Water is life. It is a precondition for human, animal, and plant life as well as an indispensable resource for the economy and fundamental in climate regulation.PoVE Water Scale-up is a joint initiative of 8 VET schools, 7 Water industry professionals, 4 academic partners and 3 support partners in Europe (NL,DE,MT,CZ,LV,EE,BE) and beyond (SA) to educate our VET students to become agile, digitally skilled and sustainable oriented water sector professionals that our future desperately needs.The aim of the project is to integrate Vocational Excellence in the Water sector, thus ensuring high quality skills and competences that lead to quality jobs and careers, meeting the needs of an innovative, inclusive and sustainable economy.Objectives and activities are:• Expand the holistic approach to Vocational Excellence in the EU Water sector by securing a central role of VET in the regional Innovation Ecosystems and further developing strong and enduring relationships between VET, research & the water industry.• To expand PoVE Water geographically in a sustainable way (environmentally and economically) in line with the EU Green deal by setting up and interlinking CoVE Water networks that operate on interregional level.• Drive innovation in water related VET on a regional and EU level by developing contemporary (Digital, VR) learning materials.• Ensure that current and future water sector professionals have the key skills & competences demanded by developing blended training programmes.• Increasing student’s, teacher’s and professional’s competence for international mobilities by organising international mobilities as common practise in Water related VET.• Building EU and global recognition for PoVE Water as a worldwide point of reference for VET in the water sector.• Future proof the workforce for the Water sector and avoid a brain- & skillsdrain by securing current and increasing future students in water related studies.

<< Background >>Changing market conditions, digitalisation and emergence of Internet of Things, require from SMEs reinvention of their value proposition threatening their survival as they often lack capabilities to innovate and compete on the global market on their own. That makes the ability to innovate collaboratively (engage in open innovation) a key competence for SMEs in the current and future market conditions (Vanhaverbeke 2017). However, currently open innovation (OI) competencies are rare in SMEs and, if present among SMEs, are usually limited to high-tech sectors. Meanwhile, OI support for SMEs is in most of EU countries in its inception. Up till now, the most popular support approaches are based on funding schemes for SMEs engagement in innovation with universities and other organisations and matching services. Meanwhile, the issue of SMEs readiness to engage in OI is still being neglected or, in the best case, approached based on methodologies transferred from large organisations. Such methodologies are often ineffective in the scope of SMEs activities (Vanhaverbeke 2017). More, OI support is usually targeted at the most capable tech-intensive sectors. But, EU economy is strongly dependent on SMEs activities and in case of many EU regions no/low-tech industries are the main agents of economic activity and job creation. Without engagement in innovation, those SMEs are highly sensitive to market turbulence and their future sustainability is at risk. Innovation becomes especially strong differentiator in the Agri-food industry, where application of new technologies and modern processes creates massive competitiveness gaps between firms (Byrum & Bingham 2016).Lack of understanding of OI opportunities, lack of the competencies to effectively engage in OI and to integrate it in company strategies are serious barriers for SMEs across non-tech sectors to engage and benefit from innovation, which decreases their competitiveness and resilience of EU economy. Especially, SMEs in usually highly traditional industries such as agri-food sector are struggling to embrace modern collaborative strategies for innovation such as OI. But, such industries are of high relevance for European economy, in many EU regions being a relevant pillar of their economy and future orientation related, among others, with smart specialization strategies. The high relevance of OI for competitiveness of SMEs and their ability to engage in meaningful innovation makes overcoming barriers to common engagement of EU SMEs in open innovation a critical issue for competitiveness and innovativeness of EU. However, measures supporting SMEs engagement in collaboration will not yield desired benefits if SMEs don't increase their abilities to effectively engage and benefit from collaborative development methodologies.<< Objectives >>Considering the high importance of OI competencies for SMEs, lack of effective solutions to support their development in no/low tech sectors and high-relevance of increasing OI within the agri-food and bioeconomy sector, the VOIS project is looking to contribute to filling this gap. It will support building SMEs managers ability to effectively engage in open innovation activities to enable SMEs in no- and low-tech SMEs related with agro-alimentary production and bioeconomy active engagement in relevant innovation and ensuring innovation-based sustainability of their businesses. Within the project, the VOIS partnership will develop a comprehensive Virtual Open Innovation Environment allowing SMEs to, in an effective way, improve their open innovation competencies and ability to implement open innovation in their firms. To this end, the Virtual OI Environment will incorporate 