<< Background >>The role of rurality in the prosperity of the European Union (EU) is widely acknowledged. Meanwhile, rural areas tend to lose their positions and opportunities in an increasingly urbanizing world. Despite the diversity of rural areas in terms of their socio-economic performances, natural characteristics, and cultural heritage, the majority of them demonstrates intrinsic fragility in social, economic and environmental aspects, and, consequently, different rural areas face common challenges, experience depreciation of their values and underutilization of the opportunities they are able to provide.In the 2016 High Level OECD Seminar “Delivering productivity and competitiveness for rural areas” four “areas of opportunity” emerged: forestry, local foods, tourism, and renewable energy. Forestry is considered to be an integral part of rural development. Beyond providing wood products, healthy, sustainably managed forests are valuable tools for mitigating and combating climate change. They are also locations for important recreational activities, such as appreciation of nature, hiking and mountain biking, and, together with other rural sectors, can produce a variety of local foods. In many EU countries, the local food system is used as part of a regional tourism strategy where specific foods are the focus for visitors who follow a “trail” that leads them from producer to producer. These local foods provide an opportunity to market a region’s food products to a global audience, as well as connecting local farmers to the communities in which they reside. To some, renewable energy is rural energy, because virtually all renewable energy technologies are space-intensive and thus rely upon a rural location. Wind, biodiesel, and photovoltaic technologies now represent the fastest growing energy industries, whereby windfarms require clear sites, biofuels rely on agricultural feed stocks, and solar generation, though somewhat more flexible, is increasingly implemented on open rural land.On the other hand, over the last few years experts on rural development policy have consistently identified out-migration and ageing as key trends affecting investment decisions in rural areas, along with “changes in the rural economic structure” and the “decentralization” process. Thus, rural areas share also common structural vulnerabilities: distance, lack of critical mass and low population density. Furthermore, the recession, the COVID pandemic in combination with the consequences from the ongoing climate changed have put an extra burden to rural entrepreneurs, who are facing increasing complexity and deep uncertainty in their business, exacerbating existing vulnerabilities.Maximizing the opportunities depends on a constellation of factors coming together. If one or two of the elements cannot be achieved, there could be continued stagnation or decline instead of transformation. In other words, no matter how much progress is made towards tapping rural opportunities, if rural vulnerabilities are not addressed, they could render any form of progress shallow. These discussions underscore the importance of exploiting future opportunities in a manner that addresses rural vulnerabilities and current state of the art calls for new strategies and models of rural development to be found and applied so to turn lagging rural areas into resilient rural communities.<< Objectives >>The main objective of the OREN project is to involve agricultural entrepreneurs in an interactive learning programme, specifically designed and addressed to the rural development issues in the COVID era. The partnership will develop an interactive, multi-stakeholder platform that will contain sustainable rural business models, simulation models and mathematical tools, accompanied by managerial courses targeted to agricultural entrepreneurs. The purpose is to train the participants in advanced managerial and business skills. By acquiring such skills, the entrepreneurs will be able to analyse the root causes of successful business scenarios in order to improve their expertise and skills in understanding and modelling potential good practices. More particularly, the OREN objectives are:- Discover insights and emerging patterns regarding rural business development.- Discover and analyze factors (environmental, socio-economic, geographical etc.) that contribute to successful rural businesses.- Analyze the structural elements of rural development, map the relationships that might lead to successful business models, and explore them through simulation with the purpose of identifying potential policies and points of unintended consequences- Develop and promote work-based learning for agricultural entrepreneurs with the purpose of increasing their business skillsIn order to achieve such objectives, the training will provide the involved actors with the skills to design effective business models in diverse settings and the tools (theoretical and technical) to implement them appropriately. Hence, the OREN project aims to:(1) Provide of a better understanding of the modern rural economies, generate knowledge of successful rural business models and identify the factors that can lead to sustainable growth.(2) Provide tools (theoretical and technical) for entrepreneurship in rural areas, a database of business cases and an interactive learning framework.(3) Through the acquiring of advanced business skills, the OREN project aims at stimulating local economic development especially in poor and remote areas.(4) Increase the added value of those businesses and lead to job creation in rural areas (5) Make rural businesses more sustainable and resilient to changes that hinder their development<< Implementation >>The OREN project will address such issue by implementing the following approach:(1) establish a multi-stakeholder interaction, as a valuable strategy to enhance the modern rural economy opportunities,(2) build and transfer a “dynamic capability”, which can help rural actors to engage in multistakeholder interaction for sustainability and maintain their profits at the same time.(3) Increase the business skills of rural entrepreneurs by promoting continued education and training in advanced aspects of business management despite the restriction posed by the COVID pandemic.