Some changes have been made to the original plan since more students went on longer trips than planned. Also, shorter teachers’ trips were fewer than planned. The main purpose of the project remained the same, to give students at Technical College Reykjavík (TCR) the possibility to take their vocational training with companies abroad, or to study at schools in other countries and gain valuable experience. The cornerstone of vocational education is the vocational training that students receive as apprentices with various firms and companies. The situation in many vocational fields remains difficult in Iceland and students have had problems finding apprenticeships. This is especially true of art and design related fields such as gold and silver smithery. Vocational training taken abroad is fully credited at TCR and great care is taken to ensure that the companies TCR students train with are fully qualified. It is important for our small nation to keep up with the development of education and industry, and students receiving vocational training abroad return home with invaluable knowledge and experience that benefits our schools and job market. Study trips for groups of students serve to introduce to them the opportunities available in working and studying abroad. Vocational studies in Iceland are not at university level but in certain trades students can complete the first year of university studies in Iceland and finish them with top-up degrees abroad. TCR emphasizes collaboration with schools in other European countries, making sure to keep students informed of the possibilities of studying abroad and encouraging them to make use of the possibilities. On their return students give presentations about their trips to teachers and other students. It is important for our students to gain a varied insight into their field and get to know studies and teaching in schools abroad.The following are examples of students who took their training abroad. Students in hairdressing went to Namur, Belgium. They were very pleased with the trips, that tested both their professional knowledge and competence in human relations, especially since the students spoke neither French or Flemish. A student who was finishing her studies in steel making took her training with Black Isle Bronze in Scotland. The company specializes in statues and sculptures and a famous statue in Reykjavik of the Icelandic poet Tómas Guðmundsson was made by the company. A student who completed studies in Audio engineering took her training with Kaiku Studios in Berlin where she gained experience in production and sound mixing and a student in gold smithery took training with AB Heymann & Kuhlmann in Stockholm. Four students of clothing technology took their training with companies abroad, two went to Scotland where one of them worked at Blues & Browns who specialize in classical tailormade clothing and the other worked at Highland Tweed House who specialize in high quality clothing made from Scottish wool. Due to Covid-19 one of them had to return home earlier than she had planned but the other put her training on hold and was able to complete it when the sewing room reopened. Some examples of shorter student trips include a trip made by a student in graphic media design to Italy for a course in digital image processing and a trip made by a student in design who also went to Italy, for a course in graphic design. A teacher and students of house painting visited the vocational college TEC and a teacher and students of technical drawing visited the vocational college NEXT, both in Copenhagen. The students attended classes and did assignments with the students from the two colleges. At the end of the trips the two groups met up and visited technical colleges and companies in Jutland. The purpose of the trip was for the students to gain understanding and insight into the house painting and technical drawing professions in Denmark and the possibilities of further studies offered there. Students and teachers of graphic media design went on a trip to Copenhagen where they visited schools and companies in their field. Students and a teacher of gold smithery went to Fredericia in Denmark, where they participated in classes and took a weeklong course in working with gemstones. Students of Web Development went to KEA. They attended lectures and visited companies and institutions as well as working on their final projects with assistance from KEA teachers. The opportunity to get to know how study programs for specializations in certified trades are set up and carried out in schools abroad is invaluable for teachers and other staff at TCR. Due to Covid-19 staff trips were fewer than planned but an example of a trip that was made was a visit by teachers to Finland where they got to know a teaching method where English is taught alongside vocational teaching. A teacher in gold smithery visited a company in Copenhagen that plans on taking on a vocational trainee.