3 specific areas with opportunities for SMEs competence building:Area 1 – Organisational Area in a form of practical tutorial regarding open innovation strategies/methodologies for SMEs for capacitating participants to design them and implement them in their organisations, Area 2 – Individual Development Area focused on development of Open Innovation Competencies of Managers as individual leaders, competencies required for their ability to manage activities in the scope of open innovation. Following the CMOI model (Podmetina et al. 2017) this area will address :1.Building ability to work with people from different communities, disciplines and functions.2.Managing collaborative innovation processes.3.Knowledge management in-house and across organisations.4.Communication and networking.5.Cultural awareness.6.Adaptability and flexibility.Area 3 – Open Innovation repository – a resource base gathering already available tools and support measures for SMEs open innovation.Within the collaboration between international experts from business, academia and social sector with diversified knowledge, competencies and economic context, partners will develop and disseminate the Virtual OI environment, not only as a professional development tool for SME managers, but also as a relevant tool for VET and SME support organizations for providing relevant market oriented opportunities to their stakeholders. Moreover, the project will bring together a group of international partners with diversified profiles and expertise to work together toward developing highly novel solution for support of OI competencies in SMEs within agro-food and bioeconomy sector that will provide the organisations unique tools to support competitiveness of business agents in their regions and a pool of staff with multidisciplinary expertise in the area, unique at the regional and international level. Through generating the unique expertise, tools and increasing OI competencies of SMEs in the targeted sectors, the project is expected to contribute to increased capitalisation on policy measures for support of open innovation in EU, as well as more directly to competitiveness and innovativeness of the SMEs benefiting from the developed solutions.<< Implementation >>To this end the project will develop, implement and test the Virtual Open Innovation Environment designed as a one-stop- support for agri-food and bioeconomy SMEs to improve the ability to engage in and benefit from open innovation. To effectively reach this objective complementing the solution development transversal activities will cover management and coordination across the partnership, as well as monitoring, evaluation and quality assurance. Some of key milestones will include testing of the solution with the target group, consultations with External Advisory Board, multiplier events for exchange of the knowledge developed and dissemination of the solution among relevant stakeholders with aim to foster application of project results and of the lessons learnt. However, to ensure the project and solution realistic impact, the partnership will pay special attention to activities related with communication, dissemination and engagement of stakeholders, with specific strategy covering a mix of virtual, media-mediated and face-to-face activities carefully curated for maximum impact and outreach among relevant stakeholders.<< Results >>Within the project the main outcome will take a form of integrated Virtual OI Environment with methodology and tools for capacitating SME managers in Agro-Food and Bioeconomy sectors to engage and benefit from open innovation, with comprehensive modular development program consisting of 12 modules covering 2 critical development paths - 1st the development of OI competencies required at strategic organisational level; and 2nd the development of individual OI competencies of SMEs managers, both further complemented by OI repository gathering existing relevant resources (support measures and competence base) to allow users a one-stop-access-point to possible development and support opportunities for open innovation in SMEs in the Agrofood and Bioeconomy sectors (see IO1 description for details). Additionally, intermediary results for support of project development, implementation and impact will cover among others, management, communication and monitoring strategies, communication and dissemination materials (including webpage, social media pages and relevant contents, newsletters, leaflet, press releases etc.), performance, financial and dissemination reports, exploitation agreements, multiplier events, piloting questionnaires and reports.Besides the physical outcomes, the project is expected to result in:- increased competencies of SMEs managers in agro-food and bioeconomy sectors to effectively implement open-innovation activities in their companies' activities and successfully manage open innovation processes,- easy access of agro-food and bioeconomy SMEs managers to open innovation competencies development,- increased ability of VET and SMEs support organisations to support development of innovation competencies of SMEs managers, - development of critical competencies of partner organisations to provide support for SMEs in agro-food and bioeconomy to modernise and become innovative, - increased understanding and knowledge regarding open innovation, specific strategies and OI competencies among involved staff, - increased innovation-orientation within the agro-food and bio-economy in involved regions, - increased collaboration toward fostering innovation in agro-food and bioeconomy at regional and international levels.

