<< Objectives >>The main objective of the project is to create a comprehensive platform for training front-office staff during onboarding or for the unemployed, disabled people or people with disadvantages while gaining general knowledge to be able to work in the hospitality industry on an operations level.<< Implementation >>IO 1 - E-book - Comprehensive framework for FO employees training and developmentIO 2 - E-book - The basics of FO operations - The overview of FO terminologyIO 3 - Workshop - How to train FO employees comprehensively? - NITRAIO 4 - E-book - Training communication scenarios for FO trainingIO 5 - Video Guide - Basic FO activities in the specific hotel management systemIO 6 - Workshop - Communication scenarios and hard skills - PRAGUE<< Results >>Effective tool for the employers who are targeting the unqualified and disabled people to work within the hospitality industry but needs the speedy onboarding and reduction of time and costs connected to staff training and development

<< Background >>The project addresses the key goals defined by the EU (Manifesto for Adult Learning in the 21st Century: The Power and Joy of Learning: https://eaea.org/our-work/influencing-policy/manifesto-for-adult-learning-in-the-21st-century/), the European Higher Education Area and the Bologna Process (https://ehea.info/) and national ministries (Czech Republic: Strategic Plan of the Ministry for Higher Education for the Period from 2021: https://www.msmt.cz/areas-of-work/tertiary-education/strategic-plan-of-the-ministry-for-higher-education-for-the?highlightWords=strategic+plan; Slovakia: https://www.minedu.sk/dlhodoby-zamer-ministerstva-a-jeho-aktualizacie/; Poland: https://efs.mein.gov.pl//wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Zintegrowana-Strategia-Umiej%c4%99tno%c5%9bci-2030-cz%c4%99%c5%9b%c4%87-og%c3%b3lna.pdf) focusing on lifelong and adult learning. An extraordinary role is played here by the process of improvement and modernisation of university teaching whereas the main emphasis is put on competences relevant for life and work in the 21st century. Social sciences and humanities (SSH) are sometimes neglected in this respect, especially in Central Europe, and put in contrast with “exact” sciences. Nevertheless, the obtained data clearly prove that graduates from SSH are necessary for many different employers (cf. Needs Analysis in the annex). These sciences significantly help to develop soft skills such as effective communication, cooperation, creativity, independence, problem solving, planning and organizing work, lifelong learning, active approach, critical thinking etc., which are crucial for active citizenship and democracy as well. However, these needs and skills are not always clearly identified and further cultivated by teachers and students. The current state of higher education (HE) in the involved countries is such that many academics have never completed a continuous pedagogical education and even now they neither go through any systematic process of increasing their pedagogical competences, nor have sufficient printed materials or online sources for their self-education. Moreover, they often remain limited by borders of their own research field and their nation/state regarding the knowledge presented to students. From the didactic and methodological point of view, just a minimum of professional publications deal with tertiary education in SSH in the given countries (cf. Needs Analysis). It is thus obvious that university teachers need to be systematically educated how to use modern didactic methods, how to work with an interdisciplinary approach and how to teach applicable practical skills expected by the global labour market and the changing world. Managers of the teaching process (such as deans, vice-deans, heads of departments, guarantors of study programmes, etc.) must receive a valid insight and acquire the competences necessary to design fully internationalised curricula corresponding to employers´ needs. These are the real gaps that need to be filled by using an effective interdisciplinary and international approach. Therefore, adequate forms of formal and informal education of academics are planned, which will aim at the development of appropriate forms of (self-)reflection, self-development and an overall increase in pedagogical competences required for education focused on life in the 21st century. This perfectly fits into the Erasmus+ KA2 call 2021 priority “Stimulating innovative learning and teaching practices” which will be fulfilled by stimulating quality teaching of SSH at HE institutions (HEIs), reflecting current challenges together with real and exactly proven needs of the global labour market and the complex feedback from graduates and students.<< Objectives >>The project addresses the key objective stated by both the EU and national ministries to improve and modernise tertiary education with regard to the competences relevant for life and practice in the 21st century (cf. Needs Analysis). Three progressive Central European universities (already cooperating and contracted with Erasmus+ agreements):1) Philosophical Faculty of the University of Hradec Králové (UHK, CZ),2) Faculty of Sociology of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań (AMU, PL),3) Faculty of Arts of the Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (CPU, SK)joined their forces to reach the goal through international cooperation which will provide an efficient means for a detailed analysis of the current state and a design of effective tools for a continuous development of modern and effective teaching of SSH in the HE sphere. Based on the Needs Analysis, it is clear that all three countries and institutions are facing similar challenges and shortages in the internationally and interdisciplinary conceived long-life education of HE teachers. The consortium brought together three institutions with different portfolios offering experience and high expertise in different fields: internationalisation, didactics, education theory, sociology, humanities, etc. (cf. Key Staff in the annex). Such a synergy allows participating institutions to better meet the needs of their employees (academics and supportive staff) as well as those of students, from a broader perspective and with multiple levels of sharing a good practice.The project will aim at the acquisition and deepening of skills for the use