In the modern network economy, a typical industrial firm in Europe spends about 60% of their turnover on purchased components. More than half of the entire income of a firm is directly routed through to its suppliers. Hence, not only from the perspective of an individual firm, but from the perspective of European competitiveness the management of the buyer-supplier interface, i.e. professional Purchasing and Supply Management (PSM), is crucial. For that, world class training and education of purchasers are necessary. In a previous Erasmus+ strategic partnership project PERFECT (2015-1-DE01-KA203-002174) we empirically identified the skills characteristic for successful purchasers and developed a harmonised Pan European curriculum and a MOOC on PSM Fundamentals (www.project-perfect.eu). However since then, a new development gained unpreceded momentum, the fourth industrial revolution (I4.0). Cyber-physical systems with autonomous machine-to-machine communication are re-shaping parts of our economy. The PSM is one of the areas that is most strongly affected. Hence, the skill set purchasers need to manage and organise such systems and to efficiently prevail in an I4.0 world is changing, too. Within education as well as in industry there is a strong demand for directions on how to manage this change in general and how to educate and prepare the purchasing workforce in particular. The aim and innovation of this proposal therefore lies in a) identifying those skills which are likely to prevail and those which are newly added to the profile of a European purchaser to develop an I4.0 PSM Skill framework and b) developing a module-based course for higher education to teach these skills and c) to develop new, gamification and playful interaction oriented didactical elements for purpose student-centred teaching approach, including a gamified MOOC.The challenge is that currently very little knowledge is available on how to react to the I4.0 induced change from an educational perspective. The following questions arise:•How will the purchaser in the I4.0 have to act?•Which skills and knowledge are purchasers likely to need in I4.0?•And how to train current students as purchasers of the future in an efficient, modern way (i.e. student-centred), i.e. already reflecting the new technologies?The PERSIST consortium consists of five partners University Twente, TU University Dortmund, Lappeenranta University of Technology, Edge Hill University and EUB Bratislava with complementary skills in order to achieve the project objective and milestones. It brings together leading universities in PSM, European project management competence and practical exposure (e.g. associations and industry partner) with a very strong background and international network in PSM. For the evaluation and dissemination of project results the project consortium will be supported by an advisory board and associated partners.PERSIST uses a set of methods, including expert interviews and Delphi for the generation and verification of knowledge. For the practical application of a novel and student-centred teaching format, a module-based course using gamification elements and playful interaction concepts will be designed and created to train I4.0 changes. To design the module-based course the project PERSIST follows the didactic approach of Constructive Alignment for the design of competence-oriented lectures in academic contexts, starting with the definition of competence-oriented learning outcomes. Upon completion of PERSIST the following will be available:1.Providing a framework for PSM Skills in I4.0 for academics and practitioners (knowledge, skills and traits)2.Description of a multi-perspective approach to the collection of future competence requirements for PSM managers in the context of I4.0 (best practice world café, expert interviews and Delphi study)3.Describing a procedure for using gamification elements and playful interaction concepts in teaching courses (accessible tool-set using modern didactical tools such as online digital learning elements, gamification, MOOC)4.Developing a module-based course with digital and gamification elements for I4.0 PSM Skills5.Developing and providing open-source learning material to prepare students and professionals for the changes in PSM in the era of I4.0, e.g. gamified MOOCPERSIST will support Europe to seize the chances I4.0 is presenting, at a crucial interface. I4.0 is a great chance for the industrialised economies of Europe, which, however, have to get enabled to coin the revolution. On the long term, PERSIST is addressing an exceptionally strong lever to provide the European economy with a competitive advantage through embracing inevitable change.Via new learning and teaching methods in I4.0 PSM the students will form the future workforce in PSM in the I4.0 era and will lead to a better communication and understanding in strategic buyer – supplier relations.

