<< Background >>It has been further challenging in the recent years to catch an on-the-job experience for new starters and those who are on the profession to progress their ranks, due to pandemic, changes in technology, faster promotions and reduced sea-time requirements. There are also many barriers to the easy transfer of experiential knowledge, including language and culture, and yet there is the ever-lasting problem of pressure of work and lack of time (Acar, 2017). Moreover, the recent EU statistics indicates that average working time of a seafarer at sea is 4.8 years therefore it is essential that the seafarers need to be linked with shore based responsibilities that they can contribute and develop in maritime sector with the valuable experience they attain during the course of their time at sea (SAILAHED, 2011- 2013).The European shipping industry now faces fierce competition from the Far East, and a shortage of only officers across the world will be 147,500 by 2025 (BIMCO, 2015). Majority of this shortage will be in Europe although existing sea staff working in Europe are usually from far east. For the waterborne sector to remain competitive, the quality of European standards must not be allowed to fall. The project consortium believes that by raising standards in the field of European VET, and providing institutions with tools to improve the quality of the education that they provide, the employability and mobility of European seafarers will be increased. SEA MENTORS will promote competencies specified to these standards, and some lead to internationally recognised qualifications.On the other hand, maritime industry has a tradition of learning from others on-board; however, on-board community is small and sometimes highly variable in timing and composition. Furthermore, on-board career progress opportunities do not occur until the mariner is actually having real time experience. The world needs competent seafarers and the availability of a welcoming community where connections can be made and answers can be found will contribute to the fulfilment of that goal. Hence, there is a real need for the new generation of seafarers to be guided so they acquire the skills and competence that instruction in colleges cannot deliver.Researches establish that a contributory factor to the increase in accidents is that experiential knowledge (knowledge gained from professional, ‘on the job’ experiences and reflected upon) is not being passed from senior to junior on-board many merchant vessels, in the traditional way that it used to be, by mentoring. Marine accidents and incidents do continue to occur due to a lack of experiential knowledge transferred. Experiential knowledge is not something tangible, nor is it a subject that can be taught in college, although the concept should be addressed and the candidates encouraged to participate in experiential knowledge transfer. There are variety of reasons why transfer of experiential knowledge is difficult to be transferred from one to another is one is the lack of time for informal training which is due to ships and long working hours prevents mentors to take time off their busy schedule and take personal interest in training of juniors.<< Objectives >>SEA MENTORS platform and its tool will enable a platform to enable knowledge transfers between seafarers in various ranks which directly adapts vocational education and training to labour market needs, and contributing to innovation in vocational education and training. Initially, SEA MENTORS will disseminate and transfer the innovative practices developed within the partnership, across Europe and internationally. SEA MENTORS will support development of VET programmes that offer a balanced mix of vocational skills and create work-based learning opportunities which are evolving jobs and working methods and key competences. It will foster the development of programme that offers and qualifications which are regularly updated, building on skills intelligence. Projects will support VET providers in the adaptation of their training offer to changing skills needs in the maritime sector.The project will develop a program considering different rank of seafarers, taking into account the experience they attained in each vessel. The experiential knowledge will have phases to pass it to seafarers working on different levels of command. SEA MENTORS project aims to:- Identify the level of “experiential knowledge” each ranks have in a questionnaire based needs analysis and information based on the investigation of undiscovered areas,- Develop an online Training programme for each ranks therefore they can access to this experiential knowledge which incorporates latest developments in the maritime sector- Design a guidance Tool that provides the user with a certificate for the newly acquired skills based on experiential knowledge.