Over the last decades, social and emotional learning (SEL) has been increasingly acknowledged to impact on competency areas such as self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationships skills, and responsible decision-making. Mindfulness training is a multimodal intervention informed by the principles of positive psychology, with a central focus on skills that enable more effective coping and stress reduction. The application of mindfulness-based practices (MBP) has been strengthened by the results of evaluation studies that typically report on the positive effectiveness of MBP in terms of SEL. In parallel, research results show that exposure to natural environments arouses positive emotions and stress recovery, and improves compliance to mindfulness training, making it more effective. As such, the role of nature in the workplace is receiving increased attention, and existing theory and research suggest that nature contact can be considered as a workplace strategy for reducing stress, while at the same time enhancing performance and overall well-being. Therefore, Mindfulness-in Nature-based practices (MiNBP) joins together the healing effect of nature and the distressful effect of MBP, with greater benefits. It is therefore essential for company’s managers to understand how MiNBP has the potential to benefit their staff towards a systematic approach to SEL, in particular when considering the perspective of the five-competency-area framework. The Mindfulness-in-Nature Based Training through Virtual ENvironments (MINDLIVEN) project aims to provide an innovative solution to this issue. Building on existing research, partners will identify a required set of needs in terms of preventing and addressing work place stress, leading to the development of a set of MiNBP contents supported by an online MiNBP platform with communication tools and additional resources (like an Android and iOS app to facilitate access to the platform and contents) to facilitate the transfer of learning into the workplace but also to create the MiNBP user support community. This e-environment will raise the awareness for the problem and it will enable owners, managers and decision makers to plan for and to mitigate the occurrence and the negative consequences of work-based stress. After the pilot testing the real impact of the MiNBP in the main competency areas and on the individuals’ life and on the companies’ productivity will be assessed and consequently a policy report and recommendations will also be produced. The project targets:- Employees and owners/managers of SMEs as end users and main beneficiaries. They will be empowered and helped to improve their personal & professional life by being able to prevent and address workplace stress; - VET trainers, HR and Health & Safety consultants will be provided innovative tools for assessing the situation with their trainees and clients;- Professional associations, that have an active role in the sustainability and maintenance of the results of the MINDLIVEN project;- Organizational Health decision makers and governmental entities at regional, national and European levels will be contacted in order to persuade and make them aware of the need for more immediate actions. About 260 direct stakeholders (managers, staff, owners of micro and small enterprises) will be directly involved through direct contacts and other project activities like the MiNBP user support community and another 240 will be involved through the multiplier events. The MINDLIVEN network will also include about 100 HR consultants, health experts and decision makers leading to about 600 stakeholders directly involved in the project. Through a vast set of dissemination and exploitation activities, the consortium expects to reach other 6000 stakeholders (from all the identified target groups). This wide and systematic European intervention, rather than a casual local/national approach, will allow the project outcomes to be tested on different cultural and socio-economic contexts, showing the potential transferability of results across Europe and allowing for a European policy adoption.Note: Bibliographical references for the context and background of the project are provided in an annexed document

Knowledge 4Foot (K4F) project has contributed at fostering the excellence in training for footwear manufacturing by linking the three areas of education, research, and business-oriented innovation and has demonstrated good practices of cooperation and has bridged the worlds of education and work.To this purpose, the project has achieved the following objectives: 1) set-up a new Knowledge Platform for transferring research and innovation for footwear manufacturing where the HE students have received project-based training into a virtual environment by simulating all developing stages of the research projects, having as starting point the real identified needs in leather and footwear companies; 2) developed active collaboration among education, business community and research and had assessed the skills needs on innovation, research, development, and technological transfer; 3) designed a common curriculum and related e-learning content which incorporated creative thinking, problem-solving approach and project-based learning for virtual internship in the Knowledge Platform for transferring research and innovation.Based on the authentic and adequate needs of both actual business environment and learning and training programs for managers, engineers/technicians and designers in footwear sector, the K4F project has contributed at developing sustainable solutions to attuning curricula for placement/internship and has developed skills and competencies in area of project-based work focused on research, innovation and technological transfer. Thus, the K4F project had a significant impact on the development of education and training and has brought added value at EU level.K4F project has proposed, created, tested and evaluated contents and methodological solutions by developing synergies between different fields of higher education and training for educating and training the next generation of managers/ engineers/ technicians/ product and process developers/ high skilled workers that will be able to understand innovation, to perform applied research activities and to transfer the newest technological inputs from research to leather and footwear companies from partner countries and elsewhere in Europe.The online training courses, the virtual internship, as well as the Intensive Learning Activities, undertaken by the target group within the framework of the Knowledge Platform for transferring research and innovation in footwear manufacturing have stimulated innovative and creative mindsets of students, and have allowed the application of their knowledge and research insights.In terms of further sustainability, the universities running courses for managers, designers and engineers/technicians and the training centres running courses for the industry could adopt the virtual internship as a preparatory stage for learners’ placements into a real company. Moreover, the business community (SMEs and research centres) could be in contact with future employees in the early stages of the learning/training process.

