"Persons with Limited Health Literacy (LHL) do not benefit as much as they could from healthcare services. LHL is associated with earlier onset and faster progression of diseases, higher rates of hospitalization and higher mortality rates. Healthcare providers often have insufficient competences to communicate effectively with persons with LHL. The main objective of IMPACCT was to improve the relevance and quality of education of medical and nursing students in Europe through development, implementation, evaluation and dissemination of a Health Literacy Educational Programme (HL-EP) to enhance the development of required Europe-wide health literacy competences. DEVELOPMENT OF THE HL-EP. To develop an educational framework with relevant learning outcomes, a co-creation approach was used involving over 600 stakeholders such as students, educators, healthcare professionals, citizens, and patients’ associations. A systematic review was conducted to synthesize evidence on the needs and perspectives of older persons with LHL. During an iterative process, basic and more advanced Learning Units (LU) were developed and revised. A Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) for (future) healthcare professionals was created and tested based on the content of the LUs. IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF THE HL-EP. A mixed methods approach was used to pilot test HL-EP educational activities in higher education settings. PROMOTING USE OF THE HL-EP AND MOOC. A qualitative study was conducted among educational decision makers in Europe to explore HL-EP implementation barriers and facilitators. A range of dissemination activities were developed to promote use of IMPACCT results.RESULTS: AN EVIDENCE-BASED HL-EP. Based on the input of stakeholders a person-centred and comprehensive flexible educational framework was developed using existing HL intervention models, educational frameworks (e.g. CanMEDS), and the systematic review (https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31694299/). The HL-EP contains education on four main themes: a) strengthening patients’ support systems, b) strengthening patients’ self-management capacities, c) improving healthcare professionals‘ interpersonal capacities, d) reducing barriers in healthcare organizations. FEASIBLE AND PROMISING HL-EP. Most learning units (1ECT or more) have been tested at least once between March 2018 and December 2019. Overall, 26 pilots of learning units took place in six countries: Italy, Ireland, Germany, China, Ireland, and the Netherlands. After training students were more aware of the needs of patients with LHL and more skilled to provide person-centred care. All topics were seen as relevant and educational activities were well received by students and educators. Students also responded positively to online education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Educators were positive about integration into existing curriculum. The HL-EP was independently recognized as best practice in the Joint Statement of the European Thematic Network ""Profiling and training the health care workers of the future"".HL MOOC PROMOTES LIFELONG LEARNING. The HL MOOC at FutureLearn reached over 1200 learners with different backgrounds. The MOOC was evaluated positively and learners feedback will strengthen its quality. Multiple reruns in 2021 will help increase HL-EP impact and transferability. Additional funding from EIT Health and UMCG supported development of a second MOOC on organisational health literacy and person-centred care.ACCESSIBLE HL-EP AND POLICY BRIEF. The qualitative research showed that each context has different needs and asks for different approaches to enhance implementation of (components of) the HL-EP. Therefore, the HL-EP offers adaptable, student-centred, practice-oriented and competency-based education. All the materials of the HL-EP are freely accessible (http://healthliteracycentre.eu/impacct). A manual contains relevant guidance for educators such as the educational philosophy, learning outcomes, educational activities and assessment. HL-EP offers more than 80 evidence-based educational activities, such as interactive lectures, role-plays, assignments, and workshops. IMPACCT has summarised the main results, lessons learned and recommendations in four scientific articles and a policy brief, aimed at raising awareness among education decision-makers, policymakers, researchers, educators and other key stakeholders of the importance of HL education and promoting its integration into health professional education.IN CONCLUSION. This comprehensive and person-centred HL-EP will strengthen the HL competences of (future) healthcare professionals. A number of healthcare professional undergraduate programmes including medicine and nursing have already integrated content of the HL-EP in their curriculums and it is expected that many more organizations will follow. The IMPACCT consortium expect that the HL-EP will contribute to better person-centred care for everyone but especially for those with LHL."

