellectual outputs: IO1: Methodology for defining 3D printing exercises suitable for transversal education. IO2: Set of 3D printing exercises for VET-school lessons in different subjects improving skills of students. IO3: Networking community tool for teachers using 3D printing that will contain the set of exercises. IO4: Report and tools for immersion of 3D printing in European education and training IO5: Set of webinars about the use of 3D printing in VET. In addition, four multiplier events were held in Germany, Spain, Italy and Slovenia.The results provide the user with the opportunity to start from scratch by training in 3D printing with the guides developed in the first Intellectual Output, as well as being able to create exercises themselves to be used in the classroom with the help of the methodology developed. There are 34 exercises available on the E3D+VET platform, consisting of 60 ready-to-use 3D models. The platform is not a simple repository of 3D models. For each of the exercises, in addition to the technical-graphical description and the STL files, there is a description of how to use these designs in a class and the benefits that the student can obtain. The E3D+VET platform also has a list of suppliers (fablabs, 3D printing service companies...) so that users who do not have sufficient resources, such as knowledge of 3D design or 3D printers, can take advantage of their ideas. Also noteworthy is the gamification of the platform, which provides the user with motivation and interest both in sharing their exercises and in using those available on the platform, as well as creating their own list of favourite models and exercises, thus giving them more visibility. The mobile application provides versatility and dynamism since the exercises and models can be accessed through a single click on the mobile. All the information on the platform can be accessed through it, making it possible to access the results at any time and in any place. All E3D+VET results are translated into 5 languages and available for use:•3D Printing technical guide.•Methodology for defining 3D printing exercises suitable for transversal education. •Reports and tools (training materials and videos) for immersion of 3D printing in European education and training. Download link: https://www.e3dplusvet.eu/#publications•Set of 3 webinars about the use of 3D printing in VET. Videos available here: https://www.e3dplusvet.eu/news/•Set of 34 3D printing exercises for VET-school lessons in different subjects improving skills of students. •Networking community tool for teachers using 3D printing that contain the set of exercises and a guide on how to use the platform. Web Platform: https://app.e3dplusvet.eu/exercises/ App: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pristalica.e3dplusvetDuring the development of the E3D+VET project, the consortium has worked with more than 50 teachers and more than 190 students from different places in Europe. In addition to expert companies in 3D printing such as Stratasys and Flam3D. At the end of the project the exercises developed by the consortium already had more than 12,000 downloads.The results of the project have already been integrated into the course curriculum of the Seminar für Ausbildung und Fortbildung der Lehrkräfte Karlsruhe (Berufliche Schulen), in which from now on and annually a course ""3D printing for non-technicians"" will be given to teachers interested in 3D printing. Using our platform as well as exercises and contents in this annual course, teachers will be encouraged to continue feeding the platform with their ideas, providing continuity and sustainability to the project."

"CONTEXTIn a world where socio-economic divisions and the demand for job positions are very important issues that require a response, the need to train workers in order to improve and increase their qualifications and skills was at the core of the E3D+ project which, through the use 3D printing, a constantly growing industry, has successfully achieved all the previously set objectives; active cooperation was established by the Consortium with different kinds of institutions, organizations and bodies, in order to have an impact on VET education. At the same time, different training paths were tailored to address the needs, the skills, the competences and the relative knowledge gaps of different target groups, which can enrich their professional career in this technological field. A multilingual eLearning Platform followed, alongside with VET policy makers and stakeholders who were reached out in order to contribute to the dissemination and the expansion of the E3D+ impact in the VET sector. PARTNERSHIPThis project arises from a Strategic Partnership composed by VET providers (CEIPES), Higher education institutions (KIT) and business associations (CETEM, STP) that have actively cooperated among them and key stakeholders (enterprises, regional bodies and other VET institutions) for the development of an online training material on one of the transversal sectors with greater strength in recent times, 3D printing, which offer an adapted curriculum according to the qualification profile.RESULTS AND IMPACT ACHIEVED O1: Report on the 3D Printing Industry: This Study provided a complete Analysis of the current skills and qualifications needs of the European 3D Printing Industry compared with the current training offer in Europe. O2: Training path, learning content structure and guidelines for trainers: Activities in this output were aimed at the definition of the training paths, as well as the definition of the learning content. This output defined and analyzed the necessary areas of knowledge and the pedagogical methodologies to provide the specific needs of certain job profiles and different industrial sectors in 3D printing.O3: E-learning platform: E-learning and the content management system achieved the goal of improving access to education and knowledge globally. The platform contains 4 courses devoted to the training in theoretical concepts of 3D printing (Additive Manufacturing).The courses are tailored to 3 different student’s profiles plus one course that encompasses all the training units. All the materials of the modules (Slides, pdfs and videos) are on the platform available in 5 languages to all interested parties. The platform is fully open previous registration and all the contents protected under Creative Commons Open Licenses. O4: Modules Material: All the contents for the International VET were developed in the activities associated with this intellectual output. The intellectual results include all the training materials necessary to teach international VET in 3D printing. All the contents of the project were periodically evaluated and monitored by all the partners. In addition, we counted on the help of experts in e-Learning who guided us so that the development of these contents was successful. Most of the learning content was supported by web tools.O5: Webinar to establish the strategic lines of the future: These activities consisted of the launching of 5 webinars in which the objectives of the project and the contents of the training units developed by the consortium were described in real time. All these video lessons were recorded to make them available on the project website and on YouTube.The contribution that these results offer in the field of education is of vital importance for all those entities that want to implement this content in their school curriculum. As a result, we have a professional curriculum that details and defines all the learning units for each of the target groups identified in the first phase of the project. This definition includes the number of ECVET points, EQF level, objectives, learning outputs and evaluation methods. Dynamic theoretical contents have been developed for an effective transmission of knowledge, as well as a series of introductory videos to the subjects that help the student to have a general vision of what they are going to study. Also, webcam training contents have been developed for this course. The key point was the e-learning platform ""Opigno"" where the course can be done interactively, helping the future student to improve their knowledge in e-learning and the use of IT tools for communication and learning.To unify the teaching-learning method, the guideline for trainers was developed. Together with the training of trainers, they help to standardize the methodology and pedagogical strategies in the teaching of new technologies, such as additive manufacturing."