<< Implementation >>Project will have two main outputs and partners will work towards producing these:1) Intellectual Outputs 1 - SEA MENTORS Training Platform and 2) Intellectual Outputs 2 - SEA MENTORS Guidance Tool), Apart from these activities that will be carried out are as titled below:- Management plan - Press releases - Development and distribution of Newsletter - Dissemination Materials - End of Project Brochure - Social medias- Designing, translating and printing of project flyers - Constant disseminating of information about the project - Project website<< Results >>The Platform and guidance tool will have options to select knowledge that users would wish to attain on different levels of ranks. The platform offered by the SEA MENTOR Training Programme will have a direct impact on seafarers by giving them experiential knowledge leading to enhanced competence and decision making. The seafarers will have better skills and knowledge to understand and interpret the given situations.The main tangible outcome is an online and novel learning and assessment platform covering all aspects of advanced technology. This will facilitate the inclusion of the identified new skills in existing maritime programmes and facilitate the experiential knowledge transfer which is expected to lead to a reduction in the number of accidents at sea.SEA MENTORS platform will:•facilitate “Experiential Knowledge“ transfer between senior and junior seafarers•be customised depending on the needs of seafarers•incorporate a database of “Experiential Knowledge” from the users•be based on providing the best advice on career advancement as well as specific guides•offer a certification service for the user to assess their experiential knowledge and skills acquired from the course.The partners will provide functional learning and skills to their seafarers as well as their students. Operators involved in the provision of maritime transport services and the European maritime transport, will be embracing the platform in the short term and thus making the seas safer, which is expected to enable shipping companies to become more competitive. Where millions of sea passengers a year travelling through European ports, passenger ships and ferry services, the course will have a direct impact on safety of passengers and quality of life of citizens at sea.The partners have a clear vision for developing SEA MENTORS platform and tolls in their countries and throughout Europe. MARITIME INNOVATORS, together with other partners in this proposal and others, established maritime education partnerships and networks to improve education and training practices in Europe, and go about the harmonisation of merchant navy officers education. Partners networks have instigated several European and EU Funded projects to address specific deficiencies or problems in the maritime sector. SEA MENTORS embraces these principals, and will support the development strategies that are already in place. The extensive knowledge base generated by partnerships working on maritime projects will be shared with the awarding, accrediting, and licensing bodies as well as the policy decision makers in governments and in the EU. The EU has supported many VET initiatives and research, and it is hoped that with their continued support, the SEA MENTORS consortium can extend its ability to address the needs of education within VET sector. With successful dissemination activities within the project, other EU countries will achieve similar benefits complying with EU's Maritime Transport Agenda. Therefore, it will have a positive impact on maritime seaborne transportation within the EU.

<< Objectives >>DEcision Support System regarding the risk of Epidemic threats on a sea-going Vessel (DESSEV) is the Cooperation partnerships in vocational education and training (KA220-VET) project. Its basic goal is to create a decision support system in the event of an epidemic on board in the form of a mobile application. Such a tool is missing in various courses and syllabuses conducted in maritime vocational education. The implementation of the project will allow their creation.<< Implementation >>DESSEV will produce 3 core work packages- WP2 - data repository on epidemic situations- WP3 - knowledge base- WP4 - decision support systemThe above will be supplemented with training related to the subject of the project carried out in Finland. In addition, management activities, partnership meetings and dissemination of the project results (including promotional activities before they are created) will be implemented.<< Results >>The main result of the project is the creation of a decision support system in the event of an epidemic situation at sea. In addition, an online repository related to this topic will be created. The result is also increasing awareness of epidemics on board and learning how to deal with it.Results will be available in English, Polish, Finnish, Slovenian, Spanish, Greek and Swedish.

<< Objectives >>Project partnership wants to develop a high-performing digital education ecosystem in partner organisations, by building capacity and critical understanding on how to exploit the opportunities offered by digital technologies for teaching and learning and by developing a digital transformation plan. Project partnership also wants to share all knowledge, experience and good practices acquired by performing the digital transformation in partner organisations with other sea schools.<< Implementation >>Project partnership will start with a research on digital transformation of education and training and will start applying it in the partner's organisations. During the research, the project partnership will already start compiling the knowledgebase on digital transformation for sea schools and will publish it on the open resource online platform by the end of the project to be available to wider public.<< Results >>Project partnership will develop a digital transformation plan for their education and training tailored to each partner organisation's specific needs. Project partner will also start implementing it during the project lifetime. Project partnership will also develop the open resource online platform which will give other sea schools enough information to perform the digital transformation of their education and training on their own with their own resources.