The integration of many refugees is currently an urgent and outstanding task in many EU countries, and the accomplishment of this task requires the commitment of all social groups. Refugees who have sound professional experience and good entrepreneurial potential can be trained as entrepreneurs in the host country in a comparatively short period of time and integrated into working life as successors or founders of small businesses, thereby making valuable contributions to economic development. The project pursued this innovative and promising approach.Many SMEs experience a critical moment when the business has to be handed over to a new entrepreneur for age or other reasons. In fact, each year more jobs are lost due to failed business transfers than are created by start-ups. One of the main reasons for the failure of transfers and the associated high job losses in many EU countries is the large and growing shortage of qualified successor entrepreneurs under status quo conditions. By qualifying and integrating refugees as entrepreneurs, the project made important contributions to securing SME handovers and business start-ups. Against this background, the project pursued the outstanding goal of achieving the integration of refugees and securing SME handovers as far as possible by a) rapid integration of refugees into working life through training and promotion as entrepreneurs. b) attracting additional target groups and increasing the number of potential SME successors and founders. (c) improving entrepreneurial skills in order to attract qualified entrepreneurs, ensure innovative success and safeguard and increase the number of SMEs and jobs.The project was carried out by 5 partners from Germany, Italy, Austria and Hungary. The internationally active lead partner is particularly experienced in training and promoting SMEs. Three partners are chambers of commerce and associated institutions, which have been dedicated to the training of entrepreneurs and the promotion of SME handovers and business start-ups for many years. One university is successfully involved in the training of entrepreneurs and is particularly experienced in the development of curricula and evaluation processes.The project comprised 7 work packages with the following main activities. 1. Project management and implementation of 6 workshops and 2 international consulting and transfer conferences. 2. Identification of individual competences and entrepreneurial potentials of refugees. 3. Specialized language training and training promoting motivation and creativity. 4. Training as an entrepreneur, which can be completed with an official further education degree. 5. Training in preparation for an SME takeover or business start-up. 6. Inclusion of the trained refugees in existing support programs as well as accompanying coaching and integration programs from the competence assessment until after a successful business takeover or start-up. 7. Transfer of the project results to 70 chambers and higher education institutions/universities from 13 countries, which were involved in the project implementation as associated partners and received sustainable implementation advice, and implementation of further dissemination measures. For these main activities, instruments, methods, curricula, examination regulations etc. have been developed, tested and evaluated which can be used in all countries. Individual instruments and curricula have been so successful that they are already being used in all Baltic Sea countries for domestic and foreigners, for the recruitment and qualification of entrepreneurs. For the five products of the project - Blueprints for the reliable identification of entrepreneurial skills and for advising individual career and educational planning, - Curricula for language training as well as training promoting motivation and creativity for activities as entrepreneurs, - Curricula and examination regulations for entrepreneurship training, - Curricula for preparatory training and blueprints for the implementation of SME takeovers and business start-ups and - Manual with distribution via bookstores high sustainable uses are ensured with a process-oriented expansion of the implementation regions including financing.The project pursued a bottom-up strategy: By means of a rapid, successful qualification and integration of refugees as entrepreneurs or specialists in SMEs, companies and their organizations were to gain their own experience with foreigners on a broad basis and thus bring about sociopolitical changes in behavior. This strategy has had its first effects, particularly in Hungary.

Europe could become more competitive and more innovative by recognising the role of VET in R&D. The European Commission is aware of that. The Council Recommendation on VET calls for the establishment of CoVEs, acting “…as catalysts for local business investment, supporting recovery, green and digital transitions, European and regional innovation and smart specialisation strategies, development of vocational education and training, including at higher qualification levels (EQF levels 5-8) in line with national context and provide innovative services such as clusters and business incubators for start-ups and technology innovation for SMEs, as well as innovative reskilling solutions …”. In the same vein, Erasmus+ has included applied research (AR) in VET as a priority. The objective of AIRinVET is, after understanding existing experiences, to define the role of VET in R&D by proposing a European reference framework for AR in VET. This framework will help European countries and regions to build more competitive innovation systems. To produce the framework, we will: 1- Do a mapping of VET centres involved in AR in Europe and abroad. The AR affinity group of the World Federation of Colleges and Polytechnics will support us. 2- Do case studies to explain, describe, evaluate, and understand different approaches to do AR in VET. 3- Analyse how VET AR activities can fit in different policy contexts in Europe 4- Identify financial models of AR in VET. 5- Create a glossary to clarify the meaning of the term “applied research”, and other terms related to R&D, in the context of VET. 6- Identify the main barriers to engage SMEs: What are the success factors? 7- Create tools to develop VET staff and teachers mind-sets for AR. 8- Develop a framework and work on ways of building the capacity of VET systems to work on AR projects.9- Co-work with established AR agents within regional innovation ecosystems