<< Results >>Measurable results will be:- (R1) a survey of the most promising community-based rural business models, analyzing their critical success factors, delivered at month 7;- (R2) a report on the fundamental dynamics explaining the community-based approach delivered at month 15, elaborated through a collaborative model building approach, addressing: environments and social dynamics, pattern emergence, triggers and catalyzers, risks mapping;- (R3) a suite of simulation models and an interactive learning environment, developed and released at month 19;- (O4) a set of 5 complementary courses, with related course materials, to be provided together and with the support of the decision support system; these will be ready at month 16 and will address the following topics: (1) Legislative skills (EU agenda on rural development); (2) Technical skills; (3) Methodological skills (mathematical modeling; rural business innovation); (4) Sociological skills; (5) Entrepreneurial skills. Courses will be produced in English and all the elaborated material will be translated the partners’ languages too. These courses will be held fully online. It is the purpose of the partnership to engage at least 10 participants from each country.- (R4) guidelines with respect to rural development strategies, delivered at month 24;- (R5) recommendations based on lesson learnt during the project executions, delivered at month 24 and shared during the final conference (E4).These outputs will be disseminated both trough online channels and by means of two conferences (multiplier events). The first (E1), targeting civil society and agricultural organizations beyond the partnership, to share the former results of the project and gain further insights useful for tuning both the models and the courses’ materials; it will take place at month 19.Three final conference (E2-E4), will be held during the last months of the project with the purpose of disseminating the project results to relevant stakeholders and rural communities at the partner countries and the EU.

Sustainable development is among the grand challenges of the next decades. To come closer to achieving that state, the EU is committed to mainstream the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the European policy framework and current Commission priorities. Moreover, special attention is paid to means for the achievement of the SDGs, their universal application to all countries and the simultaneous address of the economic, environmental and societal dimensions of sustainability. Thus, there is the need of not only raising awareness, but acquiring a sustainability literacy, in the sense of a functional education that will provide the necessary skills and motives to cope with the challenges of and contribute to sustainable development. As a result, it is essential to provide an innovative pedagogy to students of higher education that will be the policy makers of tomorrow. In particular, their education should be exploring sustainability and the complexity among its different dimensions; moreover, it should provide the necessary means for the students to experience processes of complex decision making, sharpen, their clarity of thought, enhance their communication abilities and help them develop critical thinking as well as key competences to address the complexities of sustainable development. This type of education needs to become a learning process move towards being transformed into a more experiential and student-centered way of learning: thus helping students to constantly assess the environment, operating and adapting to it through processes of revision from their frames of reference and provide the appropriate materials to comprehend systemic complexity. The objective of the SUSTAIN project is to commence and promote sustainable literacy among students of higher education (and young people in general) through an innovative and student-centered education. To achieve this objective, we will design, develop and implement a course to be taught in students of higher education; a course hybrid in nature, as it will combine game-based learning with an analytical style of education. In detail: 1) The course will deal with transportation sustainability, societal metabolism and decision making under those contexts. The purpose will be to teach students the definitions of those notions, how they are translated in everyday life, and formalize the mathematics necessary to make robust decisions. 2) The project team will develop small, illustrative simulation models that will make the definitions more concrete and allow students to experiment in a consequence-free environment. The simulation models can be used to identify scenario exemplars on how we can achieve sustainable urban transportation and a balanced societal metabolism, while taking into account formal decision making process. Thus, greater insights will be provided to the policy makers of the future regarding the complexities of decisions in uncertain issues where many stakeholders are involved. 3) The approach of the SUSTAIN project is hybrid and as such the material develop so far, will be translated, in elements and mechanics of a Serious Game. The purpose is to create a board game that will allow students to learn about transportation sustainability and societal metabolism through playing. One important aspect of the design of the game it will be that it will avoid to be just an informational/fact-delivering game; the core design principle will combine delivery of facts with experiential elements that will allow students to explore their own sustainability goals and the means to achieve them. The project team envisages that the impact of the project will be in three ares: - At the European (and EU) level, the project will provided added value in the efforts of the EU to disseminate the principles of sustainability, while at the same time educate the future generation of policy makers to be better equipped to promote and achieve the SDGs. Furthermore, the project will continue the effort for an enhanced education that will utilize and incorporate the principles of game-based learning and IC Technologies. - For the partners of the project, the impact will take the form of a strengthened cooperation and networking of different organizations among different European countries and with different scopes and experiences. At the same time, it will strengthen the role of the participating partners in their respective areas, as the project will bring cutting-edge research closer to students and citizens. - Finally, for the students that will participate in the project, the new course will provide a more student-centered education that will inform them on important EU and global issues, and at the same time help teach them develop the key competences to deal with complex situations that they will have to face. The project will bring them in touch with the work performed by the partners and connect them with other facets of the European culture.