<< Background >>The International Maritime Organisation (IMO) developed the first standard for Vocational Education and Training (VET) programmes for merchant navy officers in 1978. Seafarers are trained and certified by national administrations complying with the minimum standards set by International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watch keeping for Seafarers (STCW). Despite these efforts there are no mechanisms for monitoring how these standards are being applied in various nations and yet there is an issue for seafarers to get their certificates accepted/endorsed when they are attempting to work from one flag state to another. European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) has started to monitor STCW compliance to contribute to safer operations, however, the issue for one seafarers having a certification from one country flag not to be able to work in other country flag is still exist as there are still many countries that they do not have mutual recognition or endorsement in place. There have been several attempts in the past to unify the certifications and endorsements however it did not resolve the issue in full.Maritime Education and Training system in Bulgaria is being updated regularly as in many other EU Member States. Their intention is to develop the maritime education and training system, particularly through the development of safety at sea by improving the quality of seafarers as well as protecting the seas that Bulgaria plays strategic role in the supply of seafarers to Europe and worldwide. For example, despite the growth of the EU controlled fleet, most EU ships neither fly the Bulgarian flag nor employ EU seafarers (ITF, 2011).The COVID-19 pandemic has limited the seafarers move as well as education and training centres every-day-tasks. It has also had a significant impact on the regular delivery of education, training and youth policies. ENDORSEME project targets the development and provision of VET products and services such knowledge, skills and competence development to external actors such as students, companies and governments. It will develop flexible and learner-centred VET programmes, and that contribute to closing existing gaps in the access to training for working age adults to successfully manage labour market transitions. It will also contribute to the development of continuing vocational training programmes designed to be adaptable to labour market, as well as programmes that facilitate the transfer, recognition and accumulation of learning outcomes leading to national qualifications.ENDORSEME project will ultimately facilitate recognition of certifications of seafarers, including ratings, throughout Europe and worldwide. The integrated model that ENDORSEME project will utilise will bring together all of the seafaring qualifications such as Certification of Competence, ancillary STCW certificates and attempt to enable each certificates mutually accepted by the European countries at first and later in global scale in a reactive manner. The model will also allow for greater cohesion between international and local requirements in MET in member states providing a higher quality and more attractive long term VET programme.<< Objectives >>The project will develop a platform for various ranks of seafarers. The platform will have an option to investigate acceptance/endorsement of sea-going certificates. ENDORSEME project aims to:- Identify the problems associated with recognition/endorsement of certificates in a questionnaire-based needs analysis and information based on the investigation of undiscovered areas,- Develop an online platform and tool for seafarers, shipping companies, MET institution to identify whether the certificates of seafarers are accepted/endorsed by one country to another.ENDORSEME will enable authorities to monitor the success of different systems and requirements through developing a quality assurance and control system for the issue of such certificates. It will enable transfer of `good practices` between member states and worldwide while ensuring high quality programmes. The platform bringing all world authorities together will enable transfer of innovation to ensure ENDORSEME is of a high standard recognition model.ENDORSEME will support continuous personal development of seafarers in VET (Vocational Education and Training) for all seafarers in the maritime sector across Europe. ENDORSEME will cross-reference the STCW requirements thereby allowing seafarers to be more mobile in any European country thus promoting the Citizenship programme. ENDORSEME will also incorporate the local and national requirements of each country therefore promoting action in Transparency and recognition of skills and qualifications between neighbouring and international countriesThe partnership, working in collaboration with major awarding, accrediting and licensing bodies will cross-reference and include the international and local/national requirements into the with the aim of embedding the recognition tool initially into 5 partner maritime education and training (MET) systems across Europe. Once developed ENDORSEME tool will facilitate all certifications received from one county to another to be endorsed in the partner countries and Europe, A quality assurance and control practice based on a well-respected system for the delivery of ENDORSEME will also be established to guarantee National Authorities continue to follow the requirements.<< Implementation >>ENDORSME project will have two main outputs that will be available after the completion of project. 1) ENDORSEME COMPETENCE MAP2) ONLINE ENDORSEMENT TOOLENDORSEME Project will have other supportive activities under Project management and implementation which will cover:Activity 1 – PROJECT MANAGEMENT TOOLActivity 2 - PROJECT MANAGEMEMENT PLANActivity A3, A7, A12 - OTHER PLANS – Activity 13- PRES RELEASES Activity 14 - NEWSLETTER Activity 15 – DISSEMINATION MATERIALS: Activity 16 – PROJECT BROSHURE Activity 17 - SOCIAL MEDIA SITESActivity 18 - PROJET FLYERActivity 19 - PROMOTIONAL VIDEOActivity 20 - DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIESActivity 21- PROJECT WEBSITE:<< Results >>The project will develop a platform for various ranks of seafarers. The platform will have an option to investigate acceptance/endorsement of sea-going certificates. ENDORSEME project aims to:- Identify the problems associated with recognition/endorsement of certificates in a questionnaire-based needs analysis and information based on the investigation of undiscovered areas,- Develop a platform and complementary online tool for seafarers, shipping companies, MET institution to identify whether the certificates of seafarers are accepted/endorsed by one country to another.ENDORSEME platform will cross-reference the certificates available to seafaring profession to provide a higher quality system that is suited to each individual member state. It will also enable MET programmes to be kept up to date with changes to requirements locally and internationally with minimum disruption to other core areas of the programme. The quality assurance system of ENDORSEME platform will enable the good practices to be seen and transferred to other member states as well as maintaining a high quality of education, training and assessment.