<< Background >>Getting to know activities in diverse trades in other countries increases professionalism in both students and staff, boosts progressiveness and work development. Taking part in Erasmus+ projects broadens the horizons of students and prepares them for future studies or work abroad, as well as teaching them respect of foreign etiquette and cultures. The situation in many vocational fields is difficult and students have had problems finding apprenticeships in Iceland. This is especially true of art and design related fields. Student study trips introduce students to the possibilities of studying and working abroad and collaboration with schools in other countries ensures that students get to know the possibilities. Trips for staff give them insights into their colleagues’ work, introducing them to new teaching methods and work processes, whether they visit schools or companies. Study programmes and courses at TCR are in constant development. TCR is the largest secondary college in the country and often a pioneer in new vocational studies and subjects. Staff at TCR closely monitor new technologies in teaching and study of certain vocational fields, but digital communications cannot take the place of getting to know things first hand.<< Objectives >>The objective is to give students at TCR the opportunity to get to know studies and work in other countries, getting to know different cultures and a chance to take part of their vocational training with foreign companies or study at foreign schools and thereby gaining valuable unique experience. The fourth industrial revolution started affecting teaching in subjects that emphasize science and new technology and teachers closely monitor developments in computer technology and AI. Meeting people in the same situation in other countries, in lager schools and workplaces offers various opportunities. Vocational studies partly rely upon students getting vocational training in the industry. Vocational training taken abroad is fully credited at TCR and great care is taken to make sure that the companies TCR students train with are fully qualified. It is important to keep up with developments in education and industry, and students receiving vocational training abroad return home with invaluable knowledge and experience that benefits our schools and job market. Staff is given the opportunity to get to know developments in their field and strengthen ties with foreign colleagues.<< Implementation >>Many trips planned in 2021 were canceled due to Covid but the grant was extended to September 2023 and more trips were made in 2022 than the year before. In recent years there has been an increase in longer trips, but students also take shorter trips with teachers and students take courses in their field at foreign universities during the summer. As an example of a shorter trip, students of photography visited Berlin with their teachers and took a class at the University of Applied Sciences. Students in graphic media design went to Italy and worked on projects at their host school and got to know Italian culture and art. A student who visited Denmark and took a course in photography is an example of a student who improved their knowledge in their field with the Erasmus+ grant. More students go for longer trips. A student in gold and silversmithery did their vocational training in Amsterdam and a student of upholstering did 20 weeks of vocational training in a school in Denmark, as no vocational courses in upholstery are available in Iceland. Seventeen members of staff received grants, which is a little more than planned. Permission was attained to transfer part of the grant allocated to student trips to staff trips.<< Results >>It is important for students and teachers at TCR to get insight into the trades, studies, and teaching in their field in other countries. Many of the schools visited are much larger and have more students than TCR and the course offerings are more varied. Student trips introduce students to the possibilities of working and studying abroad and fostering strong relations with foreign schools ensures that students can get to know these possibilities. Students give presentations about their trips when they return home, to their fellow students and teachers on the school's website for example. The study programs and courses at TCR are in constant development to ensure that students are ready to meet the requirements of the international job market when they complete their studies. Cooperation with schools in other countries is a big part of this and the trips increase open-mindedness among teachers and staff. Schools from other countries have also been interested in visiting TCR to work on collaboration and student exchange and many foreign guests visited the school, often leading to further cooperation.

First of all, the outbreak of the global Covid-19 pandemic changed the whole scenario of the project implementation. The pandemic created numerous challenges and issues ranging from repatriation of mobility participants at the outbreak of the pandemic to national lockdowns that stopped mobilities completely for a substantial length of time to very difficult logistical issues to restart mobilities safely. Thankfully, in view of this force majeure, the project was extended by a year to end May 2021. This allowed the MCAST to send learners and staff on mobilities and thus use all the funding of the project and get it completed. The main aim of the INCVET project was to help hone the skills of both educators and students in a European Union where Vocational Education and Training (VET) are changing at a fast pace. The Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST) is the major Vocational Educational and Training (VET) college in the Maltese Islands. The MCAST trains and prepares youths and adults in a wide range of specialized skills in order to provide the Maltese future workforce. It is crucial that MCAST keeps its VET system constantly updated by exposing and training its students and staff in other countries and beyond the national VET scenario. In itself, the project acted as an essential cross-fertilization project for VET education across the EU. The INCVET project in line with the MCAST European Internationalization Strategy gave 120 MCAST students work experience in another European country. Students from all of the MCAST institutes, including creative arts, sciences, engineering, business, ICT and community services took part in these mobilities. Some of the MCAST students found a host themselves but in the majority of cases, MCAST found a host for the vet students through an MCAST partner or intermediary company. Our expected learning outcomes for short term mobilities of vet learners was to:1. gain work experience in their specific industry 2. increment the educational experience at MCAST by learning new tools & accessories on their placement abroad 3. face the main challenges in the specific industry 4. learn to work under pressure, in a team and independently 5. appreciate the main differences between the local market & the European market 6. discover another European country i.e culture, language, values MCAST sent 21 learners on ErasmusPro mobilities. All these learners were attending the Officer in Charge Navigational Watch course. In their course the learners had to carry out a practical training period at sea of 1 year. By linking their training with the INCVET project the MCAST supported a whole class of learners from the Centre for Maritime Studies (CMS) to carry out training lasting for 6 months and longer as officers on sea-going merchant ships &/or coastal merchant ships &/or cruising crafts &/or yachts or fishing trawlers. This experience was an example of integration between the educational curriculum at MCAST and the Erasmus+ program.Through their Erasmus+ mobilities learners gained a different perspective to their industry while keeping updated with the latest technologies and working methods. The placement abroad helped increment the education and training of the learners and also encouraged learners to become more independent while opening up their minds to other European cultures and values. Each successful learner mobility was recognized by a signed and registered Europass Mobility Certificate. In line with the MCAST European Internationalization Strategy 'MCAST firmly believes that the continuous professional development of its staff is key to the college's success'. To ensure that MCAST staff stay constantly updated within their respective fields and that they can provide an updated instruction to MCAST learners it is essential for staff to be kept abreast with technological advancements. MCAST sent 20 staff members on staff training and teaching mobilities. Through a 5-day training in other vocational schools, MCAST staff got the chance to observe new areas of study, new technologies, new teaching methods etc. The MCAST staff also got the opportunity to scrutinize the curricula of their respective fields with experts in other VET institutions. This also led to a cross-fertilization exercise across VET institutions. The mobilities were in line with the MCAST training needs for both academic and administrative staff (Annex 3).Learners and staff with special needs were encouraged to apply and offered additional support. An MCAST staff member With special needs was offered support by the MCAST International Office and the provision of an accompanying person.

