<< Background >>The responsible management of natural resources, including land, water, air, minerals, forests, and biodiversity has a direct impact on the preservation of the natural environment and the quality of life of present and future generations. It creates a balance between social, economic, and environmental factors. It leads to the well-being of people and communities, the preservation of jobs, and the protection of biodiversity. Sustainable natural resource management is of high priority in the 21st century as it can contribute to the avoidance of land degradation, the avoidance of desertification, the mitigation of climate change, and more. It is included in UN sustainability goals, such as sustainable cities and communities, responsible production and consumption, climate action, life in land, and life under water.Achieving sustainable natural resource management starts with awareness-raising and education. Society is faced with climate change, the rise of temperatures, and the destruction of habitats with direct consequences on biodiversity presentation as well as the long-term health of natural ecosystems. In this environment it is imperative to develop educational initiatives that prepare the young generation to become responsible, active adults in relation environmental sustainability in all aspects of life in the industry and communities.Raising a young generation that adopts responsible natural resources management behavior requires the development of scientific and technical knowledge on the function of ecosystems and the life supporting effects of those. It further requires critical and analytical thinking, innovative mindsets for designing environmentally sound solutions, and ability to collaborate in multidisciplinary teams. While digital tools do exist for contributing to natural resources management more can be done for enriching environmental education through digital technologies. NATURE will develop an experiential learning intervention for building the capacity of higher education students to adopt responsible behavior on natural resources management and to design solutions for environmental sustainability in everyday and professional activities. The proposed learning intervention will:-Build awareness on the importance of sustainable natural resources management for the well-being of communities and plant and animal species.-Develop theoretical knowledge and practical skills that empower students to become active citizens designing environmentally sustainable solutions.-Develop soft skills that foster innovative mindsets that help students become the problem-solvers of tomorrow towards sustainable practices in the industry and society.Digital learning games will enable students to experiment with scenarios inspired by real-life. Through digital applications students will be encouraged to undertake the role of stewards of natural ecosystems in a manner that would not be possible in an off-line physical laboratory. They will be challenged to design solutions that maintain the balance of environment preservation, economic activity, and quality of life. The learning games will introduce clear learning objectives, interesting roles, and rich actions that students may undertake to design environmentally sustainable solutions. They will provide real-time, immediate feedback on the consequences of their choices, thus developing awareness and knowledge on the effects of human activity to natural ecosystems. They will be designed for deployment in broader learning offerings that combine theoretical knowledge and hands-on practice.The impact of the proposed environmental learning intervention will be an updated scope and increased relevance of environmental education, modernization and enrichment of environmental education through emerging learning design and digital technologies, development of green skills, and enhanced dialog towards societal change on responsible natural resources management.<< Objectives >>NATURE introduces an experiential learning intervention that builds awareness , knowledge, and skills on responsible natural resources management through digital experimentation that engages higher education students in scenarios that they would not be able to be exposed to through off-line activities.The project aims to achieve the following objectives:-Educating students: building theoretical knowledge and soft skills applicable on responsible natural resources management.-Training instructors: supporting the seamless integration of the proposed experiential learning design and digital learning games in existing instructional practices through reference material in diverse media.-Modernizing higher education through digital technologies: developing an open digital games developed specifically for learning purposes that promotes interactive exploration, fosters motivation in learning, promotes long-term student engagement, and helps students understand the link between actions and effects on the environment.The outcomes of the project will be:-An active, game-based learning methodology for environmental education through exploration, collaboration, and experimentation.-A digital serious game that challenges students to engage in scenarios related to responsible natural resource management inspired by real-life.-Educator support content in the form of learning activities, videos, and a reference guide that facilitates the integration of project outcomes into teaching practices..Project outcomes will be validated and disseminated widely to promote adoption:-The NATURE learning intervention will be validated in practice through piloting activities with higher education students in in Latvia, Greece, Portugal, Spain, and Italy. Evaluation activities in diverse academic, cultural, and economic environments will ensure the European relevance of results.-Multiplier events will be organized in Latvia, Greece, Portugal, Spain, and Italy for community-building and promoting the adoption of project outcomes.-Project activities and outcomes will be disseminated widely through digital channels, press releases, scientific articles, informational material, a periodic newsletter, and more.The desired impact of the project is:-Enriched awareness, knowledge, and skills of students on natural resources management.-Increased relevance of environmental higher education.-Enriched learning opportunities on environmental aspects, with long-term effects.-Updated scope of environmental higher education.-Development of green skills.-Contribution to societal change in relation to responsible natural resources management.-Strengthened communities that have the capacity to act towards environmental sustainability.-High quality educational practices on responsible natural resources management.-Deployment of digital technologies in environmental education.-Modernization of higher education through emerging learning design.-Promotion of cross-themed education, as environmental learning requires the integration of knowledge from diverse fields.-Linking higher education outcomes to the needs of society and industry. -Enhanced interaction among higher education institutions on environmental education at the regional, national, and European level.