"<< Background >>Investments in the training of VET teachers and trainers to improve their knowledge and ability to use Digital Technologies are generally insufficient, as recently analysed by OCSe (2021) and ILO (2021).This inadequacy is even more relevant if we consider that the priorities of Next Generation EU insist on the need for technological infrastructures and the strengthening of education and vocational training systems, in line with the objectives of full implementation of the Digital Education Action Plan 2021/2027.Digital transformation is already reshaping society, the labour market and the future of the economy. Technology innovation is the main driver of this transformation.Employers face challenges in recruiting highly qualified workers in different economic sectors. Vocational education and training (VET) systems are consequently undergoing an unprecedented impact that has made it necessary to rethink teaching methodologies based on experiential learning, including: workshop-based teaching activities, work-based learning, apprenticeships and all learning experiences in conditions of direct use of skills in the work environment.<< Objectives >>The project partnership, composed of different actors active in the vocational training sector, identified the following strategic objectives:1.To develop a framework of innovative pedagogical approaches and an appropriate quality framework to support the digital transformation of work-based learning experiences;2.To develop a competence framework on emerging digital skills for the VET trainer needed to innovate Work-based Learning methodology, laboratory and experiential online learning. The competence framework will be modular;3.Encourage VET trainers to acquire specific competences to design, deliver, evaluate and validate skills learned through Digital Work-based Learning experiences;4.To develop a training course to enrich the digital skills of VET trainers, available at a distance on the ""Deal with Digital Work-based Learning"" platform, aimed at integrating the use of Digital Technologies in Work-based Learning experiences;5.Create stimulating and inclusive opportunities for VET trainers to further their professional development;6.Enrich and make more attractive to learners the training opportunities based on Digital Work-based Learning;7.To innovate and make more attractive the cooperation instruments between training actors and enterprises, making work-based learning experiences more accessible through digital tools<< Implementation >>In order to achieve the above-mentioned objectives, the partnership will carry out the following activities:1.Definition of a quality framework for digital WBL and lab-based learning. The partnership will carry out research on innovative pedagogical approaches on digital technologies to support the design of Digital WBL;This will be followed by a mapping of quality standards for the design and delivery of digital experiential learning and learner competence certification systems, including the formulation of ILAs Individual Learning AccountsThe partnership will collect and systematise 50 best practices for lab-based digital learning, following criteria related to application domains (mainly Mechanics, Green Jobs, Medical Professions), replicability, learner skills certification processes, digital skills sought by Trainers;The Guidelines for integrating quality standards in the design of Digital Work-based Learning paths will be reviewed and validated by the project stakeholders;A Learning Activity will be realised at the Cooperative State University of Baden-Wuerttemberg;2.Definition of the main emerging digital skills for trainers, and promotion of self-assessment tools for trainers' digital skills;3.Definition of a joint training pathway and curriculum for achieving the learning outcomes necessary to design, deliver, validate and certify competences for VET learners through Digital Work-based Learning experiences;4.Development of learning and training materials (along with methods, pedagogical approaches and tools);5.Implementation of a collaborative training and e-learning platform to ensure that all developed materials are accessible through the creation of an open online course;6.Piloting of the ""Deal with Digital Work-based Learning"" train-the-trainer course;7.Experimentation of pilot actions of Digital Work-based learning through delivery and involvement of learners;8.Development of blueprint and action plan for the innovation of VET programmes towards Digital Work-based learning<< Results >>The project deliverables are organised in the following Intellectual Outputs:-IO1 Guidelines for the design of blended VET training courses: Digital Work-based Learning and Distance Experiential Activity;-IO2.1 Emerging digital competences model to support VET trainers in the design, delivery, evaluation and certification of competences acquired through Digital WBL-IO2.2 Blueprint for the development of digital competences applied to the design, delivery, evaluation and certification of blended learning of VET trainers-IO3 Cross-media platform for educational learning pathways-IO4 Training of Trainers course ""Deal with Digital Work-based Learning"". -IO5 Toolkit for the implementation of Digital WBL in VET learners' learning pathwaysThrough the implementation of the project activities the following results are expected to be achieved:-200 VET trainers from Italy, Spain, Hungary, Lithuania, Germany involved in digital skills awareness and assessment activities, -50 Trainers trained through the ""Deal with Digital Work-based Learning"" course-50 Good Practices of Digital Work-based Learning design, responding to the pedagogical and qualitative framework and validated by the Stakeholders-200 VET students from Italy, Spain, Hungary, Lithuania, Germany, sensitized to experimentation opportunities related to Digital Work-based Learning-50 students involved in the experimentation of Digital Work-based Learning pathways-60 NEETs made aware of Digital Work-based Learning opportunities-100 Stakeholders involved in the validation of the project deliverables. The main stakeholders that have already signed letters of adhesion as associated partners to the project are: an international association of VET providers; a national association of Parents; experts of innovative pedagogy approaches; experts of Digital Technologies; the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research; the Emilia Romagna Region."