RURACTIVE aims to foster a just and sustainable transition of rural areas by developing smart, community-led, tailor-made, place-based and inclusive solutions within local Multi-Actor Rural Innovation Ecosystems (RIEs) in 12 pilot area (Dynamos - Ds) in 7 EU, 2 Associated Countries and Switzerland. RURACTIVE will unlock the innovation potential of rural communities by addressing six integrated Rural Development Drivers (RDDs) – namely multimodal mobility, energy transition, agri-food and agroecology, culture and cultural innovation, health and wellbeing, nature-based and cultural tourism – and transversally integrating climate change mitigation and adaption, biodiversity and social justice and inclusion. RURACTIVE will empower rural communities to act for societal change, by making available existing knowledge around smart solutions that integrate various forms of innovation (digital and technological, technical, organizational and social, business models and financial) and enhancing rural communities' capacities and skills, by providing training, capacity building, and knowledge transfer. Implementing a methodology for RIEs establishment in 12 Ds, RURACTIVE will work towards inclusive decision-making processes for all, including vulnerable groups and people at risk of exclusion, providing RIEs with instruments and capacities to collaboratively co-develop, co-implement and co-monitor smart and community-led solutions. Also, by offering an open set of data-driven tools (Decision Support Tool, Adaptive Monitoring tool), a digital infrastructure (RURACTIVE Digital Hub), and defining a programme for external Innovators, RURACTIVE will provide a fertile ground for change in rural areas. Results will be out-scaled through knowledge exchanges and networking at EU level (open contest for Additional Ds and RURACTIVE Forum), the deployment of training and capacity building activities for further rural communities and the creation of open e-learning courses and MOOC.

Learning science helps to train students in observation, reasoning and argumentation, which are some of the foundations for all learning. It also helps improve transferable skills, such as logic, critical thinking and organisation. In order to develop an awareness of the complex interactions in contemporary society between science, technology, society, education and the environment, it is important to have an understanding of scientific practices and processes. This understanding also helps students to become active, scientifically literate citizens. With waning interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) among young people, OTTER aims to enhance understanding of education outside the classroom (EOC) methods and how they can be utilised to increase interest in STEM subjects among students and improve their acquisition of scientific knowledge and transferable skills. The project will connect EOC experts from Finland, Hungary, Spain and Ireland, strengthening networks within Europe and building a foundation for the development of EOC pilot schemes within the four focus countries. The effects of these pilots on the performance of participating students, including their levels of sophisticated consumption and scientific citizenship, will be analysed to better understand the effects of EOC on EU citizens. The pilots will build on recent momentum in tackling environmental issues and help to promote sophisticated consumption by incorporating a theme of reducing and managing plastic waste. The analysis will seek to identify differences in the effect of the programmes on students from different geographical locations and of different genders, comparing those who participated in the EOC pilot schemes with students who only participated in formal education. OTTER will further aim to improve accreditation of EOC teaching methods within Europe, contributing to the selection of accreditation tools available for use beyond the end of this project.

The overarching aim of the project is to contribute to equipping all citizens with the skills and competences for the green transition. The specific objectives of the AELIA project are to: •Promote sustainability in all education sectors through designing and putting to the test guidelines for sustainability plans •Support educational institutions’ management and leaders to apply sustainability plans including monitoring and evaluating their sustainability levels through capacity building on the guidelines for sustainability plans•Increase the provision of quality educational resources by developing an educational framework based on a widened participation of all relevant stakeholders, based on excellence, expertise and a multitude of insights and perspectives•Build the capacity of educators and equip them will knowledge, skills, attitudes and values to integrate sustainable development and green transition in their work and become change multiplier agents•Strengthen the acquisition of knowledge and skills and empower all citizens to take action on climate, sustainable development and green transition •Enhance policy learning and mainstreaming by strengthening transnational cooperation and multi-actor dialogueThe project is partnership of organisations in Greece, Cyprus, Serbia, Romania and Austria and will have a duration of 36 months.During this period, the project's main results will be:- A guide for sustainability plans for educational institutions available in all partner languages and in English. - An co-designed educational framework with educational resources and online open course addressed to educational leaders, teachers and educators at all levels- Crowdsourcing platform and webinars for citizens- A white paper on integrating education for sustainability at all educational levels The proposed educational intervention has the potential to have a significant impact at local, national and European levels

In the recent years, technologies that enhance or recreate real world environments are increasingly influencing the world of the production industry and business. With Virtual Reality/VR, Augmented Reality/AR and the combination of both Mixed Reality/MR it is possible to simulate almost any process carried out in the physical world – and in business ranging from customer services to marketing, HR and production. The global VR/AR/MR market is growing exponentially and will have enormous impact on many areas of economy. Unfortunately, Europe has started slowly in utilising VR/AR/MR business and learning environments and is lagging behind its competitors, such as the USA, China and South Korea. Particularly within manufacturing SMEs, one of Europe’s economic pillars, all studies document a severe lack of awareness, insufficient investment and inadequate education.VAM*Rs tackles this situation by• raising general awareness about the role VR/AR/MR already plays in manufacturing industry and how this will increase significantly in the future• getting an overview of the current state of the art of VR/AR/MR hardware and software available on the market and their usability for manufacturing SMEs• getting insight to the current situation within Europe’s SMEs with regard to VR/AR/MR, including the current level of application, attitudes towards future developments, possible investment barriers etc.• providing HEIs and SMEs with useful tools and background information so they can self-evaluate their current situation regarding VR/AR/MR • increasing quantity and quality of HEIs training and consulting (to both, HEI students and SMEs) in this field• providing HEIs’ teachers with appropriate standards, knowledge, skills and competences to successfully execute business cooperation and consulting work• creating the largest European VR/AR/MR platform (500+ members) where HEIs, SMEs, VR/AR/MR providers, business representatives, policy makers etc. can meet and exchange