<< Objectives >>-Build the capacity of HE educators to implement hands-on STEAM activities following gender equality approaches-Develop learning material, resources and OERs for HE educators and Industry leaders to promote women’s empowerment and engagement in STEAM-Enhance women’s confidence towards STEAM, motivating them to consider a relevant career-Increase and nurture women’s interest in the digital sector through the development of a mentoring program, gender inclusive teaching activities and OER<< Implementation >>The STEAM4LIFE partnership will develop the STEAM4LIFE Guide and Mentoring programme as well as all the activities and resources to implement the methodology. In addition, the partnership will facilitate evaluation and testing activities of the OERs, the learning modules and e-learning courses along with the piloting of the mentoring methodology. Finally, promotional activities and events will be organised to further disseminate the project and its results.<< Results >>The main results and outcomes are:-Guidance and Mentoring Program for women in STEAM-STEAM4LIFE E-Learning environment and Open Educational Resources (OERs)-Educational e-courses for HE educators/Industry leaders-At least 500 students and 200 HE educators and Industry leaders participating in the implementation activities-More than 10,000 stakeholders informed about the project and its objectives.

<< Background >>The European Skills Agenda puts a particular focus on the importance of transversal and entrepreneurial skills as well as skills to accompany the digital and green transitions. Beyond technical skills, the labour market increasingly needs transversal skills like working together, critical thinking, and creative problem solving. While formal education and VET schools have a role to play, transversal skills are often developed outside formal learning, at work and throughout life. It can be difficult to identify, recognise and communicate these transversal skills, this is why we have chosen this area to address as part of the INTERFACE project. The INTERFACE project, will focus on supporting VET teachers and trainers together with in-company trainers and coaches, to identify the skills gaps amongst their students, trainees and employees, use our compendium on innovation CVET resources to build transversal skills and then use micro credentials to recognise these skills in the work-place. The model we are proposing as part of the INTERFACE project will contribute innovation in VET, particularly CVET ensuring that it is adapting and responsive to labour market needs. Continuing vocational education and training (CVET), particularly its work-based forms, are important in the current European economic and social context, especially as Europe prepares to rebuild and renew in a post-pandemic era. Trends towards an ageing society, longer working lives, greater generational diversity and increasing globalised competition make it necessary for workers at all levels to update and broaden their skills regularly through CVET, and work-based learning (WBL) is a powerful way to support CVET. Work-based CVET has the potential to promote inclusion and social cohesion, to tackle unemployment and underemployment, and to support company and country policies and strategies for innovation, competitiveness and growth. Interactive Infographics are a new type of learning environment that are attractive and engaging for learners and one that can be used in formal and non-formal settings, in classrooms, online and at places of work. CVET is delivered by a wide range of stakeholders and institutions and is intrinsically linked to the labour market and the way it is structured. VET teachers, trainers and work-based instructors in a wide variety of settings, play a central role in WBL in CVET. INTERFACE proposes a comprehensive educational intervention where the needs of front-line CVET teachers and tutors and in-company trainers as key intermediaries in work-based learning are considered to be just as important as the needs of low-skilled workers and WBL trainees. The proposed in-service training to support CVET tutors to maximize the potential of the new dynamic, media-rich curriculum resources represents an innovation in CVET for work-based learning. It will also provide teachers, trainers and tutors with the tools to identify, recognise and communicate transversal skills amongst the learner groups (low-skilled workers and WBL trainees).The INTERFACE project will create a compendium of interactive learning resources for the development of key transversal skills of support low-skilled workers and trainees to retain and sustain employment in the months and years ahead. It will deliver a range of progressive learning resources designed to achieve specific and agreed learning outcomes for 10 of the most sought after transversal skills by employers namely; digital literacy, entrepreneurial spirit, - critical and creative thinking, leadership, innovation, problem solving, teamwork, work ethic, communication and inter-generational relationships. Partners are aware of difference in levels of prior knowledge within each workforce, learning materials will be provided at introductory, intermediate, advanced and expert levels to support a clear learning progression and ensure that no potential learner is excluded.