of modern didactic methods and principles with a special focus on digitization (involvement of online and blended forms of education), connection with the employers´ sphere, internationalisation of curricula and reaching global skills. The project aims at both interconnecting groups of university teachers and managers of the educational process (deans, vice-deans, heads of departments, etc.). It strives to connect particular skills of the involved institutions (didactics, psychosocial aspects of education, virtual mobilities, SSH and the labour market, minorities´ involvement, etc.), to share their best practice and, based on the work in an international team (and in international subteams), to develop and disseminate this so desperately needed know-how to their institutions, regions and countries, offering it to a wide international audience as well. There is no doubt that the challenge of making SSH better applicable to life and work is a common need, and so is their high impact on the whole society, the society to which they offer otherwise unavailable special skills necessary for modern citizenship and democracy (cf. Needs Analysis). The project not only offers a detailed scholarly insight into several selected topics, but also interconnects research with a smart structure of learning, teaching and training activities or public multiplier events (cf. Work Scheme and Timetable in the annex). All important findings are going to be structured in the final results, made widely accessible for university teachers of SSH through e-learning courses and maintained in the long term.<< Implementation >>The project consortium consists of institutions from the Central European region facing similar challenges and sharing parts of common history. The Central-European area thus makes a perfect delimitation for a project developing the university teaching of SSH. The project will be implemented through systematic international cooperation on results and the use of activities aiming at reaching particular objectives as well as overall goals. The project team will meet regularly on transnational and national levels (see Timetable in the annex). The project results will be presented and shared at Learning, Teaching, Training (LTT) Activities aimed at the staff of the participating institutions and Multiplier Events (round table, workshops, international conference) which will address broad public. The feedback from these events will be used for the final form of the results (cf. Work Scheme). The research activities are planned to be carried out on the basis of cooperation between organizations and with the mutual exchange of appropriate procedures (research methods, etc.) and data. In the frame of the LTT activities, required mobilities will help the elaboration of project results, and in particular they will enable a meeting of employees of the participating institutions in one place for a joint teaching, learning and training. With such cooperation between organizations and on the basis of previous analyses, it will be possible to create a joint handbook (guide) for modern teaching of SSH and jointly work on an e-learning corpus as the main result. A round table will disseminate the idea and the first findings of the project (psychosocial analysis) and especially the question of advantages and disadvantages of SSH. The established communication and meeting schemes, including the workshops and the final international conference, will be important for the creation of the following results - an analyses of the psychosocial and intercultural dimension of tertiary education, a handbook and e-learning. These results will be tested and used as a theoretical basis for LTT activities and public events. All project results are linked, leading from the analyses through the definition of a curricular document/handbook to the application in the form of e-learning and dissemination activities, including the final conference and a collective monograph published in the Open Access mode. The results will be easily available on the project website and sustainably maintained after the project duration.<< Results >>Based on international cooperation, a unique comparative research will be conducted together with sharing of a good practice to design principles of the joint curricular approach which will focus on internationalisation, needs of the global labour market, digitisation, re-evaluation of soft skills, and generally speaking, the use of multiperspectivity as an important challenge for teaching SSH in the 21st century.Multiperspectivity here means, in the sense described by R. Stradling (Multiperspectivity in History Teaching: a Guide for Teachers, 2003), active involvement of more stakeholders in the educational process, focus on competences (not just knowledge) and emphasis on interdisciplinarity and internationalisation of the curriculum.The following project results are expected:(A) international comparison and analysis of contemporary trends and challenges of teaching SSH in the Central European region (conducted from the psychosocial and intercultural perspective),(B) handbook (guide) containing suggested principles and standards for tertiary education of SSH with a special accent on the Central European region based on previous analysis,(C) e-learning methodical materials focusing on transnational, multidisciplinary and multiperspective insights into SSH easily accessible for university teachers of SSH.All results are going to be published in English.Based on the principles of social constructivism, the project will foster mutual formation of common interpretations, methods and values. The key element of HE is seen in internationalisation as a basic principle for the desirable development of personal and professional competences of graduates (cf. Needs Analysis). SSH will thus be presented as an important, indispensable and beneficial component of European tertiary education in the 21st century.A successful implementation of the results mentioned above will accelerate partner universities long-term cooperation e.g. on double / joint degree programmes, co-tutelles, convergence of their study programmes, mutual mobilities, blended intensive programmes, scientific collaboration, etc.Due to the significant synergy achieved by working in the consortium, the significant and long-term deepening of ties in the established partnership is expected.

