VET has a unique position between more theoretical HE and practice. It is typically an operator, who could have the skills both to understand the research information and implement it to the practice. Especially in rural areas the VET’s role has also changed from the traditional educator to important regional expert organisation and developer. VET is an important link to the expertise especially for small and micro companies to whom it is often the only expert organization available.

This change has set new challenges to VET. They are required to form sustainable links to both research and enterprise life. These links are vital in order to accumulate the needed knowledge base for VET staff to act as regional experts and convey this knowledge their students. However, these connections lack in many VET organisations. This calls for new working methods and co-operation models on how to link fluently the HE/R and rural companies’ needs to VET activities and via this (a) improve the expertise of VET staff, (b) meet better the work life’s needs in education and (c) respond better to VET sector’s role as regional expert.

The project will focus on transferring and further developing organisational innovations in VET sector. The existing good practices for SME-VET-HE/R knowledge chain. Selected models will be piloted in the nature-based entrepreneurship (NBE) sector in 5 countries and based on the pilots’ long term co-operation plans made. In each country the aim is to form “a trinity” VET-SMEs-HE/R to carry out the piloting.

The overall objective of the project is to support and impact on improvements in quality and innovation in VET systems, institutions and practices by systematically increasing and strengthening the co-operation between VET, rural micro enterprises and HE/R and via this connect the education better to work life, build up the VET staff expertise and enhance the competitiveness VET as part of regional innovation systems.

Partners:
–University of Helsinki Ruralia Institute (FI)
–Centro Studi “Cultura Sviluppo” (IT)
–Norton Radstock College (UK)
–Godalen Vocational College (NO)
–Estonian University of Life Sciences (EE)
–Centro de Formacion de Administracion y Hosteleria (ES)
–Lapland Naturals (FI)
–Universita degli Studi di Firenze (IT)
–Bath Spa University (UK)
-Ryfylke Bioenergi (NO)
–Estonian Rural Tourism Organisation (EE)
–European Forum for Technical and Vocational Education and Training, EFTVET (BE)
–European University Continuing Education Network, eucen (BE)

You can check the project’s webpage here.