"The aim of the project is development of strategic partnership among universities and creation of barrier-free environment for mobilities of students and teachers. The output will be preparation of complex materials for accreditation and implementation of a new course ""Methodology of Interpretation of European Cultural Heritage through Attractions in Tourism"" at all universities. The need of such a project is based of the survey, which showed a lack of compatible courses in the field of tourism for exchange students, and the need to improve interpretation of European cultural heritage. The content of the course will also reflect the mission of the European Commission concerning Europe as a cultural destination and 2011 EU Modernisation Agenda's priorities, particularly in respect of links to internationalisation, innovation and modernization of education and needs of labour market. The project will be implemented in partnership of 6 universities representing different European regions, capital and regional cities, and countries with diverse cultural heritage and its potential. (VSE Praha, CZ: architecture, monuments; University of Economics Bratislava, SK: local traditions and customs; Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Iasi, RO: religious and ethnography attractions; University of Applied Sciences-Fachhochschule Burgenland, A: attractions connected with music; Universidad Europea, Madrid, ESP: fine art; Fachhochschule des Mittelstands, Schwerin, GE: gastronomy). Such partnership is an opportunity for complex elaboration of the topic ""Interpretation of European Cultural Heritage"" and may motivate students for international mobility to universities which might be otherwise out of their interest. The Guidelines for the industry will enhance the opportunity for heritage managers to improve attractivity of cultural heritage. The project has a detailed action plan which will be regularly monitored and evaluated according to quantitative as well as qualitative indicators. The main activities of the project are: - Compillation of materials for syllabus, textbook and their didactic elaboration, examples of good practice, case studies, cooperation with the industry, analysis and definition of needs of the segments of visitors and setting the appropriate methods for interpretation of cultural heritage. - Transnational project meetings for networking, coordination of project implementation and evaluation. - Short term joint staff training events for detailed familiarization with elaborated subtopics and case studies by all partners. - Dissemination activities: organization of lntermational Conference, web pages, articles, papers, lectures at conferences outside the project, etc. - Project management: communication with partners, monitoring, budget monitoring, evaluation. The planned project outcomes are: Syllabus of a new course, with all necessary prerequisites for accreditation (detailed content of the course, time allocation of lectures, methodology, time requirements on students, assessment of students, planned integration into the study programme, operational organization of the course). Textbook of the length aprox. 400 pages (a survey of cultural heritage of Europe, detailed characteristics of subtopic investigated by individual partners, methodology of interpretation of the cultural heritage through attractions in tourism, examples of good practice and a case study for each subtopic). Guidelines designed for experts in the industry (informing about main methods of interpretation of individual parts of cultural heritage through attractions in tourism). Results of this project will bring benefit to students and teachers of the participating universities and to experts in the industry. In long-run the outputs of the project will indirectly bring benefit to teachers and students of other schools and to all visitors of cultural attractions in Europe. Preparation of the new course by an international team will have the advantage, that various approaches based on intercultural aspects as well as experience from different cultural backgrounds will be incorporated in the study materials. This will be a unique experience for all beneficiaries. The project outpus will be published in full (in English) on open webpages all partner universities and will be freely accessible. They will be technically user-friendly. The use of the material will be free of charge, will not be limited nor conditioned at all. Long-term utilization of project outputs is expected. The new educational course prepared within this project will become an integral part of study programmes taught in English at all universities involved. This means it will be available for all students including foreign students participating in student mobility. Most study and didactic materials prepared within the project will have unlimited, sustainable time utility and will be used also in ensuing years after the end of the project."

<< Objectives >>-Supporting silver workers in PSM to master the digital transformation and secure their sustained value within the changing working environment-Providing a (open-source) skill measurement tool to analyse silver workers competences with special regard to digital and I4.0 demands and identifying silver workers individual qualification needs-Developing a flexible qualification program and (open-source) learning modules which can be tailored to each individual to address the respective skill gaps<< Implementation >>Crucial activities to achieve the objectives are:- Establishing design principles for the skill measurement tool and learning materials by collecting data through a literature analysis, expert interviews and a survey to ensure the successful implementation and usability throughout a wide range of PSM practitioners- Developing curricula, learning courses and MOOC in accordance with design principles- Testing and disseminating project’s outcomes (e.g., through case studies, multiplier events)<< Results >>Our expectations about the outcomes are the sustainable application of our skill measurement tool and learning materials beyond the project’s end. Furthermore, our aim is to qualify silver workers for the upcoming digital challenges and thereby decrease ageism and concerns towards new techniques as well as increase their self-confidence using I4.0 items. For industrial partners, we will create synergies between know-how of silver workers and I4.0 techniques to strengthen their competitiveness.