<< Objectives >>Developing the competences of VET teachers and in-company trainers throughout the VET landscape in Germany, Ireland, Austria, Poland, Cyprus, Greece, Latvia and Portugal to support the development of transversal skills amongst learners, low-skilled workers and WBL trainees is a primary aim of the INTERFACE Project. We will achieve this aim, through the following project objectives: 1.) Promote the acquisition of key transversal skills through the use of alternative pedagogical resources in work-based learning settings2.) Support VET professionals from within education and work to develop their own digital and pedagogic skills to create challenge-based learning resources in an interdisciplinary way3.) Develop an accreditation model for the validation and recognition of transversal skills through the use of micro credentials and digital badges4.) Create a system for the communication of transversal skills through a peer-led Community of PracticeINTERFACE will provide a comprehensive in-service training programme for VET teachers and tutors and in-company trainers comprising 2 distinct parts as follows: Developed by UPB and EEO, part A of the training will focus on building the digital pedagogy of CVET tutors to work successfully in online environments and introducing constructivist approaches to teaching which are ideally suited to a WBL environment. Part B will be developed by Mindshift and UniLAT and focus on models for the identification, recognition and communication of transversal skills within the workplace and labour market. Re-skilling and up-skilling low-skilled workers is essential to ensure that they can participate fully in society and economy as Europe recovers from the devastating impact of Covid-19. CVET will be a crucial factor in this recovery as it can impact on individuals and companies. For individuals it contributes to their employability and helps them to prepare for change and transition in their work as well as between jobs. It is also a main pillar of their lifelong learning; for companies in terms of updating and renewing knowledge, skills and competences of their workforce, CVET is an essential tool in responding to increasing global competition and to changing technological and socioeconomic requirements. The urgent need to focus on transversal competencies is vividly apparent in a world where organisations, workforces and individuals are continuously subject to unprecedented complex change: rapid and radical technological advancements, the transformational forces and challenges of globalisation, environmental sustainability, demographic shifts and migration, and political uncertainty. We are required to operate with clarity, accountability and good judgement, and make difficult decisions, despite the vortex of uncertainty, ambiguity and volatility surrounding us. For organisations, workforces and citizens, learning to adapt to these momentous changes, which are coinciding to create an unprecedented impact on humanity (e.g. globalisation and AI), represents a significant challenge, but is essential if they are to avoid becoming marginalised. To survive and to thrive in this competitive, hyper-connected, technology-driven global economy, organisations, workers and citizens need to develop and deploy a core set of transversal competencies as the cornerstone for all their endeavours. These transversal competencies are the currency that will enable the INTERFACE target groups to make sense of the complex changes and to participate as change agents and innovators, rather than merely as passengers.<< Implementation >>The INTERFACE project team, led by the University of Paderborn, will implement the following activities and deliver the proposed project results with the support of the Erasmus+ Programme: 1) Project partners will establish local stakeholder fora to ensure that the input and perspectives of key local stakeholders and associate partners are integral to the project workplan and development approach and that these organisations and individuals are networked transnationally via the proposed Community of Practice incorporating a European dimension into our project results; 2) Project partners will design and develop a new In-service Training for VET professionals that will be piloted in Latvia and Poland at two distinct yet complementary European training activities that will bring together 16 VET teachers from 8 EU countries to validate the training materials, share best practice and undertake a peer-learning activity to investigate and develop a Toolkit for the Validation of Transversal Skills at practitioner level in WBL settings; 3) Project partners will host local continuous professional development training workshops, using a cascade model, to further engage 10 CVET teachers, tutors and in-company trainers delivering the training in a blended learning format supported by the INTERFACE MOOC; 4) Create, test and implement a suite of INTERFACE interactive infographics with low-skilled workers and WBL trainees to support the development of transversal skills; 5) Design and share a Toolkit for the Validation of Transversal Skills through the main promotional channels of the project i.e. project website, social media groups and the Community of Practice; 6) Develop the INTERFACE MOOC with an integrated online Community of Practice that will be actively managed, facilitated and promoted throughout the second year of the project; 7) Dynamic and proactive promotional campaigns to support the transfer, sharing and sustainability actions of the project, undertaken by all partners throughout the project life-cycle with a significant emphasis placed on establishing and managing the local stakeholders forums and creating a robust and vibrant CoP; 8) The University of Paderborn, with the support of all project partners, will host an inspiring and forward-looking Transnational Conference in Germany attracting an international audience with a minimum of 100 stakeholders present; 9) INTERFACE Multiplier Events will be held to present the results and outcome of the project to CVET professionals and trainers, senior managers and policy makers from VET and Business. This event will be attended by a minimum of 25 key stakeholders in Ireland, Austria, Poland, Cyprus, Greece, Latvia and Portugal.