BACKGROUND AND CURRENT SETTINGOne billion people live with some form of disability (WHO), at EU level, about 24% of persons aged 16 and over declared a disability, furthermore the aging EU population is growing intensely. The number of people with access needs is therefore significant and growing. Equal integration into society, including travelling and experiencing cultural heritage is a real challenge. Cultural heritage (museums, galleries, monuments etc) provide significant opportunity for social inclusion, sense of community, informal education and lifelong learning; as such accessibility should not be a barrier! Better inclusion through CH interpretation is not just about social responsibility but is a business imperative representing market potential for tourism. This project tackles this need through education of students, future experts, but also current CH staff to improve access for all.PARTICIPANTSThe project involves 5 countries, 9 project partners and 20 associated partners incorporating experienced Project Managers, academics, researchers, and the AccessCULT target groups. Main target groups are STUDENTS (at least 60 directly involved) and CULTURAL WORKERS (at least 50 directly involved). And the final beneficiaries are PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES (at least 20 directly involved) from partner countries.Wider stakeholder groups, such as media, decision makers and certification bodies will be addressed with the expected number of stakeholders reached to be >5000 EU wide.PROJECT AIMS, OBJECTIVES, ACTIVITIES AND METHODOLOGY UNDERTAKENAccessCULT aims to IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY OF CULTURAL HERITAGE across Europe through exchange of good practice and by developing, implementing, testing, improving and promoting an innovative multidisciplinary HE module for students, future experts, and an adult training for existing cultural workers.Through education and training it is aimed to develop knowledge, skills and competencies to enable cultural workers in museums and galleries to respond to the needs of visitors with wide ranging capabilities to ensure they are able to access, enjoy and benefit fully from our rich cultural heritage.AccessCULT will implement project activities through 8 Work Packages (WP). The main results will be 6 Intellectual outputs (O1-6), 4 Multiplier events (O1-4) and 2 Teaching/Training activities (C1-C2) as follows:>O1: In-depth Analysis of needs>O2: Specification of learning outcomes>O3: Higher Educational Module “Accessible Cultural Heritage for All”>O4: OER - Online adult training “Accessible Cultural Heritage for All”>O5: Implementation and testing of a 6-month study programme (n= 60; 15 students in 4 partner countries); 1-month blended (online and on-site) adult training for current CH workers (n= 50 across 5 partner countries); 10 Pilot guided tours carried out by students and trainees as “Accessible Museum Coordinators”.>O6: Business plan and Catalogue with Recommendations for System and Policy Makers for optimal exploitation and sustainability of results>E1-4: Round tables for stakeholders in 4 partner countries>C1: 5-day Train-the-trainer event (Slovenia)>C2: 5-day Train-the-trainer event (Lithuania)>E4: Final International Conferences with at least 60 participants>Management, Promotion & Dissemination Campaign and an Evaluation Plan will also be implemented.IMPACT:AccessCULT will have impact on participants, participating organisations, target groups and other relevant stakeholders. PWD will benefit through improved access and learning from cult. heritage. This will be achieved through enhanced knowledge and skills for current and future CH workers. A multi-disciplinary holistic approach will be undertaken combining subject disciplines and a new understanding of visitor and staff requirements to inform the novel educational material.AccessCULT will exchange and build upon EU good practice, accessibility guidelines, and apply applicable ethical and VET guidelines to ensure EU added value and widespread impact. ECTS certification and ECVET certification possibilities will be assessed. The educational material will be maintained and accessible beyond the project.Close cooperation with the end beneficiaries (people living with disabilities, students and CH workers), will ensure they gain learning benefits from participating, ensure the validity and acceptability of the outcomes and encourage promotion to a wide range of cultural institutions and stakeholders. Besides end users, they will act as advisors, co-creators and evaluators.An extensive EU network of stakeholders alongside a newly established network of Accessibility Museum Ambassadors (at least 20) will contribute to the promotion of accessibility itself and to the dissemination and sustainability of project results. Key to the longevity of the project impact will be a detailed Business plan and Recommendations for S&P makers that will ensure the outcomes are exploited beyond the project.