<< Background >>The revelation of incidents of violence and harassment of all kinds (sexual, verbal, psychological, physical, etc.) in the sports sector is somewhat becoming a pandemic across EU countries and by that way urging CSO stakeholders to take action in order to educate and sensitise young athletes and students along with the their coaches and teachers regarding effective ways to tackle these phenomena as early as possible. During 2020 – 2021, a period, when the global society and especially the EU was struggling to overcome the day-to-day risks and aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, a huge movement against Gender-based Violence in the sports sector came to the surface in Greece thanks to the bravery of a number of women and men who found the courage to speak out. Similar incidents have been revealed in other EU countries, such as Germany and France where the existence of sexual harassment in organised sports and football have come into light just to name a few. For a long time now, i.e. since the ‘80s, severe human rights violations have been taking place often against minors by influential people in the sports sectors, thus it is of outmost importance to raise awareness and protect the future generation of athletes in fields related to professional sports. Against the background of the latest developments, special attention will be paid in the fields of gymnastics, swimming, wrestling and other such sport-related sectors, which seem to have been severely “damaged” by hidden acts of gender-based violence during the last decades. Above all, it is worth mentioning that many actors in the abovementioned sectors appear to have had knowledge of these incidents, but no-one has talked up to know, hence awareness raising seems as a must at this stage in order to shift the dynamics of violence in the sports sectors and ultimately change the history. The proposed project will largely build on the most recent evidence based, such as the 2020 EC “Study on Gender-based Violence in Sports” that provides valuable insights and references with regard to the occurrence of such incidents in the sector. Within this context, the proposed project* will deliver the following objectives, activities and results:<< Objectives >>The overall goal of the proposed project is to build the capacity and raise awareness among physical education teachers and youngsters themselves regarding the prevention and combatting of gender-based violence in the sports sector. Specific Objectives: Improve the evidence base regarding the existence of violence, sexual or not, radicalisation, discrimination and intolerance against both women and men in the sports sector.Provide useful empowerment tools and resources to victims and to their advocates so as to be more capable to respond to the needs of the victims and speak out. Improve the capacity of educational staff and public and private service providers working in favour of victims to the needs of presumed victims in this sector. Raise public awareness about the rights and needs of GBV victims in the sports sector and their role in protecting them.<< Implementation >>Development of a good practices toolkit and online material regarding the prevention and combatting of GBV in the sports sector: Consultation with young athletes via national and local WGsCollection and analysis of good practices at EU and International level Development of an online good practices platform Publication of national and EU-level recommendations on the issueDesign of online and printed learning materials for young athletes, coaches, education staff and authorities:Design of learning material (focusing on e-learning) regarding the prevention of GBV in professional and non-professional sports playing.Development of e-leaning tools for sport coachers and other relevant staff regarding the self-protection and empowerment of young athletes and students. Development of learning resources of educational authorities in the sports sectors, incl. schools (such as reporting tools, policies against GBV, etc.):Capacity building of sport instructors and other educational staff and coachers: Launch and implementation of the developed training programme for sports-related educators and instructors.Implementation of capacity building programmes for educational authorities and staff tailor-made to the country specific of the involved MSs. Awareness raising and Communication/ Dissemination: Dissemination and Communication Strategy (visual identity, general dissemination tools, website, etc)Awareness Raising Campaign & advocacy activities designed to sensitise young athletes, students and their parents regarding the existing of GBV in the sports and education sectors.<< Results >>The main expected project result is to build the capacity and raise awareness among physical education teachers and youngsters themselves regarding the prevention and combatting of gender-based violence in the sports sector. Result 1: Increased awareness among the sports education community about the incidents of GBV in the sector. Result 2: Improved capacity of educational actors in the sports sector to identify incidents of GBV and support victims. Result 3: Increased awareness of youngsters and their parents/ family about the incidents of GBV in the sports sector.TThe expected results at project completion include:•Online and printed learning materials for young athletes, coaches, education staff and authorities.•The capacities of sport instructors and other educational staff and coachersin the implementing countries will be increased •Innovative learning methodologies and tools aiming at maximizing the efficiency and effectiveness of support provided to GBV victims in the sports sector not only in the project countries but also at EU level;•Enhanced awareness and knowledge (through infosessions and other dissemination means) of professionals and other stakeholders in the participating countries on using the new e-tool and methodology.•Public awareness about the rights and needs of GBV victims in the sports sector and their role in protecting them.Moreover, the project partners through the implementation of the project will have:•Enhanced capacity to promote the inclusion of GBV victims in the sports sector;•Enriched tools and methodologies they can use in their regular activities;•Created new international contacts and synergies;•Improved their teamwork, networking and language skills and competences.

