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Registrations are open! Creating Effective Innovation Ecosystems

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We are pleased to invite you to the webinar “Creating Effective Innovative Ecosystems” which will take place on 19 April 2021 at 10:00 CET.

Innovation ecosystems: a complex set of relationships

The term innovation ecosystem derives from the analogy with biological ecosystems. These are a complex set of relationships among the living resources, habitats, and residents of an area. Their functional goal is to reach sustained equilibrium.

An innovation ecosystem describes the complex set of relationships among very diverse actors and entities, which work for technology development and innovation in a territory. Amongst others, this includes the material resources and human capital of universities, colleges of engineering, business schools, business firms, venture capitalists, industry-university research institutes, state or regional economic development agencies and chambers of commerce, funding agencies and policymakers.

Partnerships, competences and talent

Regions are facing a paradigm shift from closed innovation and linear subcontracts to open innovation ecosystems. Value chains are becoming more interregional and a wider spectrum of stakeholders is necessary. In this context, communication, collaboration and engagement on all sides are essential to attain effective innovation ecosystems.

Ecosystems are smart when all segments of society take part to build a culture of co-design and co-creation in their area. The participation and integration of diverse collaborative partnerships is a key enabler to support and foster innovation ecosystems.

In this context, facilitating the involvement of Technical Vocational Education & Training centres (TVET) in innovation ecosystems is imperative to increase the availability of competences and talent.

The webinar will look at:

  • The elements that enable an effective innovation ecosystem;
  • how regional ecosystems involve different levels of education, and in particular whether TVET stakeholders are involved.

How to join the webinar

Click on the “register here” button below

or go to the Skillnet events page and choose:

  • E 421 – Creating Effective Innovation Ecosystems | @: Online () 19.04.2021 10:00 CET
Register here

Speakers and the agenda of the event will be announced soon.

This webinar is organised as part of the SKILLNET series of webinars on EU funding opportunities. SKILLNET is a project funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission aiming to strengthen the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system’s role and capacity to design high-quality VET programmes tailored to current societal needs through enhanced transnational and cross-sectoral partnerships.

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Registrations open! Innovation and Farming: Applications of Advanced Manufacturing in the Food Value Chain

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We are pleased to invite you to the webinar “Innovation and Farming: Applications of Advanced Manufacturing in the Food Value Chain” that will take place on 26 March 2021 at 10:00 CET and focuses on advanced manufacturing solutions in driving sustainable change in the agrifood sector

It will offer regions and stakeholders engaged with the agri-food sector the opportunity to learn and share experiences about how regions, companies, and Vocational Education & Training centers can identify common information communications technology (ICT) and advanced manufacturing solutions in driving the change in the food processing and supply chain, in order to foster regional cooperation based on the shared goals and values of the Smart Specialisation Strategies.

A new approach to food production

The agricultural sector, as in the case of other industries, is impacted by global trends related to demographics, economics, and climate change. Therefore the question is how to jointly address the societal and economic challenges in the food sector?

The agri-food sector contributes significantly to the support of the Sustainable Development Goals, from the Zero Hunger to the Decent Work & Economic Growth. Hence, the production of sustainable food is a key priority to ensure both societal and environmental wellbeing across regions. Yet, this poses a set of challenges to the producers when it comes to their capacity to remain competitive in the market. To overcome these challenges, the need to investigate and design innovative approaches involving Advanced Manufacturing techniques and digital tools becomes crucial to unlocking new solutions that can help farmers to work more efficiently and sustainably and, in turn, revolutionise the agriculture sector. 

The webinar will look at

  • How agriculture is making use of data mobility, industry 4.0, and new technologies
  • Regional examples of innovation and skills strategies in food tech and value chain
  • The role of TVET in helping sustain innovation in the agrifood sector

Agenda

Innovation and farming: Applications of Advanced Manufacturing in the food value chain

26 March at 10:00 CET

  • 10.00-10.05 – Housekeeping rules, quick presentation on Skillnet, Valentina De Vico, Communication Manager, Skillman Team
  • 10.05-10.10 – Opening remarks and introduction to the webinar, Cornelia Carmen Madaras, Advisor at the Foreign Affairs Office of the Alba County Council
  • 10.10-10.20 – Applications of digital technologies in the agriculture sector, Miguel de Porras, Director at the Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FIBL 
  • 10.20-10.30 – Building innovation in the agri-food sector through EU projects, George Beers, Horticultural Engineer, Wageningen University and Research
  • 10.30-10.40, Regional practice from Vojvodina, Mladen Petres, Assistant Provincial Secretary of Agriculture, Water Management and Forestry, Province of Vojvodina
  • 10.40-10.55 – Panel discussion and Q&A session
  • 10.55-11.00 – Closing remarks 

How to join the webinar

Click on the below “register here” button

or go to the Skillnet events page and chose:

  • E 420 – Innovation and farming: application of Advanced Manufacturing in the food value chain; 26/03/2021 10:00 CET
Register here!