"Uczelnie wyższe w dzisiejszych czasach najczęściej podkreślają w swoich Misjach potrzebę nowoczesnego kształcenia przystosowanego do rynku pracy oraz transferu wiedzy do społeczeństwa. Podejście interdyscyplinarne okazuje się nieocenione nie tylko dla naukowców, ale przede wszystkim dla studentów i absolwentów. Wzmacnia kompetencje przekrojowe, kreatywność i elastyczność, daje wiedzę i słownictwo umożliwiające lepsze zrozumienie innych dyscyplin, zapewnia niezbędne umiejętności komunikacyjne i przygotowuje do pracy zespołowej pożądanej na współczesnym rynku pracy. Europejskie instytucje szkolnictwa wyższego starają się zmienić swoje oblicze zgodnie z wymogami gospodarki opartej na innowacjach, stąd wzmacnianie interdyscyplinarności i rozwijanie nowoczesnych metod kształcenia i pracy jest szansą na zwiększanie ich zdolności innowacyjnych i dydaktycznych oraz lepsze przystosowanie do dynamicznie zmieniających się społeczeństw, gospodarek i rynku pracy.Głównym celem projektu było podniesienie poziomu interdyscyplinarności na uczelniach poprzez zastosowanie podejścia oddolnego, tj. wspieranie studentów, nauczycieli akademickich i kadry zarządzającej w rozwijaniu ich zdolności do myślenia dywergencyjnego, twórczego, projektowego (zgodnie z podejściem design thinking-DT). Wymienione grupy docelowe tworzą ekosystem każdej uczelni i każda z nich jest równie ważnym elementem całości, bez którego prawdziwa zmiana instytucjonalna nie jest możliwa. Pozostałe cele projektu są zgodne z następującymi priorytetami programu Erasmus +:1. Osiągnięcie odpowiednich i wysokiej jakości umiejętności i kompetencji, takich jak: kreatywność, adaptacja do szybko zmieniających się okoliczności, kompetencje międzykulturowe i wielojęzyczne, rozwój pracy zespołowej, elastyczności, umiejętności uczenia się oraz lepsze postrzeganie własnej zdolności rozwiązywania problemów. 2. Wspieranie innowacji i kreatywności poprzez partnerstwa, inter- i transdyscyplinarne podejście oraz wzmacnianie roli szkolnictwa wyższego w regionach. 3. Promowanie umiędzynarodowienia, uznawania i mobilności, wspieranie zmian zgodnie z zasadami procesu bolońskiego. Sam charakter projektu oraz szeroki skład konsorcjum projektowego wzmacnia per se rozwój procesu bolońskiego poprzez promowanie współpracy europejskiej oraz rozwój europejskiego obszar szkolnictwa wyższego.W trakcie realizacji projektu:- stworzono 5 produktów, które dostępne są bezpłatnie dla każdego w Internecie, - zrealizowano 20 wydarzeń upowszechniających (245 odbiorców), - zorganizowano 3 intensywne treningi z zakresu DT (84 uczestników), każdy skierowany do jednej z trzech powyższych grup docelowych,- zorganizowano 5 kilkudniowych spotkań partnerskich w siedzibach Partnerów (w 2020 r. zdalnie) i kilkadziesiąt spotkań online. Wiedza na temat DT upowszechniona w instytucjach partnerskich stała się m. in. przyczynkiem do zmian podejmowanych w programach kształcenia, jak również wprowadzania przez uczestników projektu metod DT w ramach prowadzonych zajęć oraz w codziennej pracy zespołowej. W UMCS na kierunku Socjologia wprowadzony został obowiązkowy przedmiot ""Warsztaty myślenia projektowego"", w ramach którego poznawane jest w praktyce podejście DT, Uniwersytet Bifrost wprowadził kurs z DT bazujący na IO2 oraz IO4, metody DT są również częścią nauczania Teorii Decyzji na Wydziale Biznesu. Na Uniwersytecie w Amsterdamie doświadczenia z projektu DT.Uni pomogły we wdrożeniu DT jako metody na nowych kursach i doprowadziły do ​​opracowania całkowicie nowego interdyscyplinarnego programu studiów na Wydziale Nauk o nazwie ""Ludzie, nauka i technologia"". W TU Dresden zostały wprowadzone regularne warsztaty DT dla studentów w katedrze Industrial Design Engineering, a do programu nauczania wprowadzono e-book IO2 (Wydział Informatyki), usprawniający już istniejące metody projektowania w nauczaniu. Metody DT są stosowane w dziale „Strategii i komunikacji”, stowarzyszeniu badawczym „DRESDEN-concept”, którego członkiem jest TU Dresden, klastrze CeTI, w administracji Wydziału Inżynierii Środowiska. Zespół STEAMhouse w BCU opracowuje nowy program warsztatów DT dla studentów. Pilotaż będzie prowadzony z udziałem grupy studentów różnych dyscyplin na Wydziale Informatyki, Inżynierii i Środowiska w lutym 2021 r. Ambicją BCU jest wprowadzenie tego typu programu na innych wydziałach, m. in.Wydziale Sztuki i Projektowania oraz Biznesu i Zdrowia, a techniki DT zostały użyte w badaniach naukowych i pracach rozwojowych związanych z eXtended BCU - projektem BCU badającym technologię AR/VR w celu stworzenia wirtualnych przestrzeni edukacyjnych. Również UEBA oraz IPG od 2018 r. wdrażają DT na kursach prowadzonych przez uczestników projektu DT.Uni. Projekt zapewnił dobre zrozumienie narzędzi i technik design thinking, doświadczenie w ich stosowaniu, sposób na wzbudzenie entuzjazmu i szkolenia innych oraz, co najważniejsze, pewność wykorzystania tego podejścia, a tym samym zwiększania interdyscyplinarności w przyszłości."