"The EU furniture industry is a labour-intensive sector dominated by SMEs, which is facing nowadays different challenges such as increasing competition from countries with lower production costs, increasing raw materials and labor costs, an aging workforce and difficulties in attracting younger workers. Reconversion of the industry applying circularity has the potential to tackle these challenges, through repairing, refurbishment and remanufacture, allowing value recovery, economic growth and job creation within the European furniture industry, while saving on resources and the environment. As for the EC report on the implementation of the Circular Economy Action Plan (2019), the transition from linear to circular requires significant changes at micro, meso and macro levels, from innovation at business model and value chain level to the introduction of new technologies. Being the furniture industry dominated by SMEs most of the employees do not have a tertiary education level and are not acquainted with circular economy aspects. To address skills gaps and mismatches and to strengthen human capital along the entire furniture value chain, it is fundamental to invest in skills, design, creativity, research, innovation and new technologies. Based on these assumptions, INFURI project main objectives are:- to equip furniture employees with relevant skills related to circularity;- to spread innovative and sustainable circular business models in the furniture industry contributing to enhance its competitiveness;- to develop an innovative training approach and learning tools adaptable to other industries;- to increase SMEs ability to analyse their business under a “circular” point of view;- to promote synergies and cooperation among businesses, universities, research centres and other relevant stakeholders operating in the furniture sector following a circular approach;- to spread circular procurement principles with benefits in term of corporate social responsibility. The project will be implemented by a complementary partnership composed by 9 institutions from 7 European countries (The Netherlands, Poland, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Slovenia and Spain). The initiative will be directly addressed to 18 European furniture SMEs employees, as well as to 36 furniture companies and relevant stakeholders active in the sector of furniture & circular economy of countries involved in the project. The INFURI Project, in order to materialise its objectives and produce its deliverables, comprises a set of intellectual outputs, a learning activity and multiplier events, supported by management activities and a dissemination/exploitation plan that will ensure the use of its results even after the project has ended. All activities will see the active involvement or direct and indirect target groups. The C1 will be addressed to 18 furniture SMEs employees. The main aim will be to pilot the IOs developed and to transfer skills related to circularity applied to the furniture industry and to create business ideas for circular furniture products. Moreover, project foresees the production, use, evaluation and promotion of 5 intellectual outputs: IO1 - Living Labs and ""Circularity matters: gaps, limits and constraints in the EU furniture industry"" paper; IO2 - MOOC ""Managing a furniture company in the era of circular economy""; IO3 - Book of lectures ""Integrated competencies and systemic approach in the era of circular economy""; IO4 - Multi-actor circular network; IO5 - Circular Procurement Guidelines for Office Furniture.All intellectual outputs will be uploaded on the website and made available to target groups, partners, associate partners and external stakeholders during and beyond the life of the project. IO 2- MOOC ""Managing a furniture company in the era of circular economy"" will be available into the main MOOC platforms such as Iversity, Udemy and Udacity, IO3 - Book of lectures ""Integrated competencies and systemic approach in the era of circular economy"" will be available also in a video format on YouTube; while IO4 - Multi-actor circular network will remain active and will be further expanded. C1 activity results (prototypes) will remain available at ORNIK headquarters, while circular products ideas will be further studied and implemented by the SMEs. The crowdfunding campaigns (part of the go to market strategies) started during the project (during C1 activity) will remain active.The intellectual outputs and dissemination activities will be designed ad hoc for the target groups and to assure transferability and sustainability of products and results. Social media as weel as relevant sectorial events and fairs will be the core of the dissemination strategy. Partners commit themselves to further study and use the IOs developed.INFURI will impact the macro (international and European) level giving new boost to jobs, growth and investment and to promote a carbon neutral, resource-efficient and competitive economy."