-Enhanced interaction among higher education institutions and authorities at the regional and national level.-Improved practices, strategies, and policies on environmental education and responsible natural resources management. -Development of soft skills desired by industry and society, including critical, analytical, and entrepreneurial thinking.-Good practice development and exchange between countries on responsible natural resources management.<< Implementation >>A.Methodological learning design:Focus will be on the design of an innovative experiential learning framework that is based on serious games and challenges students to develop awareness, knowledge, and skills on responsible natural resource management through activities that are inspired by real world environmental sustainability practices. They will include:-Analysis of the stakeholder groups that stand to gain from the project.-Analysis of current practices and initiatives related to responsible natural resources management.-Analysis of related digital tools deployed in environmental education.-Analysis of learning needs of students on building knowledge on responsible natural resources management.-Analysis of the instructional skills needed by educators for designing and delivering engaging environmental education activities that deploy emerging learning design and digital technologies.-Design of an experiential methodological learning framework that promotes learning by doing through experimentation in the context of digital learning games. B.Implementing a digital learning game and learning scenarios for responsible natural resources management:-Design of the basic game functionality common in all learning scenarios, such as tools for designing the scenario surrounding environment, setting scenario goals, defining student roles, and facilitating collaboration. -Software development of the NATURE digital learning game.-Design of learning scenarios on natural resources management that will be integrated into the digital learning game.-Evaluation of the digital learning game with external groups of students in Latvia, Greece, Estonia, Portugal, Spain, and Italy and integration of input into project outcomes.C.Activities on instructor support content development that promotes the seamless integration of project results into existing educational practices:The activities will produce reference material that instructors will use for directly deploying in their classrooms the project experiential learning design and NATURE digital learning game. They will further support instructors on designing and integrating into the NATURE digital learning game their own scenarios that address specific learning objectives related to the interests and needs of their students. They will include:- Development of a reference guide for the NATURE digital learning game on responsible natural resources management.- Development of learning sheets that describe end-to-end educational activities based on the NATURE digital learning game that instructors will be able to use in their classrooms.- Development of videos that demonstrate the functionality of the NATURE digital learning game. D. Dissemination and adoption:Multiplier events will be organized in Latvia, Greece, Estonia, Portugal, Spain, and Italy during which audiences will be exposed to the proposed experiential, game-based learning design and will use the digital learning game hands-on. The events will demonstrate the benefits of the proposed learning intervention and will promote the uptake of project outcomes beyond the consortium.Dissemination activities will use a wide range of channels for effectively reaching higher education stakeholders, including students, educators, authorities, policy makers, educational organizations, industry, and the general public. They will include:- A project web portal.-Informational leaflet.-Newsletter.-Internet and social media presence.-Press releases.-Scientific articles.-Presentations.-And more.<< Results >>The following outcomes are expected:Result 1: An experiential, methodological learning framework for building awareness, knowledge and skills on responsible natural resources management. The framework will be based on an analysis of stakeholder groups that stand to gain directly or indirectly from project activities on environmental education. Direct stakeholders The learning framework will be designed based on the results of a learning needs analysis of students and educators in relation to building knowledge on natural resource management. It will further take into account existing practices and policies in environmental education as well as related activities, initiatives and projects, ensuring that the learning framework can be effectively integrated into existing educational practices.The analysis will inform the design of an experiential methodological learning framework that promotes learning by doing through experimentation in the context of digital learning games. The methodology will follow an open science approach that will complement formal educational practices. Through the proposed learning design, students will have the opportunity to build knowledge and skills by exploring environmental education scenarios inspired by real world challenges. Game-based approaches will foster students’ internal motivation for engaging in learning through gaming elements such as clear goals, rewards, recognition, social interaction, and more. Result 2: A digital learning game and educational activities on responsible natural resources management.The game will challenge students to engage in learning scenarios inspired by real-world challenges on natural resources management. It will follow an open science education approach through open ended activities that will foster student creativity and critical thinking. In addition to scenarios that will be prepared by the consortium, the game will offer rich functionality through which users will be able to design scenarios of their own. Educators will be able to define the objectives of a learning activity as well as student roles; they will be able to structure the scenario surroundings for addressing specific educational goals related to a particular scenario using buildings, public services, business, recreation areas, natural resources bodies such as water bodies, forests, and mineral sources, and more; they will further be able to overlook student work. Students will be provided similarly rich opportunities for introducing environmentally sustainable solutions to the given challenges through terrain formatting, city building, design of technical infrastructures, and more. Result 3: Instructor support content that will build the capacity of educators to adopt the proposed experiential learning design for environmental education.The content will act as reference material that will support educators in the use of the NATURE learning game and will inspire them for creating their own learning activities. It will use a variety of channels including:-A learning game reference manual.-Learning sheets describing end-to-end learning activities.-Videos that demonstrate the game functionality.

