REINITIALISE aims to strengthen scientific excellence and innovation capacity at UMCS (PL) in the field of preservation of fundamental rights in the design and use of digital technologies and digital communication for e-health services, with a specific focus on a) health-oriented technologies for active ageing, and b) prevention care in the sectors of nutrition and dietetics. Within this overall objective, REINITIALISE also aims to increase the capacity to attract and successfully manage EU funds at UMCS, and to involve, train and mentor Early-Stage Researchers (ESRs). The twinning exercise carried out by REINITIALISE defines and implements a scientific strategy and a process of knowledge transfer which leverages on excellence of KUL (BE), UNIMC (IT), and EUC (IT), as well as on complementarities and synergies among Smart Specialization Strategies of the 3 regions involved. To achieve these goals, REINITIALISE puts together a comprehensive plan of collaborative activities, characterized by: - attention to reinforce the strategic thinking capacities of UMCS; - a highly interdisciplinary approach, supported by the integration between social sciences and humanities and technology; - a constant and active involvement of different stakeholders and the business community; - an ad hoc training and mentoring for ESRs; - an ad hoc training on EU project design and management of EU funds. The plan of collaborative activities includes: staff exchanges for senior researchers and ESRs, academic symposiums, job shadowing and cross functional mentoring, showcase events, lunch & learn events, summer and winter schools, Venture Lab. With regard to the Work Programme, REINITIALISE contributes to the reduction of internal disparities in the EU in terms of R&I performances, by focusing on UMCS and leading it towards a pathway of excellence. Also the Lubelskie region, where UMCS is based, will benefit from the project especially in terms of opportunities for socio-economic growth.

This action supports physical and blended mobility of higher education students and staff from/to third countries not associated to Erasmus+. Students in all study fields and cycles can take part in a study period or traineeship abroad. Higher education teaching and administrative staff can take part in professional development activities abroad, as well as staff from the field of work in order to teach and train students or staff at higher education institutions.

Context/background of the projectResearch in partner countries and recognition in most EU nations have highlighted a particular training and professional need, linked to early childhood care and education outside school and institutional contexts.The available learning pathways, programmes and resources for informal childminders are not adequate to enable them to develop the necessary skills and provide childcare in an informal context like home, at the necessary quality and professional standards, thus closing the gap with the formal provision of early education & care. For this reason, it seems important to design and organise a free and easy access training course, especially for informal workers, useful to provide children with high-quality services and to enable people who would otherwise be excluded from academic or institutional education to find work in the world of early childhood care and assistance.ObjectivesThe objectives of the project were related to the implementation of a system of professionalisation for formal and informal childminders, across the social spectrum. In particular, the partners sought both to improve the access of informal childminders to training, developing open educational resources tailored to their needs, and to introduce a modern training delivery method, enabling learners to follow flexible learning pathways as regards the acquisition of skills relevant to early childhood care in an informal context.The consortium, through the materials and the designed accompanying pathway, has allowed municipalities, VET providers and associations of disadvantaged groups to offer courses for informal childminders open to their citizens, learners and members.Sustainability of project results has been assured through the active involvement of public VET providers, social organisations and municipalities in the partnership countries.Number and profile of participating organisationsThe partnership comprises 5 organisations from 5 countries (Italy, Greece, Ireland, Slovakia and Spain), from the worlds of VET, research, learning innovation and disadvantaged groups’ representation. University of Macerata (UNIMC) and FLORIDA University bring significant experience in developing high-quality educational resources for informal childminders that work with children aged 0-6 years, in research in the ECEC field, and on training provision for the sector’s staff. ECI (Early Childhood Ireland) has experience in training informal childminders and offering quality experiences for young children and their families in their settings. PROMEA (Greece) brings expertise in research methodologies design and implementation, and in innovative learning solutions focused on professional skills. NCRP (Slovakia) has extensive knowledge of VET courses for disadvantaged learners and families.Description of undertaken main activitiesDuring the projects have been implemented both the analysis of current and future training needs, in order to develop learning outcomes updated and tailored to informal childminders needs, and the development of learning units, learning and assessment materials to be offered online as OERs in a comprehensive VET programme in informal childminding. A free MOOC has been developed from these resources to promote the adoption of innovative practices in VET.A set of knowledge resources and tools for course providers was designed to facilitate running and dissemination of the course.The municipalities, NGOs, associations of disadvantaged were involved to promote the adoption of ChildInMind knowledge resources and online course: projects outputs were shared through multiplier events, inviting target groups to uptake ChildInMInd results and act as disseminatorsResults and impact attainedThe results of the project, in terms of materials and resources produced, are five free and downloadable online learning modules, concerning the professional profile and the main competencies that a childminder must have: 1) Childminding: roles and responsibilities; 2) Working with young children and their families: attitudes and approach; 3) Promoting home safety for children; 4) The importance of play for children; 5) An Anti-BIAS approach. Furthermore, an open-access MOOC, in self-learning, for the training of the Childminders; an e-book for the trainer, accessible also offline and from mobile devices; a manual for the organization of the course by subjects who want to include it in their vocational training offer and some materials for dissemination and promotion of the course, including an online tool from which to download materials and resourcesAll materials are available in 5 languages (English, Italian, Greek, Spanish, Slovakian).Long-term benefitsThe course will be available free of charge for all institutions and associations that wish to include it in their training offer. The CC free license allows the course contents to be modified and adapted, citing authors of the materials.

