The objective of the project is to develop new and lasting international, interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaborations in the research field of entrepreneurial education. The scientific goal is to create an evidence-based outreach intervention that (1) identifies potential candidates for entrepreneurship from among European female graduates and postgraduates in STEM fields, (2) strengthens their entrepreneurial intention and (3) points them to digital entrepreneurial education based on their personal profile. Entrepreneurship drives economic growth, job creation and innovation. In the Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan, the European Commission outlines the importance of strengthening Europe’s entrepreneurial potential. However, despite a range of actions entrepreneurial intentions are low in more developed economies. This is especially true for women in STEM fields, and it is particularly true for female students. Although the underrepresentation of women entrepreneurs is determined by socio-cultural and economic factors, studies show that entrepreneurship education can have a positive influence on the development of entrepreneurial intention. However, little research has been conducted to design evidence-based interventions. It is the aim of the proposal to create an evidence-based intervention that identifies candidates for entrepreneurship from among European female graduates and postgraduates within STEM, strengthens their entrepreneurial intention and points them to digital entrepreneurial education. Using data analysis, machine learning tools and Educational Technology we contribute to improving the profile matching that connects female graduates and postgraduates within STEM to entrepreneurship and uses algorithms to match between learner profile and intervention. We believe the intervention can significantly contribute to improving European economic competitiveness, strengthening human capital, and promoting gender equality within STEM entrepreneurship.

The objective of the women entrepreneurs project is to set up and strengthen international and inter-sectoral collaboration in the research field of competence development in young women entrepreneurs and to promote women’s entrepreneurial potential in Europe. The scientific goal is to get a better understanding of the fundamental entrepreneurial competences and to develop an educational programme to enhance the ratio of successful young women entrepreneurs across Europe. This requires academic and non-academic collaborations and the sharing of knowledge from different areas, e.g. the assessment of essential supporting competences for successful entrepreneurship, the design and provision of the educational programme, and evaluation. The partners will build a robust network covering all research areas and perfectly complement their associated expertise. women entrepreneurs is divided into five work packages (including the work packages of project management and exploitation, dissemination and outreach activities) that will guarantee the establishment of a sustainable long-lasting network. The research objectives range from an analysis of the competences of women entrepreneurs across Europe to the design and provision of a programme that facilitates the entrepreneurial competences and the development of a learning transfer framework. Through participation in events (besides scientific conferences also Researchers Night or Girls Day), the project objectives will be transformed not only into the scientific network, but also further communicated to the general public. women entrepreneurs bears a potential for the commerzialisation of innovations, building upon an exploitation plan. Moreover, the non-academic partners represent characteristic lead users of the project outcomes. We believe we can significantly contribute to the EU Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan, with the proposed collaborations and activities strengthening the sharing of knowledge in Europe.

Adult basic education (ABE) forms a vital part of adult education, allowing adults with gaps in their basic skills to improve in reading, writing, calculating as well as in using IT in professional and everyday life. Moreover, ABE is helping migrants who have received only a rudimentary education prior to their move to acquire good skills in the use of the language of the receiving country Adult basic education isn't organised equally across Europe, reflecting different historical pathways, institutional environments and policies. Educators in adult basic education have entered the field based on a diverse set of educational backgrounds and experiences. Programmes preparing educators to teach adult basic education courses vary grossly between countries. In many European countries, teaching in adult basic education is not regulated as a profession and the principles of practice are characterised only in a rather vague way in policy documents and funding guidelines. Competences crucial for successfully helping adults to acquire basic skills are typically not described in a systematic manner. While it is well documented that educators in adult basic education capitalise on informal workplace learning induced when tailoring their provision to the diverse needs of their clients, there is no recognised approach to display the wealth of practical knowledge applied for ‘making learning happen’ in adult basic education. Prior learning of educators in ABE is, as a consequence, also not recognised and certified, putting practitioners at a disadvantage in their professional careers. Educators in adult basic education face a lack of opportunity for exchanges with practitioners working in other European countries. Currently, there is a lack of frameworks allowing for comparing the qualifications achieved and making visible the specific competences of educators in adult basic education. This limits the opportunities for gaining recognition for acquired competences when moving from one country to another, the mobility of educators in adult basic education is thereby clearly limited also. The project aims to contribute to the professionalism and professionalisation of adult basic educators in Europe by developing new approaches to make visible and systematise the specific skills and competences applied in adult basic education.The project’s key goals include- Support professionalisation of adult basic educators In Europe by exploring approaches to adult basic education in selected in European countries and developing a competence based training (curriculum, methodology, design and materials) for adult basic educators, spelling out educatos ability to help learners to overcome specific learning barriers- Enrich the visibility and systematisation of competences of adult basic eduators by developing a competence matrix for competences used in delivering adult basic education, applying proven approaches (VQTS) in the field.- Support the development of a European profile of asuld absic education by establishing a network of adult basic educators in Europe.The project comprises of three intellectual outputs (IO). IO1: Development of a competence matrix and IO2: Development of a competence-based curriculum for adult basic educators and IO3: a methodological handbook for a training for adult educators on how to help learners to overcome specific learning barriers, anchored in the competence matrix developed.Project outcomes aim at supporting professionalism of educators in the field and support the shaping of a distinct profile of adult basic educators in Europe. It will support adult basic educators to make explicit their specific competences and identify areas for further professional learning. It will expand the opportunities of organisations active in adult basic education to support the professional development of their trainers. By putting emphasis on the questions of how educators effectively help learners to overcome their barriers in their learning, the project gains the potential of improving the quality of provision of ABE courses across Europe, thereby supporting the achievement of the ET2020 goals to reduce the number of low skilled adults in Europe.

