"Erasmus+ CBHE 2016-2019 Project ""ABC – Assisting Better Communication” has been implemented with the aim to enhance the profession of a Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) in the participating countries (BiH, GE, and IL) through elaboration of quality courses and programs offered at different levels of higher and professional education.The ABC programme as designed and launched addressed the needs of the persons with communication and swallowing difficulties (nearly 90% of children having a risk of disabilities need SL therapy) and their families. ABC relevance is the SLT itself that is necessary for those who suffer from difficulties of communication and speech - include people with a wide range of disorders of the general communication and speech autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and other chronic conditions. SL therapy is important for children having articulation and speech problems, crucial for persons with hearing impairment etc. Thus, SLT profession is a very important specialization, which assists people with special communicational needs.Over the past 10 years, the need for SLT service has become crucially evident and relevant due to the progressive awareness of communication, speech and language related disabilities in both children and adults. In most cases these clients are being served by persons with no qualification in SLT – they are from different related disciplines, such as linguistics, education and/or psychology, which cannot assure the quality of the SLT services. In response, the ABC programme allowed the development of modern European standards-based specialization in Communication and SLT that has responded to the increased needs of quality services in the participating countries. ABC initiative has delivered four objectives and its corresponding directions. These are:1.SLT Curricula Design and Development Through the joint effort, the project experts and participants ensured development and or enhancement of SLT curricula ensuring provision of modern trends related to the SLT field according to the international associations (CPLOL and others) of the Speech and Language Therapists’ competency framework for the profession. The SLT content development process covered the activities related to developing working groups, study visits and Training for Trainers (ToT), development of materials and activities for trainings, courses and program (thematic modules), and practical placements for professional advancement.2.SLT Curricula PilotSLT Curricula Pilot has been held at various levels of higher education. Each SLT thematic module respected the requirements of the corresponding level of education and the needs of the SLT learners. This was realized through co-teaching and visits of EU colleagues. The piloting has led to the mainstreaming and institutionalization measures of the newly designed and piloted modules in the University study plan with actions like certification and accreditations on the corresponding levels matching with the country specific regulations. Project results are embedded in and supported by the beneficiary institutions. As complementary, master’s degree student exchange component contributed to further enhance of professional skills.3.Application of modern teaching methodologyTo ensure application of modern teaching methodology has been one of the key objectives alongside of the essential component of the content design and piloting of the SLT modules.4.Dissemination of the SLT contemporary issuesDissemination of the contemporary issues to the broader public has been the core component for the improvement on the SLT service provision level. In addition, to strengthen the SLT field, Professional Ethics and Standards were introduced in Georgia. The Final International Conference and open-lectures for specialists and parents, short videos, media activities further contributed to joint undressing on SLT in regional countries."

LOVEDISTANCE project foresees to improve the access to and quality of inclusive higher education for minority ethnic groups, women in disadvantaged situations and in peripheral areas and disabled students in Israel and Georgia by supporting institutional capacities through the reinforcement and provision of student support services in both countries. The project also aims to enhance the access to education within and outside the classroom throughout a digital environment. Herein, courses already developed within the context of reinforcing the academic skills of target groups will be more accessible. The project reflects the importance to raise awareness on accessibility issues within Israel and Georgia as well as the necessity to ensure the long-term effect impact of the project for the benefit of women in vulnerable situation and minority ethnic groups.

TRUST promotes an interdisciplinary research program, involving academic and non-academic institutions, in order to understand the role of trust in the implementation of digital technologies and suggest actual means of development. Assuming that the digital transformation of European society can be fully achieved only if technologies evolve in a trustworthy environment, the project analyses the mutual influence between trust and digital technologies in order to raise relational reliance in people-to-people, people-to-business and people-to-authorities interactions. The attention is on blockchain technology (BCT) as one of the most relevant forms of Distributed Ledger Technology. BCT is considered a trust-building machine as it creates new forms of relational reliance. BCT projects the issue of trust in a new dimension that we intend to explore, in adherence with the initiatives and key actions promoted by the EC in the Communication “Shaping Europe’s digital future” (COM (2020) 67final), where it is remarked that trust and digital transformation of society go hand-in-hand. The research and knowledge transfer programme evolves around key topics, such as: the development of a suitable regulatory framework for the effective integration of BTC in a trust-based society; the transition towards a fair and competitive peer to peer economy; the applications of BTC in the field of AI, to assure security and trust; the development of new models of collaborative governance for smart and trust-based cities. The consortium gathers expertise from different backgrounds (legal, economic, engineering), belonging to EU countries, as well as Israel and China. Complementary research perspectives, innovative training and international/intersectoral cooperation will boost staff careers development by studying how the use of digital technologies can shape a trustworthy European environment, in which citizens are empowered in how they act and interact, and promote economic growth as well.