<< Objectives >>The project aims to:(a) bridge the gender gap in STEM by tackling gender stereotypes and by enhancing the representation and continued interest of 10–14-year-old girls in STEM education and careers, by targeting both students and teachers.(b) enhance girls’ motivation and interest in making critical subject choices that will effectively lead to STEM studies in higher education and subsequently to employment and careers in STEM.<< Implementation >>Three main activities will be implemented:(a) To examine 10–14-year-old students’ attitudes and perceptions of STEM, and their expectations of future careers in the sciences, through questionnaires and interviews(b) To develop and implement in schools two student learning modules, consisting of a total of 6-10 teaching units, that will cover fundamental topics across various STEM disciplines(c) To develop and deliver a Teacher Continuing Professional Development program in Cyprus and Slovakia<< Results >>Project is expected to:(a) Deliver a fine-grained analysis of students’ attitudes and perceptions of STEM, in Cyprus and Slovakia.(b) Improve students’ awareness and knowledge and teachers’ didactic competences in STEM, by developing high quality learning and teaching materials, and a teacher training program.(c) Disseminate project outcomes to teachers, policy makers, and researchers in STEM education.

This project focuses on sharing good-practice and collaboration to improve integration and achievement for Gypsy-Roma students in the UK, Spain and Slovakia and builds on links forged and knowledge gained through a previous Erasmus+ project 'Right to Roma'. It is a statistical fact that only a minority of Gypsy-Roma students continue to further and higher education and this is partly due to discrimination and the lack of aspiration for and by the Gypsy-Roma community. This project aims to bring together organisations that are all working to improve outcomes and aspirations of Gypsy-Roma at different stages and in different contexts, so that they can learn from each other about initiatives that work, and also to improve the provision provided in each country and across Europe.QKA is a secondary school serving almost 70% EAL with 10% of the whole cohort declared as Gypsy-Roma migrants from Central and Eastern Europe, it has an additional 10% undeclared suspected Roma students. Many pupils have experienced institutionalised racism and segregation in their home countries and have not had access to quality education. QKA has developed its practice and created a bespoke linguistics-based curriculum for newly-arrived migrants, with tailored interventions to fill educational gaps (which many Gypsy-Roma students have due to a lack of (quality) prior education). QKA has also worked side by side with the Roma community and employs 3 Gypsy-Roma staff and a school governor.The University of Nitra Institude of Romani Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences and Healthcare, CPU has detailed knowledge of the different Gypsy-Roma communities and culture, they understand how and why friction and tension within the Gypsy-Roma community can arise and also how this can be avoided - this is very important, particularly in the UK where there is an on-going influx of Gypsy-Roma famlies from different countries, groups and cultures - having a detailed understanding of the different cultures, dialects and beliefs could help schools and organisations to pre-empt issues and to support students and families to integrate appropriately. The University works with schools in Slovakia where Gypsy-Roma and non-Gyspy-Roma study together in an integrated way (against national norms). This knowledge of working with all members of the community to make integration work against the odds are important to share.CampusRom is an organisation supported by the Catalan Government that works with the Spanish Gypsy-Roma community. The organisation is staffed by Gyspy-Roma and works with schools as well as adults. It delivers education and support to Gypsy-Roma students to give them access to further and higher education. It has worked closely with Barcelona University to secure places specifically for Gypsy-Roma students. At QKA, there is a suspected 19% of the whole school cohort who are Gypsy-Roma, but that percentage is not nearly represented in the school's sixth form. We hope to learn from CampusRom how to develop provision to ensure more Gypsy-Roma students access further education.This project will share the good practice of the participant organisations and learn more about the different European Roma communities. The project will consist of a series of Learning and Training Visits, during which participants will carry out observations, discussions and interviews as well as collating case studies of good practice activities which can then be shared widely. In addition to this learning, the host partner will organise a CPD training event during each Visit for wider stakeholders, with each partner delivering a presentation or workshop detailing their context and sharing resources, methodology, research