<< Results >>The INTERFACE Project will deliver the following 3 project results 1.)In-Service Training Programme and Toolkit for Validation of Skills 2.) INTERFACE Compendium of Interactive Infographics for Transversal Skills Development 3.) INTERFACE MOOC and Community of Practice. In addition, we will achieve the following KPI over the lifetime of the project: - 96 CVET teachers, tutors and in-company trainers completing the in-service training and integrating the new resources into their WBL practice; - 40 Interactive Infographics addressing the 10 most sought after transversal skills will be developed and implemented in work-based settings in the eight partner countries.- 175 VET professionals, business owners, in-company trainers, business support organisations, chambers of commerce and policy makers from the CVET sectors will attend multiplier events in IE, DE, PT, ES, CY, AT and CZ - 100 VET managers, business development organisations, academics, policy makers, etc., attending the Final Conference in Germany in Month 20 when the INTERFACE project and all its results will be presented and when all partners will present their experiences in their local setting - 150 registered members of the Community of Practice and 400 registered users/followers on the social media channels developed.

<< Background >>According to Skills Panorama. Cedefop survey (Nov.2019), ‘ICT is a general-purpose technology, and so changes and disruptions in the economy can have significant influence on the future skill demands for the professionals. There will be 1.6 million ICT professional jobs that will need to be filled between 2018 and 2030. Nadella, CEO at Microsoft, said ‘with the state of the world, every company is now a software company’. It wasn’t long ago that coding was seen by many as an odd hobby for geeks tinkering with computers in their basements. But over the past several years, coding has progressed from a hobby to a critical career skill. Coding and programming have emerged as some of the most desirable skills for employers. On the other hand, one of the most important objectives in education is to prepare students for their future careers. Although Coding is fast becoming one of the most important subjects taught in schools, there is still a lot to be done all over Europe and agreed by all the partners in this proposal, in whose countries, very little or nothing is done in this scope. Computational thinking and the ability to understand how the computer executes the programs are necessary 21st‐century skills that can drastically influence the future labour market. Schools have a responsibility to provide their students with all the tools and skills they need to succeed in the modern workplace. Increasingly, that means an ability to code. Knowing this, the partnership has agreed on the importance of enhancing ‘coding’ in general education, involving youngsters in the process as early as possible. To adapt to changes in the landscape of the jobs market, schools should adjust their curriculum and incorporate coding. This project aims thus to cover the benefits of students learning to code in school and offer tools, approaches, methodologies and tips to teachers on teaching coding effectively.<< Objectives >>The project aims to find new and innovative tools and approaches to include coding (low code included) and game design concepts in school education by upskilling students and teachers in development games for thematic learning. This will create new skills pathways for students (in Europe), supporting ICT-based teaching. At the same time, the project aims to develop students’ digital skills in what game design framework is concerned and, at the same time, enhance their problem-solving skills. The project activities will be developed with reference to all levels of compulsory education and will see, as main result, the development of a proposal for the creation of a global education model that includes coding, game design and problem-solving skills in school programmes through practical learning units, tools and approaches which allow the accreditation and evaluation in educational context.The overall mission of the project is to introduce an innovative way of changing education by exploiting the strong educational potential of game design (with a specific support framework created within this project) while supporting its integration and mainstreaming in school curricula. To this end, the specific objectives of the project are: •Develop a methodological framework for game design and coding in educational context•Develop the BUPA curriculum•Reskill teachers in ICT game