CONTEXTVET aims to create learning outcomes which meet the needs for skills and competences of the labour market demand. Governance processes keeping VET systems up-to-date have been more recently addressed as “feedback mechanisms”.EU LEVEL: almost all western countries have their own graduate tracking systems which allow them to know the career paths of those who have already completed their studies, but also to shape an education policy that will provide the greatest benefits in the future. Further, the EC launched the “New skills for new jobs” initiative to provide a general framework for the implementation of policy actions in the EU, stressing the need to reinforce the attractiveness of VET (e.g. through 'A new impetus for EU cooperation in vocational education and training to support the EU 2020 strategy'(EC2010b).EQAVET one of the instruments (Europass, EQF, ECVET and EQAVET) developed by EC, promotes EU collaboration in developing and improving QA in VET. The EQAVET network started activities with a sectoral approach (2011-2014), which appears to be a very significant strategy to involve the business world into the planning, the development, the evaluation and reviewing of VET; that is to apply the QA cycle to VET provision.FINANCIAL SERVICES SECTOR: During the last ten years there have been initiated EU projects specifically in the field of Quality Assurance and EQAVET implementation (EUROBANQUA, QUALOBSTER, QUADULTRAINERS, QUADRO, QUALES) and another project that aimed to integrate in one single instrument EQF, EQAVET & ECVET (TRIPLE E). main results produced are:a. A customized benchmarking system to implement the Learning Organisation in the FSSb. An EQAVET Handbook for the FSS;c. Concrete experience of transferring the 10 QA Guidelines from NL to IT, PT, SK and ESd. Triple E Standard and Guidelines - an accreditation proposal for institutions seeking recognition of the quality of qualifications they provideProblems addressedDuring the needs and gaps analysis conducted the main problems identified were:- VET Providers (and financial institutions in general) have limited awareness about EQAVET- the need to further define the EQARF indicators, make them more usable and relevant for the sectoral market needs- the need to develop a quality criteria recognised by FSS both nationally and across EU- the ‘Act’ phase of the PDCA cycle is still considered as the most challenging and difficult to implementThe main consequence is that VET Providers face practical difficulties in implementing EQAVET and thus have limited motivation to invest in this QA approach. This represents also a challenge for the implementation of EQAVET at State level in EU. Quality needs to be assured in all phases of VET — design, teaching, assessment, validation and certification — to ensure that the outcomes are good, for both iVET and cVET.PROJECT AIM AND OBJECTIVESEQAFIT aims to support VET Providers, in the FSS, in setting up and enhancing QA systems, with a particular focus on feedback loops between VET Systems as a precondition for continuous improvement of training offer. In particular it will develop an online service for supporting the Quality system, with a particular focus on the ACT phase of the PCDA cycle.The customized and user-friendly online service developed will integrate tools and guidelines developed in previous EU Projects and newly designed ones and the graduate tracking system.Partnership:The project brings together 7 partners from 7 European countries, forming a transnational cooperation partnership with a balanced regional geographical and quality representation of the Erasmus+ Area.METHODOLOGICAL APPROACH AND KEY OUTPUTSSince the very beginning of the project Partners will define sector based quality criteria, will agree upon methodological strategies and approaches for analyzing the existing good practices in the field of EQAVET implementation in VET within FSS. The Consortium will design and launch the project official website. Then, Partners will develop the contents of the Guidelines and Tools for supporting VET Providers in improving and/or setting up Quality Assurance systems. The next step will be the design of the Graduate Tracking System and the integratation of these results in an innovative, customized and accessible Online Service for VET Providers aimed at supporting quality system, with a particular focus on the ACT phase of the PDCA cycle.IMPACT AND LONG-TERM BENEFITS- give VET providers concrete instruments and tools for enhancing the quality of their training activity addressed to the FSS;- support VET providers to align their training programmes with actual learning needs of the specific target group;- assist national authorities in implementing policies regarding the quality and relevance of VET addressed to the FSS;- improve the availability of qualitative and quantitative information about what graduates