This webinar is organised as part of the SKILLNET series of webinars on EU funding opportunities. SKILLNET is a project funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission aiming to strengthen the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system’s role and capacity to design high-quality VET programmes tailored to current societal needs through enhanced transnational and cross-sectoral partnerships.

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Vocational Training in Times of Lockdown and Pandemic

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Reducing the number of early leavers from education and training across the member states is one of the EU’s priorities in the field of education. The risk of an increased number of drop-outs from education is a growing concern in Europe; with the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbating the challenges faced by vulnerable learners. In this context, young peoples’ feelings of exclusion and isolation may impact their motivation to continue studying, enrol in training or find a job, with considerable costs for individuals and society at large. To counter this trend and facilitate mutual learning between regions and vocational education and training (VET) organisations, the AER hosted our second Skillnet webinar of 2021. This webinar focused on how to prevent young people leaving education and training early in the challenging context of a global pandemic.

The event was part of our series of webinars on EU funding opportunities organised as part of the Erasmus+ project, Skillnet. These webinars bring together experts in different fields linked to vocational education and training (VET) and aim to build partnerships for future EU project proposals. 

A tool to support learners at risk

On 28 January, the Skillnet webinar “Vocational Training in Times of Lockdown and Pandemic – Preventing early school leaving” brought together experts working in the field of Vocational and Educational Training (VET). The webinar had the aim of sharing knowledge and concrete examples of how regional authorities and educational institutions are coping with the new challenges posed by the pandemic.

The event brought together around 70 participants, and drew on the expertise and insights of an international panel of experts in the field. The discussions began with a presentation by Irene Psifidou, Expert at the Department for Learning and Employability of the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (CEDEFOP). Ms. Psifidou underlined the importance of community involvement to support learners at risk. Young people dropping out of school happens as a result specific social, economic, educational, and family circumstances. Therefore, the type of support a learner requires will depend on the specific needs of that individual.

With this in mind, Ms. Psifidou then presented CEDEFOP’s VET toolkit for tackling early school leaving, the first online toolkit of its kind. This valuable, evidence-based and interactive source of support to policymakers and education & training providers is designed to help students reintegrate, remain in, and graduate from upper-secondary level education. It contains an array of resources ranging from from good practices to statistical reports, with the ultimate aim of developing tailored, targeted policies aimed at meeting the specific needs of learners at risk.

Moreover, CEDEFOP is at the forefront when it comes to reducing the rate of school drop-outs. Through its network of Ambassadors tackling early leaving from VET, they help disseminate the toolkit and enrich its resources by disseminating good practices, news, publications, and statistics. The opportunity to become an ambassador is open to individuals from all EU member states, the European Economic Area (EEA) and EU candidate countries.

A societal problem; an emotional response

Closing the discussion, Borja Castellet, Project Manager at El Llindar, gave an overview of how their “Second Chance School” in Catalonia has kept their students engaged during lockdowns by adapting teaching to their needs, both emotional and educational. Their education programmes are based on diverse learning environments designed to offer each student a training itinerary tailored to their needs and aspirations. This highly personalised and integrative orientation and subjective accompaniment ensure that young people at risk of isolation are monitored and supported while they develop their skills for the future labour market.

The examples presented during this discussion show that despite the pandemic there are practical solutions available to support learners at risk. In the first instance, it is crucial to ensure the right equipment is available to all students to support distance learning, that appropriately translated material and opportunities for digital training are provided, and there is a greater focus on the emotional side of learning through actively listening to learners at risk. At the same time, collaboration among regions and VET organisations across Europe and beyond is essential to develop tailored actions and programmes that can be applied broadly to different social contexts.

To learn more, you can download the presentations from the webinar on the event webpage, and join discussions through the Peer Learning Clubs!

Open and Future EU funding opportunities and initiatives:

This webinar was organised as part of the SKILLNET series of webinars on EU funding opportunities. SKILLNET is a project funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission. Through building transnational and cross-sectional partnerships, SKILLNET aims to strengthen the Vocational Education and Training (VET) system’s capacity to design high-quality VET programmes tailored to current societal needs. To this end, after each webinar, a bulletin with open and upcoming EU opportunities is circulated among relevant stakeholders.

Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

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New mobility services: qualification profiles and skill needs

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On 11 December as part of the 2020 Skillman International Forum, the Assembly of European Regions hosted the webinar “New mobility services: Anticipating skills and job roles“. This webinar brought together experts working in the new mobility sector, who exchanged perspectives and examples of how emerging skill needs and professional profiles are being integrated into this growing sector by regions and private stakeholders.

The event was part of the series of webinars on EU funding opportunities organised by AER within the Erasmus+ project Skillnet. These webinars bring together experts in different fields linked to vocational education and training (VET) and aim to build partnerships for future EU project proposals. 

Transformation of mobility services and the need to embrace the change

New mobility services offer potential solutions to a wide range of growing challenges like congestion, lack of space, rising populations, air quality, noise pollution, social inclusion, health, economic development, and job creation. However, the sector must be fully prepared if we are to make the most of these opportunities. Edwin Mermans, Senior advisor at the Department of Mobility and Infrastructure of the Noord-Brabant Process (NL) and process manager of New Mobility Services, highlighted that there is a growing skills shortage in the mobility services sector which could seriously delay the development of the services and hurt customers’ expectations. To bridge this gap, it is vital to understand what skills the future workforce will need, and retrain workers so they can make the best of this emerging labour market.

Regional perspectives on re-skilling for new mobility services

Two examples from regions were presented during the webinar, which shed light on how regions are tackling the skills shortage within new mobility services.

Ms Federica Rossetti, Innovation Manager at Innovazione Automative e Metalmeccanica based in the Abruzzo region (IT), presented the Erasmus+ project ‘A.U.T.O 4‘. This project focused on meeting the skill needs within manufacturing companies in the area of smart technologies by developing tailored training and education programmes; supporting the transition towards new mobility services.

A.U.T.O 4 brought together partners from four countries (Italy, Spain, German, and the UK) who worked together in the identification of “qualification profiles” and/or “occupational profiles” for the workforce in the automobile production. Using a mutually developed methodology, they identified newly required skills that have been analysed to define existing job profiles to adapt, as well as new job profiles to be boosted. As a result of the analysis, a new job profile, “Automotive Digital Mechatronic X.0.”, has been identified at the European level.

As explained by Carlo Poledrini, Director at the Arst (Sardinian Regional Transport Entity), new mobility services also offer solutions for the creation of new jobs. Mr Poledrini provided a detailed overview of the how the transport sector has evolved in the Sardinian region, the new skills demanded by the sector, and how the region is assessing these needs. He underlined that a greater emphasis on soft skills, digital skills, and enhanced specific managerial competences are fundamental and urgent for the development of the sector. Actions must be supported with innovative and up-to-date education and training schemes, as well as the establishment of specific career paths from secondary school onwards (as for the electrical transition of buses and rolling stocks).

Both speakers concluded that the mismatch between the current skills and the new mobility services sector’s needs can only be tackled through joint action, and underlined the importance of EU funding opportunities in bridging this gap.

Currently open EU funded opportunities and activities:

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Defining the new skills for an inclusive future at the Skillman International Forum 2020

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As a proud partner of the Skillnet project, AER is very pleased to provide an overview of the very first virtual 6th edition of the yearly SIF – SKILLMAN.EU INTERNATIONAL FORUM 2020, about redefining the future of learning, which took place on December 10th and 11th 2020. Practitioners, innovative academics, and industrial experts in the field of  Vocational Education and Training joined forces to promote an approach to curricula design based on skills foresight analysis.

This year the Forum adopted a holistic approach to face the new challenges risen during the pandemic in the context of skills and job opportunities. The underlying theme of the event was the importance of assessing and therefore providing key skills that people have to possess, especially in the Advanced Manufacturing sector, to actively participate in the society of tomorrow.

Let the curtain open!

The Skillman International Forum kicked off with the welcoming statements from Giovanni Crisonà, founder of the Skillman.eu consortium. The participants had the opportunity to hear that the skills mismatch between demands and labour offer, as well as the consequences of the pandemic, can be resolved by rebranding the Vocational Education and Training systems (VET). In this regard, it is instrumental to look at this shift of paradigm internationally by setting cross-sectoral collaborations and integrating the IT tools in any field of training.

Morning session

The morning session was the perfect venue to hear about the challenges for VET systems for the uptake of skills that can aid in the twin ambitions of the green and digital transition. In this context, providing a real on-the-job experience that makes it easier to acquire both hard and soft skills is instrumental, as well as strengthening collaborations between the public and private sector. Additionally, the pandemic is providing an opportunity to rethink how digital learning can be best integrated into VET curricula, by developing digital labs and web applications able to ensure that no one is left behind.