The University of Macerata is a small university in the central part of Italy. It is among the oldest universities in Europe (it was founded in 1290), and its activities are oriented towards human and social sciences. Developing the internationalization and opening itself to the world are among the main strategic objectives of the University of Macerata, through the increase and the strengthening of the international networks, from the perspective of social cohesion at an international level. The role of the European internationalization is essential in the strategic development plan of the University, together with the increase in mobility and the development of curriculum, networks, etc..As reported in the Policy Statement, the internationalization represents a fundamental component of the strategic vision of the University, which aims to make the international dimension an integral part of its own teaching and researching activities. Improving the quality of teaching and researching, through the active and interactive fusion of different academic traditions, represents the biggest expectation of the University.The following objectives are equally strategic: the quality control and the evaluation of participation, the level of internationalization among administrative staff, teachers and students; the measures to secure the full acknowledgment of the study abroad period; the development of transnational projects; the use of foreign languages in teaching and researching; the strategies for the implementation of the process of Bologna and the Erasmus Policy Statement inside the institution.Its main activities are focused on the humanities and social sciences. Students are offered a broad range of courses, including undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, Master’s and Ph.D. programmes, specialisation schools and summer schools. They can attend classes in cultural heritage, economics, philosophy, law, arts and humanities, languages, language mediation, communication, education, political science and tourism. The Giacomo Leopardi School of Advanced Studies offers excellent multidisciplinary teaching programmes for young and talented students. Thanks to the local Confucius Institute, the University of Macerata plays a leading role in promoting Chinese language and culture.The Erasmus+ Community Programme, therefore, is well-integrated into the table of the strategic objectives of the University of Macerata since it lets students, teachers and administrative staff to gain greater abilities and transversal skills, and to improve the quality of teaching.The fusion of different academic traditions, achieved through the mobility activities, let the University of Macerata to move forward in the modernization of its education system, making it more innovative and transnational. Moreover, this fusion let the University to promote the youth’s participation in society and the building of a European dimension. The project has given the students the opportunity to study, grow, have working abroad experiences, enhance language-learning, see skills acknowledged.In 2017/2018 academic year, no. 268 Erasmus Study students and no. 108 Erasmus Traineeship students took part in the Erasmus Programme, in total 382 students. It may be noted that there is a significant increase of 31% in the interest in study-abroad mobility compared to the previous academic year.Teachers had the opportunity to develop teaching and researching skills on a European base, enhance language-learning, share teaching methods with the other teachers of partner institutions, with the aim of implementing the best skills gained, and favouring the students through a more innovative and high-quality learning.In 2017/2018 academic year, 36 teachers took part in the Erasmus activities.The project had an important effect on the University, its territory and the local stake holders: the Outgoing Erasmus students represent the 3,70% of the total amount of students enrolled at the University.