<< Objectives >>MODES has the 4 specific objectives in addition to the WP-specific ones:SO1:Strengthen professors and tutors’ capacity to create inclusive classrooms for international/ foreign studentsSO2:Create new and more inclusive for incoming students methodological approaches and pedagogies for international learningSO3:Improve the international learning experience of foreign students into the classroom and the campus lifeSO4:Boost the integration of international students in the host EU countries<< Implementation >>We are to implement PM and 4 WPs, comprised by 34 Activities, including:-Conduction of evidence-based analysis on international teaching environments-Development of a Baseline Study Exploitation Pack-Design and development of a Capacity Building programme for international teachers-Development of a Toolkit for Excellence in international learning-5 testing and training activities in IT, GR, CY, NL-5 testing and Toolkit adoption activities in IT, GR, CY, NL-4 TPMs-6 Multiplier Events<< Results >>The main MODES results are: -1 Baseline Study Exploitation Pack on international learning environments-1 Methodological Guide for teaching in international settings-1 International Skills Curriculum with 4 Modules for Higher Education Teachers-20 professors trained-1 Online e-learning platform-1 Toolkit for Excellence in international learning-8 HEIs adopting the Toolkit-1 Recommendations Report for the adoption of the Toolkit in diverse educational settings-1 Dissemination Plan

The project aims to create skills on the topic of project management (PM) and intends to do so using the concept of Edutainment in depth. To do this, it was decided to unite the world of the PM and that of the Board Games: this combination aims to facilitate the learning of the concepts of the PM but intends to do it through a new model, not only through the game, but using a game in which the players interact in a common space and do it in person, ergo endowed with a very marked social component.The PM, today, is a competence that has a very strong relevance in almost all fields and is increasingly requested by people who do not have to become real Project Managers. This is because it includes skills that are transversal to all sectors and is therefore a subject that is perceived as a fundamental and basic element on which to build the rest of the expertise of a member of the organization, be it public, private or non-profit.The use of the Board Game, however, is back in the spotlight after a period of torpor and the data indicate them as a phenomenon of massive and inter-generational interest, especially for young people who discover them as a personal relationship together with the digital social networks.The PMBoG project aims to use this new renaissance of Board Games to create a game that regards the PM and legitimate the dynamics of this discipline, and intends to do this through the interaction between players/learners through the rules of a board game. The PMBoG project will address the complex nature of Project Management by allowing professional adults to manage situations where not only PM’s theory is relevant but where also a deep understanding of the structure underlying the dynamics of projects can play a crucial role for the correct management of resources and ultimately for a successful completion of an endeavor in terms of time, budget and result quality. Simultaneously, the project will extend and develop the competences of management educators and other personnel who support adult learners, with the purpose of developing a learning pathway that will certify Project Management as an essential skill with transversal value.To achieve the objectives of the project, we will combine a hybrid-style of education:- A crash-course on PM using the traditional analytical tools (e-books, papers etc.)- The development of Interactive Learning Environments (ILEs) based on simulation models that provide meaningful insights about Project Management -The development of a board game that will incorporate every element of the previous results and translate them into a scenario that will allow the participants to experience a learning process that not only delivers facts/information but allows them to understand Project Management in their own terms and find their own solutions.The strategic partnership envisages that the impact of the project will be:For the partners of the project, the impact will take the form of a strengthened cooperation and with different scopes and experiences. At the same time it will strengthen the role of the participating partners both in their respective countries and in the countries of all the participants, as the project will bring cutting-edge research and awareness campaigns closer to students and citizens. Simultaneously, the project partnership will try to address the gaps in the research: the design and implementation of a course targeted to educators of Project Management and Professionals and secondly, inform the academic community on the gap of game-based learning with regards to the assessment of the learning progress.For the participants, the new course will provide an innovative type of education, which is more student-centered and not overly reliant on the traditional style of education. This innovative education will allow the participants to achieve competences such as the ability of time management, budget management, negotiation skills, creating and delivering presentations, relationship management, risk management and using technology effectively. These competences will allow them to deal with complex decisions and decision making processes in their current and future careers in private and public organizations and provide insights into the complexity and the effort required to achieve a unique progress in a highly competitive global environment.Furthermore, the PMBoG project will provide to educators and professionals a range of tools that have high transferable value since every aspect in life can be thought and managed in terms of Project Management. Finally, the PMBoG project will bring the participants in touch with work performed by the partners and will connect them with other facets of the European culture. Last but not least, the partnership aims at bringing elements of pure fun in academic and research institutions and the corridors of professional companies.