The main objective of the project was to promote government reforms on social protection and employment of the population, reduction of unemployment and increase of the real incomes of the population, through training, retraining and advanced training of middle-aged unemployed people.For achieving the goals of the project cooperation of employment centers, women associations, government bodies (mahalla), research centers and agricultural institutions were established.The following tasks were executed within the frames of the project:1. Establishment of Career Centers (4 regional centers in the cities of Ferghana, Nukus, Karshi, Andijan). Rooms have been allocated and equipped in these cities. For efficient organization of Career centers experience of European universities and centers of excellence, specializing in life-long learning, have been studied by representatives of partner countries.2. Organization of activity at Career Centers.As part of this activity, Training of Trainers (TOT) of the Centers were held, where trainers of the centers took courses aimed at the study of methods of teaching adults, evaluation and development of methodological base. Learned experience and activity of the European VET centers, the methods of their cooperation with non-academic partners allowed adapting the experience and creating on its basis a model for effective cooperation of Network of universities and non-academic partners, which has been tested and will continue to be proposed for application in other regions of Uzbekistan.3. Training courses in Career Centers.Work has been carried out on the development of methodological base of courses, taking into account the peculiarities of the Target Group.As compulsory optional subjects in each direction (agriculture, services, entrepreneurship) have been carried out training on computer skills and taxation.

We had decided to implement this project,because we saw the need to familiarize our Nations with the refugees and vice versa.EU states have decided to take in a large number of refugees in their lives.The goal is to gradually integrate them into our communities.We faced big displays of sympathy or antipathy addressed to the people entering Europe.We dealt with the issue of EU,which, as it seems, is not yet ready to accept them in its life,even if it is only for a period of several years.It concerns people that have nothing in common with Europe,they have no information about the rules and interpersonal relations,they are in a bad psychological state and so their arrival cannot avoid confusion,conflicts and problems.We analyzed problems associated with their integration into the EU community and we discussed and examined proposals and temporary solutions and pointed out the perspective and point of view of our pupils,from the background of different countries and approaches.We pointed out the differences in the perception of the world,as such,the different ways in which different EU countries look at people that enter Europe,how they perceive the cultural differences and whether they are able to cope with their arrival in a human way or not.The coordinator of the project was responsible for the communication between partners,for meetings’ preparation,for the organization of the whole project.The school participated in the organization of the whole project,provided its partners with all the necessary information,and was sure that the appropriate space was available,so that the work on all the set tasks was carried out and this way the intended goals could be achieved.At the beginning of the project,noone had information about what the refugee wave practically meant.Of course,we had some experience with the migration of people that is very common in Europe,but none of us had ever met the influx of millions in our lives.Many pupils were involved in the project mainly because of their need to learn new information and understand the situation.Teachers wanted the young people to know the truth about why refugees appeared,who they are,where they were going where they wanted to go.The first project meeting was in Iceland.Icelanders,as the only country,have expressed an interest in hosting more refugees than their quota would expect them to.We had discussions with the Red Cross,psychologists,doctors,non-profit organizations,but also personal contact with Syrian children from the school.All the new information began to open our eyes.We realized that the majority of Central Europeans are xenophobic,mainly because they have no personal experience with large-scale migration.During all our meetings,we mainly met people working with refugees;sometimes the information and the stories we witnessed were very shocking for us.We slowly began to form a more real picture of the problem.Over the duration of the three years,we had to change our minds on a number of things,we had to adapt many of our outputs to the real conditions and possibilities.The most significant impact on all involved in the project was1.getting to know the real problems of the refugee crisis,2.understanding refugees,3.getting to know new people,4. the importance of the work of the International Red Cross, non-profit organizations, the Greek Maritime Service, etc.,5.the knowledge of other school systems and the system for including migrant children in the education system;6.experience working in an international team and taking responsibility for the thing that we create,7.knowledge of other cultures of society, religion,8.use of foreign languages.By working on the project, we have managed to eradicate traces of xenophobia, racism and fear of the unknown within ourselves. It was a great pleasure to observe pupils and students slowly changing their minds about refugees and their problems, when they started to investigate the problematic on their own, without the interference of the media.Thanks to the exhibition at the Dum U Zlateho prstenu,we were able to present this transition and reach thousands of Czech and foreign visitors of the museum.We are convinced that the experience gained by all participants opened up their horizons and their human arms. The new point of view and the more mature and responsible approach to information, the investigation of objective facts and critical approach after collecting the material, have already positively influenced their character and understanding of the world.Some of our students are considering continuing at university with Global studies,Arabic studies,languages and cultural studies in order to approach different European policies from an objective point of view and maybe become ambassadors of the situation based on facts evaluated by themselves.It will certainly be a great benefit for everyone in their future, when they will have the means to understanding social,economic,cultural and social changes.

