The main objective of the action is improving the innovation management capacity of two SME target groups: (1) Beneficiaries of the SME Instrument by provision of the specialised Key Account Management services, and (2) SMEs with significant innovation activities and a high potential for internationalisation through the targeted Enhancing the innovation management services. The proposed action will implement 65 seven-day service packages during the pilot action in 2015-2016.

Productivity, competitiveness, and economic growth stem from innovation and are vital in collaborative research projects. However, given the heterogeneity of economic and industrial frameworks between North/Western Europe and South/Eastern Europe, open calls for European funded research projects often exacerbate the knowledge gap between more and less developed regions. This in turn, limits the economic impact of this funding on areas that often need it the most. Czechia and Slovakia have been growing their gross domestic expenditure on R&D, almost doubling it since 2005. However, this growth does not directly equal innovation, with patent applications per million of the population not reaching 15% of the EU benchmark. The GlaCerHub project will strive to support the virtuous innovation and economic cycle by capitalizing on the present-day competitive advantage of the advanced glass and ceramics industry to create a place-based innovation ecosystem in the border region between South Moravia (Czechia), and Trenčín (Slovakia), a region with long tradition in these areas. The GlaCerHub consortium will create a dynamic, specialist innovation ecosystem for the advanced glass and ceramics sector by stimulating new synergies between industry, academia, government, society and other European innovation Ecosystems. In the long term GlaCerHub will become a self-sustaining entity, supporting the creation, development, piloting and protection of strategic technologies, training of all stakeholders from the quadruple helix, and creating and supporting technology transfer. The long term impact will be to increase: - investment in glass and ceramics R&D - IP protection and patent applications - spin-off creation - intersectoral PhDs (and international PhDs) - licensing transactions - national, regional and European recognition of GlaCerHub as a centre of excellence

<< Background >>MeMeVET addressed relevant issues working out solutions that impede the free mobility of students and workers in the mechatronics and metallurgical sectors in Europe. MeMeVET is linked to previous European projects which brought to light the needs to ensure mobility, recognize skills across Europe, match education and companies‘ needs. MeMeVET was implemented by 15 project partners from Germany, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria and Slovakia from January 2018 to December 2019.<< Objectives >>The main objective of the project was the creation of a Sector-Skill-Alliance between VET providers and entreprises in the mechatronics and metallurgical sectors in Germany, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria and Slovakia to develop a common VET Curriculum, which promotes an integration of the competences required in these two sectors at European level in order to facilitate mobility. The second objective was the development of an e-card to support the common VET Curriculum.<< Implementation >>A public consultation to assess the needs in the industries and an analysis on the status quo curricula were carried out. From the analysis of the needs and the identification of lack of competences in the existing curricula were developed the training modules at EQF level 4 and 6 according to the ECVET, EQF/NQFs principles. The testing involved students and companies. The definitive courses with teaching materials deployed into the educational platform. Mobility organized. E-Card developed.<< Results >>Project Website; Facebook; Report on Assessment of skills and needs in mechatronics and metallurgical industries in Europe; Report on Status Quo Curricula; Courses and teaching materials for high schools and universities; Educational Platform; Organisation of Mobility opportunities; Delivery of guidelines for mobility; Networking; Creation of the MeMeVET E-Card; Legal documents to adopt and recognize the MeMeVET Curriculum; 30 Agreements signed with Stakeholders; Dialogue with authorities.