design and coding skills•Create a flexible teachers’ training program, delivered through a MOOC•Develop resources for helping teachers teaching coding; these will be created based on the principles mentioned in the developed framework for game design and coding •Develop soft skills among students, namely problem-solving, active participation, initiative, autonomy skills, etc•Share good practices and case studies related to the project topic within the partnership and beyond•Create a pilot training for teachers of ERASMUS+ countries partners•Create a training pilot system in each country<< Implementation >>The partnership coming from 6 different Countries (PT, ES, IT, GR, CY, IE) have participated in a common debate about the problems and prospective of the above mentioned needs to prepare the students for the future jobs, converging on the need of dealing with the issue in terms of experimentation of common policy and experimental action and validation/mutual recognition of the results.The project will be implemented in a collegial manner and all partners will be called upon to perform the activities with different responsibilities in relation to their specialization of skills.The activities will be done in partnership, and each result will be lead by the identified partner who showed the necessary skills and expertise in the field. Each Result leader will elaborate a work plan with responsibilities attributed to each partner and will guide them in the whole process, when necessary. Each partner will have a team of motivated staff with specific skills in order to achieve the expected results and the whole project objectives. So, the following activities will be implemented:•Regular staff and partner meetings to discuss the activities done and/or clarify any issues•Meetings with stakeholders and/or associated partners to discuss project activities and collect feedback•Roundtables and Pilot tests at local level, within the partners’ organization of the results achieved in order to collect feed-back and proceed with tuning and improvements/corrections•Development of a modular curriculum for coding, including learning objectives, teaching and assessment methods. •Creation of resources/tools to help teachers in the teaching-learning process of coding. These will include different types of resources, namely:oInteractive resources (in video format, quizzes, pdf, ppt and webquests)oOrganization of the course by general and specific objectives, with respective modulesoMethodology and learning environmentoProprietary digital tools (in the case of programming languages and gamification processes, Python, Unity, etc.)oFAQ's and discussion forumsoAssessment Questionnaires to test each level of competences<< Results >>Consistent with the objectives mentioned above, the expected results of the project are the following:•Explore teaching-learning practices that will help develop autonomy, commitment, creative action, critical thinking, problem solving and decision making.•Improve knowledge of new technologies and interactive tools as an educational medium.•Increase digital literacy by users and partner members.•Develop of coding and programming skills among teachers and students•Stimulate forms of collaboration and communication virtual and face to face•Decrease the phenomenon of early school leaving by motivating students for learning •Prepare students for the future jobs and labour marketMedium term:•a reduction of school dropouts and a consequent reduction of skills misalignments between education systems and the labour market•learning will become more interesting and attractive for each student, and therefore will increase their interest and participation during the lesson•teachers will learn how to integrate new technologies into classrooms and improve their learning approaches, including through collaboration with teachers from different countries•through the use of ICT and coding/programming approaches in education, classrooms will become active organizations, as each student will be actively involved in lesson activities in various ways•each partner will develop and/or collect/adapt educational coding resources (platform with content, e.g. videos, quizzes, pdf, ppt and webquests) which may be available to all teachers in each school. These will be useful to improve the functioning of distance learning, useful for dealing with situations such as the pandemic we are currently experiencing.The results of the project are as follows:•IO1: BUPA Curriculum (includes learning objectives, teaching and assessment methods). •IO2: BUPA Gamification for Education Framework. (Set of methodologies based on game design development concepts to create content to use in educational context). •IO3: Contents and context (resources created based on the principles mentioned is the framework developed in this project – R2).•IO4: BUPA MOOC (Adapt the content created in R3 to be SCORM Compliant and platform independent and apply it in an LMS).•Teacher training activity. It consists in the testing and piloting of the BUPA curriculum, Framework, Resources and MOOD for the development of coding skills. •Teachers and students activity to be held in Portugal, to coincide with the last meeting and the Multiplier Event in Portugal. They will be included in the workshop organized at the ME involving students and teachers from different regional schools in the testing of the BUPA Resources.