<< Objectives >>The objectives of the project are:-Develop an innovative Curriculum to be implemented in all partner universities for the training of Specialist Nurses (SN) and Advanced Practice Nurses (APN)-Provide trainers and lecturers of in-service and student nurses with innovative digital teaching skills and methods-Create an online Repository of digital and virtual reality based scenarios and diagnostic challenges to be used as teaching and learning sources to qualify nurses<< Implementation >>-Transnational research activity comparing existing curricula for training Specialist Nurses and Advanced Practice Nurses -Creation of a joint curriculum for training Specialist Nurses and Advanced Practice Nurses -Creation of an online training package to train trainers and lecturers on the implementation of digital based education and training methodologies and solutions-Collection, documentation and analysis of case studies and diagnostic challenges for nurse training<< Results >>-An innovative Curriculum for the qualification of Specialist Nurse and the Advanced Practice Nurse -An online e-learning package on the application of modern online digital teaching techniques, on the use of medical virtual reality techniques to qualify Specialist Nurse and the Advanced Practice Nurse -A Repository of digital and virtual reality based learning scenarios and problem solving diagnostic challenges to allow the development of important practical skills

"<< Background >>ECO-SHIP is an international maritime and environmental education project. It is addressed not only to young people aged 15-29, but also to teachers, educators and other people working for sustainable development, maritime and environmental education. The project responds to the challenges of the modern world, i.e .:1. Progressive deterioration of the natural environment, including the marine environment.2. Insufficient knowledge about the marine environment among school-age people.3. Narrow ecological understanding of young people.4. Lack of motivation to pro-ecological activities among young people.5. Lack of effective tools for disseminating the principles of sustainable development. Thanks to our activities, we would like to contribute to slowing down the degradation of the natural environment, including the marine environment, disseminating the principles of sustainable development, increasing the level of knowledge about the marine environment among young people and increasing awareness and activity in the field of pro-ecological activities among them.Cruises on school sailing ships are a valuable example of non-formal education. During sea voyages, young people become a crew - they learn the safety rules and how to operate a ship. Above all, they get to know the natural environment in a direct way, it is at the junction of two elements - the sea and the wind, it depends on them, it is part of them. They also learn about the relationship between sea and land. To act wisely and safely, they need to understand how this environment works. Consequently, there is a sea awareness, humility towards nature, and when it is necessary, the need to protect the natural environment. During the cruises, an educational program is implemented, which aims to show science as a passionate area of life, encouraging participants to gain knowledge, skills and experience in the field of broadly understood maritime issues and environmental protection. In the process of maritime education (sail training), positive life attitudes and key competences in the physical, mental and emotional spheres are shaped, which provide a solid foundation for young people who are to act as mentors, instructors or educators in the future. Maritime and sailing education is an important supplement to school education. At school, young people acquire knowledge in the field of basic sciences - exact, natural and humanities. The problem is that students usually do not translate school knowledge into practical attitudes, behaviors or activities. They do not treat the acquired knowledge comprehensively (integrally), they are unable to use it to solve the problems of the contemporary world. Our maritime education program aims to use existing school knowledge, supplement it and then focus on specific activities. It puts emphasis on creativity, independence, ability to work in a group, responsibility. The relationship between teachers (mentors) and students is more of a partnership, focusing on the development of both sides, and the possible relationship (hierarchy) results from the possessed knowledge and experience. Our project is focused on developing effective teaching tools in the field of maritime education, environmental protection and sustainable development aimed at young people in 3 European countries. In the project, we will train 30 Environmental Officers who, based on our Educational Program, will change the approach of young people.<< Objectives >>The aim of the ""Eco Ship"" project is to increase the knowledge and skills in the field of maritime education, environmental protection and sustainable development of youth aged 15-29 in the Baltic Sea Region by creating ""The Baltic Sailor catalog"" containing elements of ecological and sailing education.Furthermore, we plan to disseminate created educational programme to reach the widest group of stakeholders - schools, other educational organisations, institutions very often working with people with a risk of social, economic or geographical exclusion, to give them the possibility to use our project result ""The Baltic Sailor catalog"".<< Implementation >>The project implementation will be divided into several phases.Phase 1 - Preparatory:- The agreement on the implementation of the project will be signed by all project partners.