Facing the energy problems after the war and new ways of work and life due the Covid-19 restrictions, the EU direction of green and digital transitions seems even more urgent than ever before. The double transition, however, requires also individuals to upskill or reskill. While qualifications and degrees from initial education and training play a key role in Europe, alternative credentials, are increasingly seen as a way to add to, and/or reform, existing qualifications systems. Microcredentials (MCs) are frequently portrayed and promoted as a new way for individuals to build their own skills-profile (portfolio) by collecting and ‘stacking’ learning in a flexible way, at their own pace and according to their own priorities. The general objective of the project is to reinforce the link between EU and non-EU countries of South-East Europe (Western-Balkans) through the analysis and definition of MCs in VET in order to support the relevance, accessibility and responsiveness of VET institutions and systems to changes on the labour market. Partners will define the MSc in partner countries and try to apply a common definition with standards and key principles for their design including their portability. Based on the definition, partners will design a joint course in from of a MC in the sector of engineering, specifically in 3D printing technology with a strong integration of employers in the design of learning outcomes. The new joint course will be tested in each country on a sample of VET students and learners with an accompanying mobility of VET teachers and trainers in the form of a Train the trainer event. During the definition and design of the MCs, partners will have peer-learning activities (PLA) with a large number of VET teachers, trainers and experts in order to share experiences and knowledge about MC and their development, curriculum design, and integration of employers in the development process in VET.

ACROSS- “Appraising transversal skills in green jobs for employability of youth and workers in restructuring processes” contributed to strengthening the capacity of VET and labor market organizations to reduce the gaps between available skills and labor demand and to deliver innovative tools to bridge such gaps focusing on two main tenets: sustainable development in the so-called green economies and the appraising of transversal skills as portable skills in times of high unemployment and restructuring. The project has looked at green jobs as a cross-sectorial overhaul of traditional jobs in transforming/ restructuring sectors and the development of innovative, technology- and efficiency-driven new jobs also in traditional sectors. ACROSS has highlighted distinctive features that adapt general transversal skills to the green context and the different meanings that “green” could have in different job profiles and specializations. Led by a European network specialized in training and inclusion of people at risk, TANDEM PLUS (FR), the partnership is made up by diverse but complementary partners, operating in the relevant fields of VET and employability operating directly in many territories in different Members States, covering 9 different countries (FR, IT, PT, DE, HR, BE, NL, DK, FI), with expertise in different realms of IVET and CVET, including capability to adapt policy, devising and delivering career support services, effective transversal competence assessment, support to entrepreneurship, analysis and development of tools, also ICT driven.The needs identified at the project’s start: (1) the transition to new forms of “green” economy is not easily foreseeable but necessary to the fields of education, training, employment and business support services (2) the weak capability of micro, SMEs to identify not only products, but human capital with suitable skills to transit to a greener approach; (3) high need for flexible (on-the-job, practical) sound methods for skills appraisal and development available in the portfolio of VET providers; (4) the effort to develop tools for green skills must not be a separate policy from wider frameworks. To respond to these needs, ACROSS has identified the following specific objectives:1. To expand and improve the knowledge of current practice on ACROSS’ two tenets to provide partners and other stakeholders with concrete methodologies and tools2. To provide multi-stakeholder accepted analysis of issues and innovative, blended solutions as a set of concrete tools for professional development to be streamlined in wider VET frameworks; 3. To test and transfer ACROSS tools and strategies 4. To make the project’s results and outputs accessible to the highest possible number of actors, stakeholders and beneficiaries The project’s first output, “the ACROSS knowledge toolkit”, has drawn on different analyses of sectorial trends (CEDEFOP, OECD, ILO) and builds on past & current work, changes in the labour market, the experience in skills forecast, and the long experience in skills’ assessment and key skills/profiles for innovation, including the partnership’s experiences and work with SMEs. The partners have embedded the project into the appropriate transnational EU framework, using the ESCO (European Skills, Competences Qualifications and Occupations) taxonomy and standards. The extensive work done has been conducive to the development of three blended tools which are based on a cross-cutting principle: contextualization of transversal skills in jobs and work environments that have the attention to preservation, promotion and development of environmental, social and economic sustainability. The result is a set of integrated tools: a tool for transversal skills assessment (IO 3); a tool for guidance and employability in greening jobs(IO4); a tool to anticipate green skills needs(IO5). All tools are available online on a platform http://acrossonlinetool.eu/. A 5-day intensive joint staff training has been pivotal to the development of the methodology, which has been tested on a very small scale (IO6). The overall methodological approach has been codified in the “ACROSS model” (IO 2) and disseminated through local and transnational multiplier events to present the results of the project and to promote its approach to external stakeholdersBased on existing good practice and innovative tools, the ACROSS model and its tools are, at the end of the project, already re-used in mainstream VET and employment policy (ESF funded activities). The partner organizations are already – and plan- using the tools developed in the project as part of their service delivery, in some cases within larger policy frameworks at regional and national level. The small experimentation has shown that final beneficiaries appreciate the simplicity of the tools, and professionals deem them as useful new support in their job.