Afternoon session

During this session, participants had the opportunity to choose the pavilions according to their topic of interest: The IVETA pavilion addressed the issues that TVET stakeholders need to consider with regard to accessibility and inclusivity, from the work-life balance and wellbeing to the shift to the digital learning platforms. The EAPRIL pavilion focused on describing Skillman’s self-assessment tool for VET excellence, which detects labour market needs to foresight skills. The AER pavilion highlighted how VET programmes can support the transition towards a circular economy by boosting new skills in the population

The first day of the SIF 2020 ended up by expressing the instrumentality of virtual mobility in providing valuable opportunities both to participants and entrepreneurs, and the exchange of best practices from all around the world.

Second round!

Morning session

On the occasion of the second day of the event, participants turned the attention to the skills needed to master the challenges of the labour market of the 21st century. The impact of the pandemic has dramatically accelerated the need for VET systems to re-engineer certain parts to make them more responsive to changing labour market needs, and flexible to provide training to a broad audience, including adults in need of re-skilling.

Participants in the late morning had the possibility to attend different pavilions, among which the AER for those interested in the skills needed for the New Mobility Services sector, and break-out rooms listening to best practices, new assessments, curricula design and digital learning tools, such as SELFIE tool for digital-age learning in VET schools and companies, presented at the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre break-out room.

Afternoon session

The final session of the event showed the importance of integrating training and engagement by using innovative technology learning devices. In this regard, the development of high-technological tools and applications play a key role in reproducing work and learning experiences while entertaining users, a key asset in increasing the interest in VET centres.

Participants promoted the “action-driven” model of vocational education centres where expertise and good practices are transferred also at the regional level creating synergies and collaborations, through a sustainable and multistakeholder approach. Eventually, the event presented the result of the discussions of the Peer Learning Clubs, the four groups of discussion which we are glad to invite you to join to shape the future of Vocational Education and Training centres, allowing exchange and empowerment via online and on-site activities.

Wrap-up!

The Skillman International Forum 2020 provided food for thought of possible initiatives to re-engineer the VET systems by changing the pedagogical approach, innovating the teaching method facilitating the all learning process with the right digital support, and last but not least by increasing the motivation and excitement of people to enact the right change. Building on discussions of the sessions and the overall findings, this is just another step to explore the pathways of VET may develop to address the future challenges that also the pandemic has posed. The transition should go beyond digital transformation and focusing also on the new models of work-based and community-based approaches that boost inclusive and lifelong learning.

Partnership in Focus

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Join us at the Skillman International Forum

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The sixth edition of the Skillman International Forum is getting closer! Do not miss the opportunity to learn more and contribute to ‘redefining the future of learning’!

On 10th and 11th December, the 2020 edition of the Skillman International Forum (SIF) will be held online. The event is a yearly appointment launched by the Skillman Alliance in order to provide a space for exchanges relevant for improving the framework of education and Vocational Education and Training (VET) systems. This year, the SIF will focus on redefining the future of learning in the advanced manufacturing sector through a variety of activities and contributions.

Through webinars, workshops, roundtables, pavillions, award ceremonies, and a VET cafè held and moderated by international speakers and experts in the TVET field, the conference will offer a space for discussing and analyzing the main challenges faced by the Advanced Manufacturing sector, specifically:

  • The identification of challenges and definition of new approaches in the design of new and innovative curricula during the pandemic
  • The conceptualization of a systematic approach to skills foresight for curricula development
  • The design of curricula balancing Skills for Life and Skills for Work.
  • How the Advanced Manufacturing sector can meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and what are its responsibilities in this regard
  • Social innovation, societal impact, societal challenges, and ethical issues
  • “Twin Transformation”, for a green, digital, smart, and sustainable growth.

The two-day event will be a valuable opportunity for exchanging ideas, keeping informed on publications and innovations, and networking for international projects and cooperation.

AER Pavilions at the Skillman International Forum

The Assembly of European Regions is glad to contribute to this event by hosting two webinars on EU funding opportunities, organised within the Skillnet project co-funded by Erasmus+ Programme. On the 10th of December from 15:30 – 16:30, the webinar on the “Circular economy revolution: Opportunities and needs in the labor market” will focus on the impact and opportunities that the circular economy brings about for employment and social inclusion and how VET programmes can contribute to effectively achieve the circular economy transition.

On the following day, 11th of December from 11:15-12:15, our next webinar “New mobility services: Anticipating skills and job roles” will aim at providing the numerous participants at the SIF with relevant information and examples concerning new jobs and skills needed as a result of the development of new mobility services.

Further information about the two webinars will be shared soon!

Visit the SIF Event Page
REGISTER HERE

Here you find the tutorial to register to the Skillnet webinars (1.15 min)

Photo by Skillman International Forum

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