The recent panorama across the EU with a series of simultaneous crises: refugees, multi-culturalism, uneven economic development, and bailing out neighbours at a time of low economic growth have led this partnership to strongly believe that ethics and values as well as critical thinking are increasingly becoming very important aspects in the development of a democratic, pluralistic, and knowledge-based society, both in terms of the position and the role of an individual as a citizen as well as in the area of an individual’s personal development. Scientific research has proven that early childhood education is the most important phase to initiate a healthy development (Stiles, Jernigen 2010; Jolles, Crone 2012). Ethical education and critical thinking have a significant role in forming an ethical mature human being. Despite this, practices, experiences and opportunities for ECEC and primary school teachers to obtain knowledge in this field vary significantly, as it is the case with the presence of innovative educational approaches to these topics. All these reasons and challenges represent an important motivation for us to propose this project. The project will address the field of ethics and values education and focus on empowering Early Childhood Care and Education (ECEC) pre-school and primary School Professionals to learn about values based on 3 pillars: ethic values (personal values – one “self”); democratic values (as we live in society –One “self and the others”) and environmental values (as we live in the planet earth). Our project has: - Implemented a Transnational curriculum for the partners’ countries, complemented with a preparatory review of the current provision for 0-6 and 7-11 teachers regarding learning about ethics, values education end critical thinking; - Developed open educational resources and peer-to-peer learning methods with an aim to enhance the professional development of those working or active in the school education sector by increasing the quality and range of initial and continuing training. - Designed innovative practices in 0-6 and 7-11 school education in the field of ethics and values education, developing and promoting innovative learning approaches; - Created a resource centre on ethics, values and critical thinking education aimed at increasing the awareness on the importance of moral obligations and social values so as to strengthen its educational structures in a system of values supported by all relevant stakeholders. The projecthas reached out: - More than 150 0-11 teachers and stakeholders to participate directly in the project development (state of the art, review of the learning materials, piloting, Event) - More than 100.000 EU citizens will be informed during the project about the AVAL Resource center and access the online tools of the project - More than 2000 organizations and institutions will be informed about the AVAL Platform and be provided with specific guidelines to integrate it in their normal financial information and training. The consortium of AVAL has been formed by 10 project partners from 9 different EU countries which come from a wide range of backgrounds including the World Association of Early Childhood education, Universities, Training, research and development centres and Associations, and SMEs. AVAL is in full alignment with the priorities, objectives and aims of the ERASMUS+ Strategic Partnerships call for Schools as it envisions in 0-3, 3-6 and 7-11 teachers up-skilling and provision of transversal skills, providing access to Open Educational Resources based on ICT, link continuous education and training with higher education (ECTS), implement awareness campaigns, and promote validation, accreditation and certification for 0-3, 3-6 and 7-11 teachers.

<< Objectives >>- Improve the capacity of young workers to apply the values of the Green Deal in the real world, devoting most efforts to the development of new energy creation systems based on renewable energy sources in order to end European dependence.- Promote the use of local resources in each geographical area.- Create employment opportunities for young people through energy efficiency and renewable energy generation.<< Implementation >>- Kick-off meeting and exchange of good practices in relation to the Green Pact and the Youth field (Spain).- Project management and local impact activities.- Green University: Implementation of the Green Pact in the energy transition and youth field (Cyprus).- Tool Lab: Generation of ideas, methodologies and tools for youth work (Estonia).- International workshop and final project meeting(Slovenia).<< Results >>Through the exchange of experiences and knowledge between partners, the aim is to create a joint working methodology adapted to the context and resources available in each region. A knowledge network will be built around the European Green Deal and its principles and values that will promote the creation of so-called green jobs in the participating entities, so that these jobs will be filled by young people.Similarly, it will promote the use of available resources for the creation of renewable