The ENLIVEN research models how policy interventions in adult education markets can become more effective. Integrating state-of-the-art methodologies and theorisations (e.g. Case-Based Reasoning methodology in artificial intelligence, bounded agency in adult learning), it implements and evaluates an innovative Intelligent Decision Support System to provide a new and more scientific underpinning for policy debate and decision-making on adult learning, especially for young adults. It utilizes findings from research conducted by European and international agencies and research projects, as well as from the ENLIVEN project. It will enable policy-makers at EU, national and organizational levels to enhance the provision and take-up of learning opportunities for adults, leading to a more productive and innovative workforce, and reduced social exclusion. The project comprises 11 workpackages in 4 clusters. WPs1-3 examine programmes, governance and policies in EU adult learning, looking at the multi-dimensional nature of social exclusion and disadvantage. WP4 examines system characteristics to explain country/region-level variation in lifelong learning participation rates, with particular reference to disadvantaged and at-risk groups, and to young people. WPs 5-7 examine the operation and effectiveness of young adults’ learning at and for work, undertaking cross-country comparative institutional analysis. WPs 8 -9 develop the knowledge base for, and develop and trials, an Intelligent Data Support System (IDSS) for evidence-based policy-making and debate. The ENLIVEN team comprises leading scholars with a full range of methodological skills in lifelong learning research and related areas, as well as advanced computer science skills. It will maintain a continuing interaction with policy makers and key research networks, make targeted interventions in policy and scientific debate, and deliver a state-of-the-art IDSS to improve lifelong learning for young adults across Europe.

The Skills2Capability project is about understanding how skill systems across Europe can reduce the level of skills mismatch in their labour markets. It is recognised that future labour markets will be more mobile with more people moving between jobs, employers, and sectors more often. This poses a problem for training systems insofar as employers may be much less willing than in the past to fund and provide training because their chances of appropriating the return will have been reduced. The study is concerned with understanding how skill systems can better respond to meeting skill demands in a more fluid labour market environment. The starting point is that of considering whether there is a need to provide individuals with a wider range of capabilities to weather a greater range of labour market challenges than those faced by their counterparts from previous generations. Some countries have been able to use their skills systems to deliver more of these capabilities than others, though the impact of this on labour market transitions is uncertain (something the current study addresses). If skills systems are to confer skills on individuals which provide them with increased resilience and capability, then there is a need to know what those capabilities or skills are in practice. The research addresses this from both a demand side (what are the skills which are currently in demand and are likely to be so in the future?) and a supply side (to what extent are these capabilities reflected in VET programmes) perspective. The research will provide decision makers in government and education authorities with information which allows them to obtain a better understanding of how emerging skill needs - which meet the needs of both economy and society - can be met (essentially providing a methodology and a tool), along with detailed information about the content of those emerging skill needs and capabilities (i.e. detailed data on demand and supply).