Engage

Project no. 2016-1-RO01-KA202-024493 Circular €conomy Digital Training Toolbox to foster Innovative Green Entrepreneurs - Eng@ge

Rationale/Background

The Eng@ge project is motivated by the problem that the vast use of resources used by mankind is growing due to global population growth and increasing living standards. This problem is evident in numbers: 65 billion tonnes of materials entered the economic system in 2010 (Ellen MacArthur, 2013). Europe leads the world in recycling but from 2.6 billion tonnes of end-of-life waste, only 40% is recycled, composted or reused (Eurostat, 2014). Further, this end-of-life quantity does not include the material wastage upstream in the manufacturing process. The Framework Directive on Waste (2008/98/EC) focuses on targeting actions at the bottom of the waste hierarchy, such as landfill diversion, recovery and recycling targets and policies which engage with a waste industry. This can be improved through a 'Circular Economy (CE)' approach that is based on a vision of nil waste.
The CE approach has also the potential of increasing jobs and improving the economy by maximizing efficiency. As a matter of fact, in December 2015, the EC launched a CE Package  http://ec.europa.eu/priorities/jobs-growth-and-investment/towards-circulareconomy_en) to boost competitiveness, create jobs and generate sustainable growth. For this paradigm shift to be achieved, there is a need that CE's principles and benefits be disseminated as widely as possible. There is thus an urgent need that education stakeholders at different levels including VET be equipped with the right knowledge about a CE approach, its principles, its benefits to both society and industry as well as the concept that a CE approach can foster a novel breed of 'Green Entrepreneurs'.

Objectives:

The aim of the Eng@ge partnership is to thus improve the level of Green Entrepreneurial culture in Europe by providing knowledge about the CE concept to VET stakeholders through an innovative and open digital training toolbox. For this reason, this project will develop an open digital training toolbox through which education stakeholders can prepare individuals to exploit the concept of CE as a basis for green entrepreneurship. This innovative training toolbox will consist of a number of different training tools and casestudies that can be openly used by learners. In this way, different learners can use different learning means to cater for their specific needs and aspirations. Through this digital training toolbox, the Eng@ge partnership will be able to help trainers in transferring skills and case-studies related to the CE so as to help foster European green entrepreneurs. To achieve this overall aim the project will have these objectives:
O1: To understand the training needs of VET stakeholders in the partner countries with respect to the CE and its benefits to society and business by assessing at least 70 stakeholders;
O2: To develop a framework/curriculum that can address the needs identified in O1;
O3: To develop an open and innovative digital training toolbox supporting the training  framework/curriculum established in O2, consisting of a set of digital training tools/methods and six relevant case-studies providing trainers with the means to adopt their training approach to the needs of different learners;
O4: To carry out 1 pilot test and improve the innovative digital training toolbox developed in O3,
O5: To disseminate and exploit the results of the Eng@ge project and in particular ensure this innovative digital training toolbox is openly available to at least 10000 other persons.

Target Group

Meeting the above objectives will allow the project's primary target group (TG) (i.e.VET trainers) to exploit the €ng@ge digital training toolbox so as to transfer knowledge on the CE and also business skills to the secondary TG i.e. the individual VET learners that want to become green business entrepreneurs. The final TG is those stakeholders interested in exploiting the CE concept as a basis for setting up their own business or in improving their current business model.

Partners

P1: CCI BN, is a Chamber of Commerce in the North West of Romania, that is active in VET and Adult training it initiated the project as a continuation of the HENGE project based on needs observed within the local business community. It will manage the consortium, being responsible for integrated project management. It will coordinate IO13 and will be able to transfer knowledge to the target audience and also provide effective and real links with the world of work and business as well as public authorities. It will contribute to other IOs, and will organize the final conference and press conferences.
P2: Prof.Dr. Asen Zlatarov University, (BTU) BG - Will be responsible for IO1 skills needs assessment for CE. As well, based on their expertise, they will be involved in developing on line learning content and participate in curriculum development and generating content. Moreover they will provide the case study for BG and will organize amultiplier event and seminars .They will contribute to other IOs
P3: MECB Ltd, is a technical consultancy based in Malta experienced in both VET and Adult Training on a range of topics including Life-Cycle Design, Eco Innovation and also Virtual and Augmented Reality. MECB is also experienced in developing e-Learning content and delivering in-Service Adult training courses; It will be responsible for IO2, the case-studies survey, IO6, codification of course content in e-Learning format and dissemination activities and IO7. It will contribute to other IOs
P4: Polytechnic University of Bucharest is experienced in VET & Higher Education including on Sustainable Development, Product Life-Cycle Management, Circular Economy, e-Learning; The role assigned in the project is connected on one hand on quality assurance and on the other hand on leading, IO2, and IO 10 Eng@ge e-learning management system. It will organize a pilot in Romania and will be responsible for leading the Quality Control Group.
P5: LAWTON School S.L. based in Spain - was the lead partner of the HENGE project, the present project being a continuation of HENGE. They have a high level of knowledge concerning the economic situation in Spain as well as the directions for sustainable development having a very good cooperation with Regional Development Agency. As they are a very experienced VET provider they will be responsible for IO11- Set of CE Trainers Templates as well as sharing together with CCI BN the responsibility for IO13
dissemination strategy based on their expertize and EU level networks. They will contribute to other IOs.
P6: Drosostalida, based in Greece, a social enterprise working with social inclusion in rural and urban areas with huge experience in entrepreneurial training using diverse non-formal and formal educational methods (serious games, board games, interactive activities, etc.) The will be responsible for the IO4 - curriculum , IO8 , validation of the project results & exploitation strategy well as contributing to major IOs.
P7: THE GLASGOW CALEDONIAN UNIVERSITY based in the UK is experienced in VET & Higher Education with tremendous experience in developing environmental programmes for over 20 years, during which the agenda has evolved from pollution control, zero waste, energy efficiency, and renewable, to resource efficiency and carbon reduction base principles of circular economy. They will be responsible for the IO5 Modular trainers course content on Circular Economy for Green Entrepreneurs, IO12 and contribute to major IOs.

Main Results

O1- Circular Economy Training needs analysis Report
O2 - Survey Report Identifying Six Case-studies of the Circular Economy
O3- Six Case-Studies on the Circular Economy
O4 -Curriculum for a Modular Trainers' Course on the Circular Economy
O5 - Modular Trainers Course content on 'Circular Economy for Green Entrepreneurs'
O6 - Modular Trainers E-learning Course on 'Circular Economy for Green Entrepreneurs'
O7 -Framework Of How To Apply the CE Training Toolbox Content
O10 - Eng@ge e-learning Management system
O11 - Set of Circular Economy (CE) Trainers Templates
O12 - Final CE Digital Training toolbox