The European Council’s recommendation on a framework for quality and apprenticeships, designed to help young people enter the world of work outlines 14 criteria to define quality and effective apprenticeships, ensuring both the development of job-related skills and the personal development of apprentices. The third criterion highlights the role of pedagogical support in successful mentorships, stating that “In-company trainers should be designated and cooperate closely with VET Providers and Teachers. Teachers and trainers (mentors) should be supported to update their skills.”In its guiding principles, the Thematic Working Group on Trainers in VET does not advise on having a formal qualification as a requirement for mentors, but suggests that they should have the possibility to acquire and constantly update the necessary training-related competences to oversee the practical training and acquisition of work experience by apprentices/trainees at the workplace.Reflecting on that, MentorTrain aimed to create a platform for imparting pedagogical skills to mentors, particularly experienced workers from SMEs who may not necessarily have relevant teaching experience. Our focus was on mentors in companies who work with professional higher educational institutions at EQF levels 5-7.MentorTrain defined the specific competences required by early-stage and experienced mentors, and used this to define learning activities that can be used to acquire these competences, structured as a common curriculum for mentorship within PHE-apprenticeships.These were used to create an “Online Training on Mentorship of Apprentices in PHE” (https://mentortrain.eu/online-course/) aimed at prospective and early stage mentors, made up of a set of modular online micro-learning units, each of which allow participants to master a specific competence relevant to quality mentoring.To assist experienced mentors in designing detailed training-plans for specific placements, the consortium created a methodological guideline on applying “A Design-Thinking Approach for Defining Placements”, which was piloted by mentors in four countries, across a total of 12 placements:Motor Vehicle TechnicianElectronic Maintenance TechnicianMechatronics TechnicianF&B ManagerIT specialistAccountantAuditorMedia WorkerSocial Pedagogue at a Low-Threshold Facility for Children and YouthElectrical EngineerMechanical EngineerLogistics EngineerFinally, the consortium managed to supplement all the work done by creating a resource pack of templates and forms which can help mentors standardise each part of the mentorship process. In particular the pack focused on: periodic teaching, training and/or demonstration activities to be held by the mentor; periodic feedback and evaluation activities; formal review meetings, including participants and timeline; the general objective of the placements; specific tasks (with clear outcomes) to achieve the objective. The partnership of the project consists mainly of Institutions of PHE, and European/National networks of Institutions of PHE. The project was designed to address current and predicted needs of mentors from companies working with such institutions, and the outputs are intended to be used directly by these institutions and by their stakeholders. Specifically:PHE Institutions are able to improve the quality of the apprenticeships they offer, by assuring that mentors delivering the apprenticeships have appropriate pedagogical competences and by ensuring that placements are designed using a quality-controlled process;Enterprises, and in particular SMEs, can find it easier to onboard and manage apprentices, since they are now able to refer their nominated mentors to a training scheme to prepare them for the role. In addition, enterprises can benefit from the design-thinking approach to placements, which allows them to identify the problems they have when hiring recent graduates, and propose learning activities within the placements that would address these issues;Prospective mentors within enterprises are able to assess their own readiness to take on the role of a mentor, as well as show their competences in the area for purposes of promotion, with the use of the competence framework for mentors;Students of PHE are the ultimate beneficiaries of these activities, benefiting from a more uniform experience across placements, and consequently, higher quality education & training and better prospects for employment at the end of the mentorships.

Institutions of professional higher education (PHE) play more and more an important role in enhancing European competitiveness and innovation capacity, especially on the regional level where PHE institutions act as connectors and crucial links between the regional SMEs, regional organisations and the society. In addition to this role of PHE, the applied research activities play an important role in developing students' skills including their innovative thinking and enterpreneurship and contribute thus to further economic growth and jobs within the regions.Despite the wide benefits of PHE institutions activities within society and their region and the fact that in many regions they act as the connecting link between the regional actors (authorities, employers, organisations), their full potential is still to to be revealed. The wide range of activities falling within applied research, innovation and regional engagement and their relatively small scale make it relatively difficult to address them as a whole when it comes to support, assessment and recognition. Due to its practice-oriented approach and specific characters, the applied RDI and regional activities do not fit the same metric as the reaearch and activities done at the more traditional universities.Therefore there is a need to support further development and enhancement of the PHE institutions staff capacity to engage into applied research activities, link these to teaching and develop relevant ways for engagement of students in these activities.The main objective of the project is to strengthen the profile of applied RDI in PHE in Europe - both within the institutions, as well as towards the regions they operate within.Specifically, the project intends to- gain an insight into the scope and nature of applied RDI activities within PHE institutions in Europe- clearly distinguish the different competences required of applied researchers- assist researchers in RDI to enhance their capacities (also on involving students into applied RDI activities and cooperating with small businesses)- provide a clear future vision for applied RDI in Europe, together with a strategy on how to achieve it.From the research perspective, the project will produce an overview or RDI activitiesFrom a practice perspective, it will design a competence framework for researchers.The teaching component of the project will design a modular online course on applied research skills.The policy component of the project will concisely explain the distinct profile of RDI research, and use scenario-building methodologies to forecast possible futures for the areas, so as to make recommendations as how to strengthen the profile mof RDI within PHE institutions, through funding, training and regulations.The impact of RECAPHE will be most felt at local and regional levels via enhanced capacity of staff of concrete PHE institutions within the project or benefiting from the project outputs. EURASHE participation will give to the project European dimension (also through EURASHE RDI Work Group).

The project focused on the training and building up the capacity of management and governance in order to improve the higher education sector in the involved countries so that it can face the new challenges brought by globalization and the knowledge society. The aim is not only to increase higher education quality and accountability, but also to close the gap with developed and emerging countries. This challenge needs creative and innovative approaches to higher education institutions but also highly motivated, trained and dedicated managers at HEIs. The general objective of the project is to to contribute to the modernization and reform of the management system within HEIs in three Asian countries (MN, VT, CB) and to strengthen the competencies of top and middle managers of these institutions. More specifically, the project aims at introducing Information Management Systems (IMS), upskilling human resource (HR) and financial management staff and facilitating administration and student enrolment processes. Likewise, the project will establish project management offices as an approach to change management through a strategy that addresses the unique challenges of each HEI.The project redefines effective change leadership and management for HEIs where it requires leaders who can facilitate a complex process of transformation – not only in the core higher education activities of learning and teaching, research and engagement but also in how the university operates, in its culture, governance, structure and how it positions itself and supports staff and students. The project will serve as a reference in the country for inclusive leadership education . The project helps to integrate the efforts of a wide variety of players at every level from academia, operations and administration, and help reshape unsupportive or unaligned systems, structures, funding mechanisms, leadership roles and performance indicators.

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