- Composition and principles of operation of national management teams - selecting from each organization people who will be involved in the project and those who will be responsible for developing the project result - ""The Baltic Sailor catalog"".- Establishing the rules of efficient communication process.Phase 2 - Research:- The process of conducting the analysis and work on the project result – the analysis will proceeded by all the partners.- Creation of the educational program in the field of environmental and maritime education (""The Baltic Sailor catalog"").- Adapting tools for trainers to effectively conduct workshops for young people.Phase 3 - Training:- Training of 30 environmental officers aged 15-29 (10 persons from each partner country) to work with youth in the field of environmental and maritime education. The activity will be organized onboard Sail Training Ship General Zaruski when young people will have the possibility to gain the knowledge in practice. It is planned to organize 2 educational cruises with 15 Environmental Officers in each (5 persons from each country). Phase 4 - Dissemination:- Organising 3 multiplier events - dissemination conferences organised in each partner country connected with demonstration of educational workshops for youth conducted by trained in the project Environmental Officers.- Publication of the project results - the English version will be promoted on our website, social media and the Erasmus + Project Results Platform.- Cooperation activities between regional organizations to promote the development of education systems, training for youth and their integration into local and regional development activities.- Establishing new cooperation between organizations participating in the project on the basis of letters of intent.During the project it is envisaged to organize 5 transnational partners’ meetings to discuss and plan further steps in project implementation.The monitoring of the project activities will be a continous process throughout the project lifetime.<< Results >>RESULTS DURING THE PROJECT1. Knowledge•Increasing knowledge about sustainable development, environmental protection and ways to reduce waste in households.•Knowledge of the sustainable development goals related to health and the environment: Objective no. 3 ""Good health and quality of life"", Objective no. 6 ""Clean water and sanitation"", Objective no. 7 ""Clean and accessible energy"", Objective no. 12 ""Responsible production and consumption "", Goal no. 13"" Climate Action "", Goal no. 14"" Life under water "", Goal no. 15"" Life on land "".•Increasing knowledge in the field of sailing ships, working at sea, ways of dealing with crisis situations, providing first aid on board and health and safety rules during training courses on the high seas.•New techniques of conducting workshops based on non-formal methods of working with young people.•Knowledge of how to work in an intercultural environment, intercultural differences and methods of effective learning in such environments.2. Skills•Increasing the skills in the field of waste segregation and other pro-ecological activities and behaviors. •Contributing to the personal development and social skills of young people aged 15-29.•Use of theoretical knowledge in practice.•Development of creativity, critical and analytical thinking.•Ability to make independent decisions, work in a group.•Ability to work under time pressure and stress.3. Attitudes•Raising awareness of the problems and needs related to environmental education in the international community.•Increasing the proactive attitude of young people.•Increasing responsibility among young people for their behavior and choices, especially when it comes to pro-ecological activities.•Awareness of cultural differences and respect for them in everyday work.RESULTS AT THE END OF THE PROJECT1. Knowledge•Increasing the knowledge among 30 people aged 15-29 about marine and ecological education such as marine litter, euthrophicstion, chemicalisation, loss of biodiversity, invasive species.•Increasing the knowledge among organizations implementing the project in relation to the methodology of building international educational programs.•Knowledge on the effective evaluation of projects in the field of non-formal education.•New methods of disseminating and promoting the results achieved.•Knowledge of effective methods of communication in an international environment with large intercultural differences.2. Skills-Training 30 people aged 15-29 to work with young people in the field of conducting educational activities at sea.-Increasing the skills of 30 Environmental Officers aged 15-29 in the scope of conducting workshops based on elements of non-formal education.-Contribution to increasing the professional competences of 30 Environmental Officers aged 15-29 in sailing and ship work.-Recognizing dangerous behaviors on board, the ability to counteract them and predict individual behavioral effects.-Speaking the language of benefits, results, expressing your needs and proactively solving problems.3. Attitudes•Developing a cultural dialogue between partner countries and their participants by working together on the results of the project.•Increasing social awareness among young people aged 15-29 about climate change and its effects. + eutrophisation etc.•Development of attitudes of partnership cooperation, focused on the development of both sides between educators / teachers and young people.•Young people consider the topic of ecology an important topic and follow the principles of limiting the negative impact of humans on the environment.•Openness to non-formal workshop methods."

