EDU-LAB: BETTER CHANCES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

EDU-LAB workshop "Chances for Young People" on April 18, 2018 in Zagreb

The Foundation Knowledge at Work and VERN' University of Applied Sciences organised a workshop entitled “Chances for Young People" on April 18th, 2018 at the University of VERN' in Zagreb, Croatia.

More than 50 people gathered to meet likeminded change makers from universities, companies, the Ministry of Science and Education and the Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes.
The aims of the workshop were:

• to facilitate conversations between individuals who already have found the way to introduce students into business reality; 
• to promote and enhance good practices of collaboration between business and high education, to link individuals, organisations and institutions which will and can ensure students' learning through practice.

Watch the following video including interviews with Dr. Caroline Hornstein Tomić, Foundation Knowledge at Work and Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schuster, European Foundation for Education, Lead partner of EDU-LAB to find out more:

You can find further details about the workshop here and browse through the event gallery here. 

round tabel discussion on dual education on April 19, 2018 in Zagreb

The round table organized within the framework of the delegation visit from Baden-Württemberg lead by Minister President Winfried Kretschmann focused on the possibilities of development and change of the educational systems in the Danube Region by linking them systematically with labour market. Based on best practice examples for implementation such as the projects Learning by Doing, EDU-LAB and VET-Schools, the participants of the panel discussion discussed modalities of capacity building in order link educational offers in the secondary and the tertiary sector to the demands of the labour market in sustainable way to create better chances for young people in the Danube Region.

The participants included Jan Ebben, Project Manager Dual VET, German-Croatian Chamber of Industry and Commerce (AHK) and Ivanka Springer, Strategic advisor, Ministry of Labour and Pension System Croatia, while the DTP Thematic Pole 9 projects were represented by (Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schuster, Chairman of the European Foundation for Education, the Lead Partner of EDU-LAB) and Vedrana Knezevic (Project manager Learning by Doing, Budapest Chamber of Commerce and Industry). The discussion was moderated by Dr. Caroline Hornstein Tomić representing the Foundation Knowledge at Work/ Zaklada Znanje na djelu (one of the partners involved in EDU-LAB.

3rd EDU-LAB Steering Committee Meeting and Partner Meeting on 23-24 April, 2018 in Vratsa

The 3rd Meeting of the Steering Committee of the EDU-LAB project took place on April 23, 2018 in Vratsa (Bulgaria), hosted by the Municiplaity of Vratsa. 

Welcome speeches were held by Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schuster (Chairman of the European Foundation for Education), Mr. Kalin Kamenov (Mayor of the Municipality of Vratsa) and Mr. Ognyan Tsenkov (Mayor of the Municipality of Vidin). All speakers referred to the close cooperation already established within the project EDU-LAB and to the importance of investing in education. Mr. Kamenov underlined that improving education is a key to improving the overall living standard in the region. Both Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schuster and the mayor of the Municipality of Vidin, Ognyan Tsenkov, stressed that National Academies for Professional Education could be a very useful instrument for the further implementation and sustainability of the project.

The steering committee meeting also included a capitalization session in the framework of which Ms. Iliana Philipova, CMC, Vice President, Executive Director, Chamber of Commerce and Industry Enterprise Europe Network presented briefly the Learning by Doing DTP project and gave an overview of the similarities between the intervention logic of EDU-LAB and Learning by Doing project. Presentations by Ms. Nesrin Doneva (Communication manager - Regional Department of Education - Vratsa) and Ms Mariela Petkova (Communication manager - Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vratsa) on established best practices followed the upcoming day at the 3rd EDU-LAB Partner Meeting.

The second part of the meeting focused on the review of already delivered and ongoing outputs and deliverables and planninge of coming activities.

The Steering Committee Meeting was followed by the the 3rd EDU-LAB partner meeting on the 24th of April. 

Read more about the SCOM here and browse through the event gallery here and here. 

Foundation of the National Academy of Professional Education in Bulgaria 

A letter of intent regarding the foundation of the National Academy for Professional Education was signed on 25 Apriil 2018 in the hall of the Academic Council of the Technical University of Sofia" having the goal to assure the sustainability of the results of the project EDU-LAB.

In the spirit of the EDU-LAB project, the National Academy for Professional Education aims at:

• offering better chances for young people;

• creating practice oriented study programmes;

• fostering the competitiveness of entreprises;

• strengtheneing the economic developement of the region. 

The signing parties were three EDU-LAB project partners, - the Technical University of Sofia, the Bulgarian Industry Asssociation-Union of the Bulgarian business and the European Foundation for Education- joined by the German-Bulgarian Chamber of Industry and Commerce, the Industrial Cluster Srednogorie. 

Study visit of Slovakian EDU-LAB partners and stakeholders in Kecskemét (Hungary)

In May 2018 Slovakian EDU-LAB partners and stakeholders had a two-day study visist in Kecskemét aiming to acquire more information on professionally- oriented study programs in Hungary. 

In order to collect best practices and to facilitate the implementation of Pilot Activities in Slovakia, Slovakian partners and stakeholders participated at different discussions and debates about the professionally-oriented training with HILTI and Mercedes-Benz Manufacturing Ltd. These companies were one of the first cooperating partners of John von Neumann University wnen it introduced the professionally-oriented study model.

The company visit brought new source of inspiration for implementing Pilot Activities in Slovakia and valuable practical knowledge from the initial phase of implementation of this model in Hungary. The participants were provided an insight into professionally-oriented study programmes from student´s perspective as well as an illustration how such a study programme could be a win-win cooperation for all - the students, the university and companies.

Registration for our stakeholder meeting in Kecskemét closes on 15 June 2018

Should you have any questions do not hesitate to contact the project director, Dr. des Ágnes Sebestyén (agnes.sebestyen@e-f-e.eu).

Call for applicants from the DTP project EXCELLENCE-IN-RESTI

We would like to draw your attention to the call for applicants within the DTP project EXCELLENCE-IN-RESTI offering a free pilot blended learning course on the management of research and innovation projects.

The pilot programme is primarily aimed at early-stage project managers and young graduates within the Danube Region.

If you are yourself interested in applying (extended deadline: 10 June), or would like to spread the information about this unique opportunity, the registration link and all the relevant information are available here.

For more information please contact Mr Gabor Szudi (szudi@zsi.at).

General data protection regulation 

Leaning on the new EU General Data Protection Regulation, we would like to remind you that through your subscription to this newsletter, you are accepting to receive from time to time Danube Transnational Programme’s/EDU-LAB Project’s newsletter issues in your email inbox. We are committed to respect and protect the privacy of personal data collected. We regard your personal data as confidential information and will never communicate it to third parties. Your personal data are used mainly for the express purpose of receiving the newsletter. The data you have entered may also be used by the DTP and its projects for information and dissemination purposes strictly related to the programme and its projects. Should you no longer wish to receive any updates from us please contact us as soon as possible under agnes.sebestyen@e-f-e.eu.

On behalf of the European Foundation for Education,

Dr. des. Ágnes Sebestyén