Accredited projects for mobility of learners and staff are implemented by organisations holding an Erasmus accreditation. Each accredited project represents a step in the implementation of the organisation's long-term Erasmus Plan.

<< Background >>Technical College (TCR) offers students a first-class education, a solid foundation on which to build a professional carrier. Europe has largely become one area of work and young people finishing their studies are eager for the opportunity to live and work around the world, to gain diverse experience and learn about new cultures that will in turn enrich their native societies. The situation in many vocational fields remains difficult in Iceland and students have had problems finding apprenticeships. Study trips for groups of students serve to introduce to them the opportunities available in working and studying abroad. By keeping strong collaborative ties with schools abroad TCR makes sure to keep students informed of the possibilities of studying abroad and encouraging them to make use of the possibilities. The objective of staff mobilities is to give them the opportunity to learn from the work of their colleagues and gain insight into new teaching and work methods in their trade, whether in a school or professional setting. The study programmes and courses at TCR are in constant development. As the largest upper secondary school in Iceland, TCR often pioneers new vocational education and new subjects in various disciplines.<< Objectives >>The objective of this mobility project is to introduce students at TCR to the opportunities available in working and studying abroad. That they get to know new cultures and can finish part of their vocational training at companies abroad, or to study at schools in other countries and gain valuable experience not easily acquired by other means. An important part of vocational education is the vocational training that students receive as apprentices with various firms and companies. The situation in many vocational fields remains difficult in Iceland and students have had problems finding apprenticeships. This is especially true of fields such as dressmaking, gold and silversmithing and other art and design related fields. Vocational training taken abroad is fully credited at TCR and great care is taken to ensure that the companies TCR students train with are fully qualified. It is important for our small nation to keep up with the development of education and industry, and students receiving vocational training abroad return home with invaluable knowledge and experience that benefits our schools and job market. TCR staff are also given the opportunity to observe developments in their trade and network with international colleagues.<< Implementation >>Students participated in both long and short mobilities. In recent years there has been an increase in longer mobilities, but students also participate in shorter mobilities. As an example of shorter mobilities, photography students went to Berlin where they attended a course at the University of Applied Sciences. Another example is the student visit from The School of Electrical Technology to Stade in Germany. A trip planed by the students of Web Develop­ment had to be cancelled due to Covid and students that had planned to attend summer courses had to cancel their mobilities. Examples of longer mobilities are the four-month internships of three upholstery students to a school in Denmark, as upholstery are not taught in Iceland. Four students in goldsmith did their 12-month internship at companies in DK, UK and Poland. A hairdressing student got an three months internship contract in Spain. Nine employees used the grant for travel, which is slightly more than originally expected. Permission was obtained to transfer funding from shorter mobilities for students to staff instead. Staff mobilities were used to get to know teaching and learning in other schools, strengthen relationships and establish agreements on student exchange.<< Results >>These mobility projects introduce students to the possibility of working and studying abroad.By keeping strong collaborative ties with schools abroad TCR makes sure to keep students informed of the possibilities of studying abroad and encouraging them to make use of the possibilities. Students present their projects to fellow students and teachers when they get home, but in Covid times it was only done electronically, e.g., on the school's website. It is important for students to get a diverse insight into their subjects and to get to know studying and teaching in schools abroad. The opportunity to get to know how learning and teaching in speciality subjects is conducted in schools abroad is also invaluable for teachers and other TCR staff. Many of these schools are larger in size and number of students than schools in Iceland, and the curriculum is more diverse. TCR has great ambition for the development of new study programmes that meet the needs of students and the job market. As a result, the course selection is constantly evolving so that students are ready to take on professions in the international job market after graduation. International schools are similarly very interested in visiting TCR and establishing cooperation.