"The European automotive industry and plastics are inextricably linked. Of all the areas of mechanical engineering, the application of these materials is necessary and also cost-effective. The automotive industry is one of the largest and most important customers of modern plastic and composite materials. Today, individual car manufacturers can choose from a large number of plastic materials for interiors, where the emphasis is on softness, durability and colourfastness, as well as for exteriors with the main requirements for durability, rigidity or toughness. At the same time, technologies for plastics processing and related processes, such as mould design and production, are being developed. That is why it is very important to have comprehensive training that will help workers in this sector to develop their knowledge. A significant recent trend is the material harmonization and replacement of metals with plastics to reduce emissions in the production of components and at the same time reduce weight with the effect of reducing energy consumption in the operation of cars. The European Union requires this direction in the agreement entitled ""Green Deal.""The MOLD4PLAST partnership, which was composed of the following 5 partners, captured this trend and ensured a smooth and successful project: - Slovak Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SOPK), is established to represent, coordinate and protect common interests of its around 1.000 members. As the automotive industry has become the most important sector and driving force of the Slovak economy over the past 20 years, the number of the members’ companies – automotive suppliers of SOPK have grown significantly and today it accounts for one third of the membership. - Moravian-Silesian Automotive Cluster c.a. (AUTOKLASTR) was established to increase competitiveness and to encourage innovation and export capacity of interconnected companies, entrepreneurs and institutions in the Region. Cluster actively coordinates innovative approaches in: Development of Human Resources - educates and develops competencies. Trade Relations - cluster saves money and opens up space for new markets. Research and Development Activities - test products and encourage innovation. - 3S research laboratory (3SRL) is one of the leading educational research organisations in Austria. The organisation designs projects in the field of knowledge, learning and work – most notably in vocational education and training (VET), higher education (HE) as well as adult education. - AIMPLAS, the Technological Institute of Plastics located in Valencia, is a private, non-profit Association with more than 500 associated companies. AIMPLAS has participated in more than 90 projects (FP5, FP6, FP7, LIFE+, EcoInnova. & H2020), among others, coordinating several of them. - AVIA brings together 102 companies related to the automotive sector. AVIA brings together the entire sector’s value chain. Currently, the joint turnover of the associated companies is more of 13.000million euro, which is 13% of regional GDP of the Valencia region. The set of companies in the cluster are employing more than -31.200 people directly. AVIA is in position of the Bronze Label, recognised by the Cluster EXCELENCE Expert Group.Within 27 months, M4P e-learning educational platform was created. The content of the online platform (www.mould4plast.eu) consists of 4 modules based on interviews with professionals in the field, but also directly by people from the workshop, so as to reflect the real needs at the workplace. The modules are focused on materials, injection moulds, workshop work and the injection moulding process. Individual lessons within the modules are completed with quizzes that verify the acquired knowledge. If the training is applied to a group led by a Mould4Plast expert, it is recommended in the form of joint workshops and complementary comprehensive training using examples that are the subject of a joint discussion. Those interested in education can combine online education, classroom training and on-the-job training. Project outputs - Professional profile map of the worker for the form production for plastic injection and Development of traingl methodology, contents and tools, were presented to the general public, experts, but also to teachers and students of secondary vocational schools interested in plastics and plastic injection moulds, through multiplication events organized by industrial partners from the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Spain. The mentioned outputs of the project met with a very positive response from the professional public from Spain, the Czech Republic and Slovakia.Educational projects funded by the Erasmus+ is a great asset to the project partners, because they combine and harmonize challenges in education across the EU using innovative methods that have clear benefits for a wide range of participants in training courses."

The project finds its rationale in the needs of training and education providers, students, production companies, ngos and the European Commission. The need for the ethical training of employees has already formally been acknowledged by the European Commission claiming to integrate CSR in the skills and competences of managers and employees. These are regarded as key elements in terms of individual responsibility development for a lifelong employability and its sustainability, thus the intensification of ethical skills education is a challenge both for the business and the educational sectors.In our globalized world changing our lifestyles and consumption patterns here means also having an impact on the southern hemisphere. For this reason raising awareness is becoming a necessity as well as a part of the mission of the ngos involved in international cooperation. Guiding principles of cooperation projects are not ever growth and development but mutual learning, solidarity and environmental sustainability. Therefore, education on human rights, respect for the environment and social diversity is required for adult audiences as well.All stakeholders of the project are represented in the partnership that is composed by 5 training providers, that include also 3 universities, two chambers of commerce (representing companies) and 2 ngos.The objective of the project was to enhance the quality and relevance of the learning offer in training, via developing new and innovative approaches, supporting the transfer of good practices and fostering the assessment of key-competences, including transversal skills like ethical ones, in order to enhance the role of ethical competences, to raise the awareness of companies on the issues of human rights, respect for the environment, the consumption of land and resources, i.e. values that are part of the ethical skills area of EQF for managers.To achieve this objective the project has worked with all stakeholders, represented in the partnership (training providers and universities, ngos and companies) and built up an innovative and attractive training catalogue. The catalogue has been planned upon the results of an international research coordinated by Stockholm UNiversity aimed at identifying 8 areas of interest to enhance the CSR culture in companies. Ngos and companies has been interviewed during the research. After the research results the partnership has designed the training format the has been characterized by a non formal part and informal part. So every training path is composed by a non formal session, an informal session and the assessment session. On the base of this structure a training catalogue has been drawn. It includes a slot of opportunities of non formal training courses based on the 8 identified areas. The non formal training can have several duration, depending on companies and students needs and availability. The training catalogue previews also informal sessions to be developed directly in the field. There are 64 different informal training sessions. The informal training can be developed in Europe and in contexts outside Europe. A lot of informal training sessions can be developed in contexts in which projects of cooperation for development are realized. The catalogue includes informal training sessions in 16 countries around the world.The training offer includes also a framework to evaluate the learning results gained during the courses. This framework previews also the aknowledgement of ECTS credits depending on the amount of hours attended and the learning results gained. The trainings included in the catalogue can be financed in several ways. For this purpose the partnership has developed a sustainability report that esplains the cost for each training path, both for the non formal and the informal sessions. The project has salso faced a good number of dissemination activities. In each partner country at least one multiplier event has been realized. Moreover the universities partners has made a good dissemination about the catalogue among other universities with seat in their country. The chambre of commerce has disseminated a lot with their associated companies. The training providers has disseminated among pupils and companies. Ngos has made a good dissemination activity addressed to companies and other ngos. It’s very interesting that ngos’ main dissemination target have been companies. It confirms the great interest of the non profit sector to cooperate with business sector.The project is having good impacts in the organizations: ODISEE and VOKA has already realized the second edition of the Summer school for sustainable business (page 18 of the catalogue), Oikos Onlus has realized the first edition of the refugees simulation (see page 21 in the catalogue). Innospectrum has received the first request by a very big company that want to partecipate in the training offered by the catalogue