The project will develop new study modules followed with assessment study module and finally, the specific software, Engine Room Simulator (ERS) online by modern technology and digitalisation. Also, a guide to related industries will be made to assist their efforts on adapting the MERSol process.Maritime Trade accounts for approximately 90% of trade in the world today, but the technology of diesel engines has not changed over the decades. Engines have become more energy efficient due to regulations set by IMO to fullfil marine industry emission requirements. New building ships are ever more complex as different systems are integrated together so that automation is running and monitoring all systems together. This integration has solved many problems, but at the same time created new errors which marine engineers are not familiar with. Some of them can be fatal and risking the crew, ship and environment. New fuels are taken in use; there are already totally emission free while maneuvering as using batteries only, yet there are no study books for these new technologies yet.The STCW International Convention of IMO sets minimum qualification requirements for being a seafarer and is used in formal training of seafarers. A skills gap has emerged between traditional Maritime Education; the needs of the industry and seafarers ought to be able to apply increasing complex systems, regulations, and technologies especially when pandemic occurred, and traditional teaching method could not be used. Due to climate change, maritime industry must take steps to more environmentally friendly shipping. Emissions are monitored constantly by aiming to reduce harmful emissions; at 2050, very strict regulations concerning harmful emissions are fully set to the maritime industry. Engines has become more energy efficient due to regulations set by IMO to full fil marine industry emission requirements. The EU 2050 objectives set intermediate targets for Eco-Efficient Vessel Emission Reduction for key pollutants, but so far this has not contributed to concrete study modules.In IO1, MERSol project will produce new study modules with assessment study module following ensuring the theory knowledge. All the new regulations are included and tested in assessment study modules. In IO2, the specific software, ERS online, will test the knowledge in online practice. MERSol supports the uptake of innovative approaches and digital online technologies for teaching and learning online to ensure these qualifications requirements to be addressed. IO3 will present a guide to related industries. Designing and developing the study modules and assessment modules on a specific e-learning delivery platform allows cadets and seafarers to access the training programme and learning materials over the internet at any time and any place. This is particularly relevant in the Maritime sector where seafarers are highly mobile and have less opportunity to take long face-to-face training courses whilst they are working.Primary target groups are new marine engineer cadets but also deck cadets and all mariners already at sea to update their knowledge of automation and digitalisation. Also, all European HEI and VET centers, together with maritime industry as a whole are target groups taking into consideration ship building and ports. This proposal will focus of the horizontal priorities of supporting individuals in the maritime sector. To acquire and develop key competences making them more relevant to the labour market needs updating their education and training. MERSol study modules, assessment modules and ERS Online will not only provide this as training for new Cadets, but also as part of continuing VET for already qualified seafarers. Together with the Multiplier Events organised in each participant country for wide dissemination, all partners will utilise their dissemination networks and will involve EU wide networks in the project. Even up to 14,000 persons are expected to be reached within the project lifetime.The partners bring together a unique blend of academic and SME partners from maritime cluster bringing such valuable and necessary experience that no single institution can hold. Without all of this expertise, the project outputs would not be sustainable as they would not reflect industry and academic needs, the latest trends in e-learning as well as being submitted for accreditation. The project is innovative as the Marine Engine Room Simulator online system has not been initiated before. It will take full advantage of digital technologies and deliver training and monitoring application at the workplace instead of relying to the traditional means of training that do not correspond to the actual needs of the target group. Especially during the pandemic and lockdown, ERS online will give a learning opportunity to marine engineering studies as offering replacement to the mandatory onboard training.