MOTION’s context lies in overtourism in five EU regions: Toruń, Poland; Granada, Spain; Klaipeda, Lithuania; Fehmarn, Germany; and Rovaniemi, Finland. The project addresses overtourism problems, such as overcrowding, tourism’s problems with residents, environmental & heritage degradation, and low-quality experiences. Six project partners, Laurea UAS, Kiel UAS, Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń, University of Granada, Klaipėda University and municipality of Monachil, form a strategic partnership to create awareness leading to actions to combat overtourism issues. Awareness and actions are aided by MOTION’s objective to help SMEs and students generate solutions and new sustainable tourism services with Futures and Design Thinking. Objectives leading to awareness creation are to develop a prospect business model tool that takes sustainability into account, a toolkit to help tackle overtourism issues, and an online community for online training, networking and co-creation for SMEs and HEIs. One objective is to create a handbook to help other territories to multiply the results, and to create a Futures Vision that will guide regional decision-makers and businesses in developing sustainable tourism. At least 125 students and 14 teachers and professors will participate in this process, together with at least 25 SMEs and five associate partners. Additional students will participate in many activities through their interest and studies at their HEIs. Residents in the regions will be involved in some ways during the project. The priorities of MOTION include the environmental and climate goal, innovative practices in a digital era, and tackling skills gaps and mismatches. With the activities, MOTION focuses on the priorities, aims and objectives to create awareness on sustainable tourism and overtourism issues. Activities include developing sustainable tourism services with SMEs, Case Studies from the activities, Futures scenario workshops in regions, regional scenario books, a prospect business model tool, an online community for sustainable tourism, a solution toolkit, local guidelines and policy recommendations, a handbook on processes to multiply results, as well as a Futures Vision on sustainability, and surveying the present situation of tourism (autumn 2020) in the EU and organizing an online sprint ideathon. Five Intensive Study Programs, seven Multiplier Events, one Short-Term Staff Training are organized. The main methodologies implemented are Futures and Design Thinking and LFA, and different Intellectual Outputs have different methodologies to run the output work, such as PDCA, LFA, and design-based research. Results and impact envisaged include increased awareness among target groups on overtourism and sustainable tourism, sustainable new tourism services, co-creation activities on regional level between different stakeholders, 625 ECTS from ISPs, 220 workshop/Multiplier Event participants; and results listed above. Potential long-term benefits include SMEs and others interested in sustainable tourism receiving training in the online community after the project ends; co-creation activities between SMEs and HEIs; multiplied results in other territories; increased number of sustainable tourism services; and high-season problems becoming smaller due to increased awareness and actions taken to solve overtourism issues. Also benefits include: increased awareness of a person’s own impact in sustainable tourism, business and consumer behavior through joint activities, workshops, multiplier events and dissemination activities; and higher awareness concerning the state of the future, individually, in organizations, in regions through joint activities, workshops, multiplier events, policy recommendations and dissemination activities. More benefits are skills in Foresight, Futures & Design Thinking through joint activities, staff training, workshops, learning activities, online community; increased sense of initiative and entrepreneurship through joint activities, workshops, multiplier events, training and learning activities, online community, policy recommendations and dissemination activities; as well as improved levels of skills for employability and new business creation (including social entrepreneurship) through joint activities, workshops, learning and training activities, online community and its courses, multiplier events, policy recommendations and dissemination activities; and more active participation in society through all project’s activities.

The Blue Bioeconomy defined as ‘the production and conversion of renewable marine biological resources into value added products, such as food, feed, bio-based products and bioenergy’ entails a large set of opportunities for European coastal communities. Innovative business models based on circularity; short-chains, digital solutions and ecosystem contributions offer the chance to stabilize and create new enterprises and jobs also for the lower-educated; while transforming remote, rural areas also into interesting, revitalized, climate-friendly places to live. However, blue bioeconomy actors struggle with challenges related to technology, lack of knowledge & skills or regulatory barriers. BlueBioClusters brings together 12 support organizations from across Europe, all of them highly engaged in their 9 regions in assisting start-ups, companies and policy makers to make best use of innovations. They have joined forces to improve, develop and implement new support tools and methods based on systematic collection, benchmarking and joint knowledge creation on *blue biobased value chains, practice cases and incentives, WP2; *ecosystem service valorization, WP3; *technology needs, identification and transfer of solutions, WP4; *start-ups/SMEs; experts and support mechanisms (coaching; co-creation), WP5; as well as *‘Communities of Practices’, to foster long-term stakeholder cooperation within and across the regions; WP6. While we expect to create long-lasting impact already within the project lifetime by engaging with hundreds of actors within our regions to stimulate collaboration and actions for change; activities are designed to be continued post-project, being also open for other Blue Regions, clusters and individual companies to join. To that end, the inter-active BlueBioCluster platform will not only serve as a repository of the projects’ outputs in terms of stakeholders and services, but is set up in such way, that it will be continuously updated and maintained by and with its users also post-project.