"For hundreds of years, traditional ritual food has been an important ethnocultural trait for different nationalities. Characteristic of any ethnic group, its foods were also a product of its folklore and religious traditions. In modern times, as links between different nationalities become more accessible, there is a serious ""modernization"" of traditional cuisine. Through the internet, the cuisine of the peoples from all over the world is accessible by anyone, whether resident in a small village or in a city. The phenomenon of unification of the kitchen and commercialization of holidays (when it is mainly the preparation of traditional ritual food) is increasingly occurring. EuRiCa Project strives to contribute and foster the preservation of the ritual cuisine, its ethnocultural traits, as well as the folklore and traditions connected with it via the development of a methodology for digitization and creation of digital representations of ritual recipes which to be integrated into the virtual culture space of Europe and thus to be accessible globally. The digitalization of ritual recipes and the creation of their appropriate virtual representations increases the need for appropriate methods and IT solutions that support access to these little-known ethnographic objects, as well as providing the means to make them popular. As the culture sector evolves and changes, so do the skills required of individuals active in the sector who are specialists in areas, which require high-levels of knowledge but most often they are not directly connected to the IT sector. To meet this challenge EuRiCa will elaborate open and innovative training program, educational materials and e-tools for less time-consuming and cost-effective teaching on how the Europe ritual cuisine as a specific ethnographic object, could be presented, promoted and preserved in a global and long-term perspective. Moreover, a practical guide on how to implement developed methods and how to use the defined procedures and acquired skills in other domain will be provided as well in order to foster the preserving and developing cultural diversity and creating a ""common"" European identity."

The Digital Agenda of the Europe 2020 Strategy set as a main objective the development of a digital single market in order smart, sustainable and inclusive growth to be generated. The cultural heritage digitization turns Europe's cultural resources into an important building block for the digital economy and provides Europe's Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs) with a competitive edge. The pace of innovation, the changing nature of the sector, and the importance of culture to the European economy require the employed in the CCIs to have relevant digital skills and competences. Linking education with innovation is a necessary step towards increasing the labor market relevance of VET and promoting a more resource efficient and competitive economy. The DigiCult project aims to elaborate and promote an innovative framework for digitization and efficient and cost-effective training on digital presentation, preservation and promotion of the intangible cultural heritage (ICH) of Europe from global and long-term perspective. The provision of relevant training in ICH digitization (standards and methods) will contribute to meet common challenges such as the digital shift and need of encouragement of innovation in the cultural sector as the ability for practical application of digital skills and competences is a valuable asset to any professional qualification in this domain. The DigiCult beneficiaries are:-internal beneficiaries:- professionals from partner cultural organizations who are not involved in the direct implementation of the project's activities and outputs.- students from the educational organisations participating in the partnership who are trained in the field of presentation, preservation and dissemination of intangible cultural heritage.- external beneficiaries - staff of the institutions from the culture sector, professional networks, employers' unions, and associations which are not involved in the partnership. The DigiCult aim and objectives will be achieved by the following activities:- designing the technological educational model and setting up the DigiCult virtual learning environment (VLE) based on the contemporary ICT-based educational approaches and contents;- development of e-learning courses addressed ICH digitization and practical knowledge about the standards for digital presentation, storage and promotion aiming at improvement of their domain related digital skills;- piloting the developed coursein DigiCult VLE and collecting user feedback, given the future development of the methodology;The main DigiCult project results are:- Framework for common standards and models for digitization, presentation and preservation of intangible cultural heritage ; -Training course Digitization, presentation and preservation of intangible cultural heritage ;- DigiCult VLE – a modern educational environment where the students/VET trainees to be able to follow flexible learning paths while improving their key and transversal competences in line with the current digitization trends;-Guide and recommendations for digitization, presentation and preservation implementation system in intangible cultural heritage ; - Key Stakeholders Contact Database– the contact information for the identified project stakeholders in all countries involved.The direct impact shall be as follows:- On the educational organizations: elaborated training course in ICH digitization ready to be included in their educational curricula increasing the quality and the competitiveness of their educational product, innovative training content adapted to the needs of the CCIs;- On the Cultural organizations: trained staff in ICH digitization , framework describing methods and standards for digitization; practical guide how to digitize ICH object for each type of cultural organisation. - On the direct participants and the target groups: improved competences to respond to the modern requirements, better knowledge on the ICH digitization standards, adaptability in online training environment and better quality of the training.Long-term impacts:- Framework as base for elaborating common policy for digitization of ICH;- Transnational cooperation in digitization process.