"CONTEXTCHALLENGES FACED BY THE HORECA SECTOR HORECA it is a dynamic sector and represents a formidable generator for the European economy in terms of output, employment and development. Besides, it represent a particular class of commercial properties where hygiene and cleanliness are pertinent far more than any other business industry. Despite the high importance of hygiene and cleanliness, a great percent of micro and small businesses in the field struggle to maintain the relevant hygiene requirements and are still characterized by unsophisticated methods and approaches, which do not take into account the power of training due to poor awareness of the relevant legislation related to hygiene, sanitary and cleaning standards due to the lack of appropriate skills and expertise of personnel and the lack of skilled supervisors and managers. Therefore, the HORECA sector is facing a crucial challenge in regards to the hygiene & cleaning services provision: how to make human resources from marginalized workers to a real asset for the development of an innovative and sustainable HORECA industry.OBJECTIVESThe project aims at advancing micro and small HORECA industry in the provision of hygiene and cleaning services, through the development of the Hygiene & Cleaning Manager (HCM) profile, a professional capable of scheduling, implementing, and monitoring the property’s and products hygiene, safety and cleaning efforts and safeguarding hygiene and public health. In order to achieve its goals the project will develop a training path and related tools aiming to equip employees in the micro HORECA cleaning sector with the right skills to ensure compliance to the respective regulations (EU & national), guarantee public health and safety, provision of high quality services, maximizing thus its revenue and reputation. Besides, the project will help the socially disadvantaged to advance their skills leading to more growth and more jobs in the tourism sector which provides work opportunities for them. PARTICIPANTSThe partnership comprises 6 partners from 6 countries covering software experts with profound experience in the development of ICT tools to help a new work-based training experience to VET, VET organisations, associations and NGOs which are experts in the cleaning domain of the HORECA sector with vast dissemination potential in the field and is expected to achieve a significant impact promoting the training programs and tools based on the “learning outcomes” approach.ACTIVITIESThe partnership will design, develop, test, implement and disseminate an innovative training program facilitated by two tools, the Hygiene & Cleaning Strategies Tool and the HyperCLEAN Game. The development of the training program will be based on the adoption of a user-centred approach. The assessment of the training program will include extended cycles of training activities and work place centred work including skills retention. Trainers will continuously give feedback to the project team about their experiences gained at the workplace. This not only will increase the motivation of the trainers, and give weight to their practical experiences, but will also provide the necessary cross-links between theory and practice. Upon suggestions of the trainers, the project team will perform the necessary adjustments to the training approach. METHODOLOGY- Make a comparative analysis of the current state of play of cleaning practices, and awareness of the health, safety, and cleaning standards related to the HORECA industry in partner countries and identify winning practices (best practices adopted from countries topping in HORECA best cleaning services charts). - Validate the needs of micro HORECA from partner countries in relation to knowledge and skills for implementing the winning practices.- Elaborate a training methodology and a set of winning strategies for micro HORECA to improve current approach.- Devise the list of goals to be implemented for materialising each strategy. - Describe each concrete goals per concept to be supported - Design and develop the HCM Training course- Design and develop the HCM Training course to support the implementation of the actions. - Localise the strategies, goals and content (translations and any adaptations to strategies, actions and content)- Implement the ECVET tools. - Design the ""Facilitating Tool"" to personalise the strategies at the level of individual business - Deploy, set-up and configure a Learning Motivation Environment to provide access to the training course- Re-purpose and integrate the content as interactive multimedia resources for skills retention.- Train a number of appointed instructors/trainers to the methodology, course and delivery tools.- Organise pilots.- Process results.RESULTS- Hygiene & Cleaning Manager Training Content- ECVET supporting tools- Hygiene & Cleaning Strategies Facilitating Tool- HyperCLEAN Game- HYperCLEAN4HORECA Club"