finding and strategies for success. There will also be a report produced after each visit collating the research findings, learning outcomes and actions for adaptation within the visiting partners' organisations, as well as advice to support those working with Gypsy-Roma. Each of the training events will be videoed and the recordings and resources from those, the research reports and case studies will be collated together on an open-source digital platform that can be accessed by a wider range of stakeholders to support them in their working It is envisaged that the resources, pedagogy, best-practice case studies and advice of how to successfully support Roma in a variety of contexts across Europe will enrich the knowledge and provision in the partner organisations, and that, through wide dissemination through established networks in each country, the number of Gypsy-Roma continuing to further / higher education will increase, building aspirational role-models within the community. It is also envisaged that, through proving educational achievement with Gypsy-Roma, more pressure will be placed on educational providers and policy-makers in segregated countries and regions, to develop ways of educational and social integration.

Europe is currently at a crossroad, facing multiple challenges such as an economic and fiscal crisis, a migration crisis, terrorist attacks and the rise of political far-right ideology. According to the latest report of the Council of Europe’s Commission against Racism and Intolerance, these changes have resulted in a growing climate of racism, Islamophobia, homophobia and intolerance that filters down to the younger generations. For example, racism and religious discrimination was voted as the number one issue of concern among young people in the UK in 2016 (British Youth Council, 2016). Especially among young children, discrimination is frequently expressed in the form of bullying. A recent pan-European survey found that 46% of school students had observed bullying acts directed towards immigrant/Roma students in the last three months (Elame, 2013). However, the same survey also confirmed that there is no evidence-based educational approach for discriminatory bullying currently in Europe. This is a huge gap considering that prejudice-reduction initiatives have most potential to be successful with young children. To address these challenges, this project developed an innovative approach to tackling discriminatory bullying that integrated a serious digital game with an intercultural pedagogy and curriculum. The intervention comprised of the following key elements: First, the project developed an immersive 3D virtual environment, built on gaming architecture, that provided a safe environment where school children were able to develop inter-cultural and social competencies by interacting with NPCs (Non-Player Characters) in a simulation of real world discriminatory bullying scenarios. Students engaged with simulations and navigated their way through choices to arrive at the best solution. Second, the project developed a complementary inter-cultural pedagogy and curriculum for use by the teachers who wish to implement the e-learning component in class. The intervention was evaluated in 4 countries (UK, the Netherlands, Slovakia and Greece) with 835 children aged 10-12 using a pre and post design with a comparison between an intervention and a waiting control group. Overall, we found that the intervention improved children's attitudes towards minority groups although the effect varied by country and school. Overall, the intervention was more effective in the Netherlands where it was tested in mixed-schools. Qualitative feedback received from teachers in the schools who took part was very positive. 4 multiplier events were organised in each of the partner's country with a large number of practitioners and organisations participating. Further evidence of the impact of the project is that parts of the intervention formed part of Scotland's anti-bullying strategy and were distributed to all schools in Scotland. Also, the project website attracted 5,620 views from 979 users across the world including USA, Japan and United Arab Emirates. Overall, the project contributed towards the development of more cooperative practices in school and increased awareness about the plight of groups who are subject to discriminatory bullying in schools. Through interaction with a serious digital game children also developed their digital literacies. The project further provided opportunities for teachers to be trained on the use of simulated e-learning technologies thus leading to a more highly skilled educational workforce. At a national and European level the project contributed to raising awareness about discriminatory bullying and its effects and increased knowledge about the advantages of using simulated learning environments to teach about sensitive topics. All intervention material developed for this project are free to use and available to download from the project website: https://www.ou.nl/en/web/gate-bull