PROMOTING DIVERSITY ORIENTATION IN ADULT EDUCATIONAdult education institutions offer their services in a changing and diverse society. Therefore, students and employees in adult education organisations come from heterogeneous groups. The goal of DivCap was to promote inclusion and diversity in adult education (AE) at two levels: at the personal and organisational level. Support structures were established in AE institutions to enable them to successfully deal with the diversity within their organisations. In this way, a contribution to anti-discrimination and inclusion was made, and equal access to AE offerings was promoted. DIRECT TARGET GROUPS and participants were staff and managers of AE organisations. During workshops, case studies and pilot projects, in each of the 7 partner countries two organisations and their staff were involved. INDIRECT TARGET GROUPS were disadvantaged learners, in particular adult migrant, who were the final users benefiting from the more inclusive access. Furthermore, through a variety of dissemination activities, involvement of stakeholders and key persons in the field of AE and related areas, in total more than 43.600 persons could be reached.Undertaken ACTIVITIES and RESULTSKnowledge of and awareness for diversity issues was enhanced at two levels. At the level of staff in the involved organisations, the goal was to improve the personal competencies of the employees in dealing with diversity. Here, an “Applied Diversity Awareness (ADA)” workshop was tested in three pilot workshops. This ultimately resulted in a modular curriculum. The modular design aimed to meet needs in different settings. The approach of the workshop design is to deepen the cognitive understanding of diversity through concrete personal experiences; learning was initiated through different exercises, the “Diversity Walk” (a field visit) and reflection sessions. Profound work was furthermore completed at the level of the organisation. Here concrete measures to promote inclusion and diversity at an institutional scope were implement. In each country, the partner organisations worked together with a second educational institution that was committed to making concrete progress in enhancing diversity. This means that across Europe 14 educational institutions were involved in total. In the first phase, a special questionnaire was developed to analyse the organisations in terms of their diversity orientation. The questionnaire consisted of several subsections, which cover relevant areas for determining the diversity status. Additional to the English version, the questionnaire is available in Croatian, Dutch, German, Greek, Italian, and Spanish.The questionnaire and further models were used to conduct case studies to analyse the organisations in terms of their diversity orientation. The reports contained the findings of the analysis and recommendations for the implementation of concrete measures. These recommendations addressed different areas such as mission statement, human resource development, employee competences, or public relations. The most important results were summarised and used to create a tool kit for the analysis of an organisation and initiation of change processes. The tool is available in the form of an online tutorial on the website.In the second phase, concrete measures were implemented in pilot projects. The results of the change and learning processes in the 14 AE organisations were documented in reports. In the documentations, the processes were described as well as good practice examples, developed tools, lessons learnt and statements of persons involved. Different categories were pointing to areas where concrete measures were implemented: Human Resources, Structural change, Diversity competences of trainers, Diversity sensitive public relations and Adaption of educational offers. Furthermore, a video series was created, portraying 7 institutions and showcasing how each of them addressed the respective topics and the experiences they gathered on their way to becoming more diverse and inclusive. The experiences and findings in the 14 institutions were then distilled into overarching principles for the implementation and design of diversity processes in educational institutions. Guidelines for diversity processes were developed, as well as recommendations of managers and staff. All reports and handbooks can be found on the DivCap website. The video series was published on the DivCap YouTube channel. This will ensure that AE institutions across Europe, that are interested in introducing diversity orientation, can profit from the experiences gained. All tools and checklist, generalizable recommendations and guidelines as well as the curriculum of the ADA Workshop, were tested and are available for other organisations for transnational use. Furthermore, the structured documentation of the workshops, case studies and pilot projects serve as inspiring examples for other organisations.

