Context/background of the project:The background for this project is that educational institutions in both vocational and higher level realise that the curricula for health care education need to be updated and harmonised to a changing situation in the health sector. In general, people in need of care prefer to stay at home rather than moving out to receive health care in institutions. In short – the demand for care and support is higher than the supply. This demographic mismatch needs to be solved. One solution is domestic care – care at home. In order to meet the demand for domestic care, health care providers need to think new, as insufficient capacity combined with the demographic mismatch is unsustainable. We realise that health care education need to think new and involve competences on a cross sectoral level in order to boost education and meet the demand for new skills.Objectives of our project;The objectives of this project is to combine the competences of technical, safety and health care education in order to boost the technological focus in health care education by applying a cross sectoral teaching and learning approach.Health care staff and students know the care profession, but have limited focus on technical solutions that could be implemented in their field, and ease their workload and improve the quality of care. There is a lack of knowledge about the possibilities that lie in welfare technology. Electrical Engineering, Electronics, Security staff and students are good at technical solutions in general, but generally less focused on implementing their knowledge in specific fields, e.g. health care. They need enhanced awareness of the needs and challenges in health care, and start developing solutions in welfare technology based on input from the health care sector. The one group knows the need and challenges, but are unaware of the possibilities. The other group knows the technical solutions, but does not know the needs that are specific for health care. Education providers need to bring these professional fields together, in order to exchange knowledge and develop curriculum delivery that meets the changing demand for new skills in the health sector. Our objective is to develop curriculum delivery and contents in close cooperation with health care providers and suppliers of welfare technology equipment.Number and profile of participantsThe core partnership in this project consists of four Vocational Schools (VET) and one Higher Education institution (HE) in four different countries, i.e. NO, NL, FI and PT. Each partner has their own network of cooperating health care providers affiliated to them on a consultative basis for the purpose of this project. In average, 4-5- teachers and 70-120 students from each partner will be involved.Description of selected activities:1.Trans national meetings will take place on average twice a year. We find this necessary in order to establish a common culture and understanding of the objectives we want to achieve. It is also necessary to keep close contact with the technological development in the health sector and have continuous updates from the industry.2. Learning, teaching and training activitiesAt every LTT: A key note speaker and participants will be educated in welfare technology by using a cross sectoral approach and hands-on methodology.The host organisation gives update on the situation in their own country; challenges and possible solutions of changes in education to meet the demand for change. In all LTTs there will be a special focus on ECVET and social inclusion.3. Local project groups meetings and workshops Every partner forms a local project group, and a quality assurance group involving health care providers and external stake holders of the industry. This will ensure continuous update from the field and provide monitoring of the project’s progress.Methodology to be used in carrying out the project; We will apply a cross sectoral approach, reciprocal cross sectoral needs analysis, workshops with external health care providers and stake holders from industry.We intend to start with an amalgamation of national curricula and finish by developing a European Study Unit.Short description of the results and impact envisagedIn a short perspective: The schools will develop and apply a cross-sectoral methodology internally. This will enhance the relevance of health care education.In a longer perspective each partner will bring their experience and knowledge into an amalgamated European study Unit observing both contents and methodology, and make it available in the European Knowledge Community of Welfare Technology (ECWT)The potential longer term beneficiaries will be future health care employees and managers, health care providers and their clients, as they will receive employees with relevant competences and ability to develop their skills in cooperation with professions with supplementary competences.