Nations invest in innovation to promote sustainable economic growth. While many countries are suffering from the effects of global economic difficulties, such as rising unemployment and soaring public debt, the role of labor input is decreasing in the 21st century economy. Only innovation-driven growth has the potential to create value-added jobs and industries. Because innovation is largely derived from advances in the STEM-disciplines, an increasing number of jobs at all levels require STEM knowledge. Innovation involves the integration of diverse STEM skills and transcends disciplines. Today, there is a clear consensus among stakeholders on the importance of STEM education to economic innovation. STEM education in European countries fosters interdisciplinary knowledge and skills that are relevant to life and prepare students for a knowledge-based economy. The overarching goal of STEM education is to raise the current generation with innovative mindsets. STEM education includes the knowledge, skills and beliefs that are collaboratively constructed at the intersection of more than one STEM subject area.The Bulgarian Ministry of Education and Science's current priorities include: Involvement of the three interests’ parties in STEM skills intensification; funding for STEM education innovations and interdisciplinary projects development aimed at foster collaborations for sharing and co-creation of new knowledge among High Schools or/and Education Institutions; Better STEM through better STEM teachers: fostering change management in education and development of education change management strategies for each High School; Improvement and digitization of STEM infrastructure. To address these problems, many initiatives and programmes have been pursued in Europe, such as “The New Skills Agenda” initiative from the European Commission to focus on improving the quality and relevance of STEM skills development, to promote STEM studies and careers and to support teachers’ professional development. They are supplemented in some countries by national approaches to deal with STEM issues. According to the STEM Education policies report from October 2018 attracting more students and teachers to STEM education through a global approach from primary to adult education will better anticipate the skills needed for the society of the future.The main idea of the project is to develop a Network of 7 Educational Hubs for students, aged between 13 and 19 years old working as a shared spaces. Our project aim is to empower the creative and entrepreneurial students and learners’ community by generating inspiring work spaces, increasing key competences and organizing educational and social events and providing personalized services to help members grow. It will work to foster innovative learning approaches, educational entrepreneurship and to stimulate educational innovations through STEM-Knowledge platform by creating opportunities for European cross-border networking. This web platform will be created in parallel to provide common open source resources and learning space for young people, teachers, educators, youth workers etc. Its structure will accommodate teaching, training and self-learning sections with various toolboxes and digital teaching, learning and self-assessment tools. It will be an open and collaborative platform for knowledge building and sharing aiming to help young people understand and study the STEM issues. Our collaborative co-working space will help the target groups to gain new knowledge and skills, raise their capacity and grow their ideas and ventures at any stage of their development. Mobilities and study visits to partner ICT companies will be organised. Increasing the motivation of the young people towards studying STEM subjects and raising achievement in these areas are important challenges faced by European education systems; the way STEM is approached in schools is key to addressing them. To complete the findings of the STEM Education the project will have focus also on collecting information about how STEM teachers throughout Europe organise their teaching practices. It will support the teacher education level, claiming that teachers were not prepared to address the needs of their profession.The STEM education model emphasizes the importance of integrated teaching knowledge to successfully transition from the departmentalized model of teaching to an integrated model that promotes innovation.In order to achieve our goals, we believe that transnational cooperation is the only way forward, as only through sharing experience and best practice, we could ensure high quality results with great EU-added value. As it is evident from the partners’ descriptions, our consortium offers different expertise in various areas, which cannot be identified in one country, especially taking into account the project’s topic and its innovative approach.