CONTEXT/BACKGROUNDSubstantial research shows Outdoor Learning (OL) to be highly successful and sustainable in nurturing transversal skills crucial for employability, active citizenship, and personal wellbeing. Nevertheless, hardly any country embeds OL systematically in formal or non-formal education. The NEF+ consortium partners have been working together since 2018 using an OL model to promote transversal skills in young people. To mitigate impact of Covid-19, digital learning solutions have been devised which produce unexpected added value from the combination of OL and digital learning. OBJECTIVESNEF+ will augment these insights and good practice within the Consortium and among VET practitioners and experts on regional and EU level. The project creates professional development opportunities on OL for VET, e.g. through a digital open access repository with self-led learning materials and best practice guidelines on OL for VET in non-formal education and workplace settings - with a special focus on ways to digitally enhance OL. To achieve sustainable impact, the existing New Education Forum (NEF) network will be expanded and digitalised to enable professional development, knowledge exchange and lobbying of (digitally augmented) OL for VET beyond the funding period. PARTICIPANTSNEF+ serves three beneficiary groups: 1) VET educators - in and outwith the Consortium members' institutions - active or interested in OL for VET (min. 300 educators engaged in NEF+ online and live knowledge exchange activities).2) Experts (professional associations, OL training institutions, good practice providers) contribute to the state-of-the-art knowledge base and the network (min. 60 new members, i.e. 20% increase of current network).3) Decision-makers on regional and EU level carry forward OL for VET sustainably on a wide scope (support of min. 2 EU institutions, 180 attendees at live/online multiplier events).ACTIVITIES & METHODOLOGYTo achieve the objectives, the NEF+ Consortium:•Moves the existing NEF network online and expands it through digital engagement tools for professional development, knowledge exchange and networking. •Provides an open access digital repository for information on OL for VET, incl a summary of existing research on OL for VET and ways of digital enhancement of OL and VET. •Showcases OL for VET Good Practitioners who achieve significant impact on employability and citizenship. •Obtains sustainable commitment of regional and EU policy- and decision-makers for NEF+ and OL for VET beyond the funding period.•Conducts live/online events in Brussels connecting all target groups in networking, knowledge exchange, and lobbying. The project combines digital engagement and live knowledge exchange and networking tools. The state-of-the-art is elicited through a traditional, interdisciplinary literature review, a scoping exercise for good practice, and expert discussion in the online network. EXPECTED RESULTS AND IMPACTThe main results of NEF+ are:•A digitally enhanced network for (NEF+ Consortium and other) educators and other stakeholders interested in OL for VET, sharing and expanding the state-of-the-art in (digitally augmented) OL for VET•An open access online repository with OL for VET-related resources•A summary of existing research and list of indicators to self-evaluate and identify ‘Good Practices in OL for VET’•Information on and insights gained from at least 10 Good Practitioners in OL for VET•3 regional plus 2 international multiplier events (over 300 participants total)•Guidelines for implementation of OL for VET The impact envisaged of NEF+ is that at least 10 regions in Europe (start to) implement OL for VET in Europe, and at least 300 educators have started or expanded their practical use of OL for VET in their work practice. In addition, the networking opportunities are expected to spark inter-sectional collaborations on OL for VET and beyond.LONGER TERM BENEFITSThe NEF+ online network will continue to provide professional development on OL for VET for educators in the Consortium member institutions and beyond. Inter-sectorial knowledge exchange and collaboration between different stakeholders and professionals will improve the educational landscape and state-of-the-art in using OL for VET in Europe. Furthermore, interregional and transnational cooperation between public authorities in education (especially VET), training and youth will be established and strengthened. This will help to raise the ratio of youth in employment, education and training, especially during and beyond the pandemic. Widening and refining the use of OL for VET and ways to digitally enhance it will also bring about the other benefits known of OL – for health and wellbeing, environmental protection and social equity – thus making active and effective contributions towards no less than three UN Sustainable Development Goals.