"The European Union Council Resolution on a renewed European Agenda for Adult Learning highlighted that “much more remains to be done in relation to targeted learning for migrants”. The general objectives of SIGE is to support the social inclusion of low skilled people with a migrant background or belonging to a minority by contributing to the development and increase of a flexible blended gamified learning offer. In particular the objectives of SIGE are:- Research the needs of the low skilled people with a migrant background or belonging to a minority in relation with key competences and with how flexible, blended and gamified learning offer could deal with these needs.- Explore the educational potential of Gamification and game-based learning as an innovative instrument for enhancing active participation, engagement and inclusion in education and in society- Design an innovative blended upskilling learning course tailored for low skilled migrant or belonging to a minority that integrates game-based mechanics and game thinking to turn the learning process as a whole into a game as well as practical apps and tools to use games as part of the learning process- Design an innovative modular blended upskilling learning course tailored for low skilled migrant or belonging to a minority that integrates game-based mechanics and game thinking to turn the learning process as a whole into a game as well as practical apps and tools to use games as part of the learning process and that allows for the recognition of prior knowledge- Empower adult educators working with low skilled adult with a migrant background or belonging to a minority to use Gamification and game-based learning to deal with diversified groups and improve the quality of their teaching practiceWe aim at reaching these objective by implementing the following main activities:- Desk and field research to increasing knowledge of the local context in terms of education needs of migrants and people from disadvantaged background, thus obtaining a working environment fertile to the improvement and innovation of existing educational practices. The outcome can be used not only by Adult Educators, but also by other professionals, policy makers, stakeholders.- Creation of IO1 Adult education course ""Upskill through Gamification"", a blended course that aims to provide a unique gamified learning opportunity for people with migrants background or belonging to a minority to upskill and enhance their key competences and foster their integration and inclusion into society and the labour market. The course will be implementatedat the local level in each partner country.- Creation of OI2 “SIGE handbook for Adult Educators working with low skilled people with a migrant background” to support adult educational staff working with low skills people with a migrant background or belonging to a minority in using game-based elements and app in their teaching- Project Management and Dissemination, are also crucial in order to guarantee the correct and effective performance of the activities envisaged and ensuring that they are properly disseminated to the external audience.- Creation of SIGE network for cross-sectoral cooperation at the EU level focusing on Gamification for adult learners, that will gather the participating organizations of the project, accepting also any other stakeholder interested and aimed atSIGE is expected to impact on several levels:- At local level we expect to register the greatest impact, adult educators will in particular get acquainted with innovative methodologies to teach and foster the integration of people with fewer opportunities, in turn becoming active agents of similar new initiatives. The local migrant community and minorities will in be motivated to engage in adult training.- At the regional and national level we expect to see an increase and innovation of the educational offer for migrants at the regional and national level. More and more subjects, even among fragile ones, will be included in lifelong learning activities. The contribution of associated partners and stakeholders can encourage, at this level, a positive change also in terms of public policies able to support the integration of migrants into education.- At european level, thanks to the creation of SIGE network for cross-sectorial cooperation at EU level other European adult organizations and NGOs will be able to learn about our project, access the blended education course and adapt them to improve and innove their activities. This will develop a greater sense of belonging to Europe, the creation of new transnational projects and synergies and the development of new teaching paths with an international scope."

The European Union needs competences, innovation, balanced and integrated territory development in order to boost its growth. Indeed, innovation is not only a linear process, a result of R&D activities. On the opposite, more and more innovation sprouts in broad, multi-sectoral socio-economic contexts, strongly application-oriented, and through complex processes, integrating top-down (based on economic development policies) and bottom-up (user- and market-driven) approaches. Higher Vocational Education and Training (HVET), specially for qualifications around EQF level 5, has a relevant role, and a tremendous potential to that aim. In fact, its curricula: - link to high-tech production sectors; - without being academic, fulfil the market demand of technicians with new and high-tech competences, able to foster innovation and master and manage advanced organisational and productive processes; - lay between upper secondary school and university, right at the hub among education, academy and business; - are governed, designed and managed jointly by public authorities, schools, training bodies, enterprises; - are highly interesting to students, as they offer tempting perspectives on several fronts: steady employment, career advancement, continuous training.Aware of such challenges and potential, SHINE targets actors governing and managing HVET programmes, as well as to students, aiming at bridging the gap among individual local economic contexts and goals set by corresponding regional Smart Specialization Strategies, by acknowledging the role and innovative potential of high-level technical professional profiles. SHINE locates in the expertise of actors like ITSs in Italy, Fachochschulen in Germany, and others, the best tools to contribute to the development of local production contexts. The project followed a cycle foreseeing: - survey and evidence of excellence in HVET in partner territories, as to crosslinking HVET and business, management practices, governance; - peer review of excellence and identification of innovations/spillovers for improvement, especially regarding smart specialization and local development strategies, proactive approach to training and skills supply design, business involvement, ability to deliver innovation services; - definition of an innovative model for design and governance of HVET programmes, in order to encompass the above issues at stake; - piloting the model in practice, by local action plans; - assessment of results and subsequent identification of policy mechanisms to improve the use of EU tools (e.g. ESCO, ECVET) by HVET; - definition of possible improvement processes and related indicators for high level (national/EU) policies; - review of the model, by involving the “Triple Helix” stakeholders (training/innovation, business, institutions); - validation and fine tuning. In compliance with what mentioned above, the methodology adopted by the consortium includes a constant switch among bottom-up (collection of information, stakeholders involvement, piloting) and top-down (model definition, process definition) phases, always flanked by monitoring of progress made.Main results achieved are: - improvement of training offer by partners, with subsequent increase in the employment chances for students and in competitiveness for local companies; - improvement in competences of company trainers involved in programme delivery, thanks to sharing and discussion with other EU excellent partners; - set-up of a permanent, relevant EU network, gathering public and private excellent HVET actors; - capacity building of decision makers governing HVET, and subsequent acknowledgement of tools for reviewing innovation policies, with special regard to professional technical issues, as innovation driver inside business; - definition and piloting of a governance system, based on the integration of HVET policy makers and the labour market. SHINE is performed by a strong consortium of 8 partners in 6 EU countries: Italy, Germany, Sweden, Romania, Croatia and Belgium, representing a competent and skilled mix of public and private organisations, profit and non profit, decision makers and technical, with education and training organisations, employers associations, public institutions, European networks, in the spirit of providing for a true strategic partnership.