BACKGROUND & CHALLENGES3D printing is a cornerstone of the industrial shift towards advanced manufacturing, creating opportunities for employment, value creation, and reallocation of manufacturing production back to Europe. As is the case with any disruptive technology, new needs for skills and qualifications are emerging; 3D printing requires skilled blue-collar employees in manufacturing (i.e. technicians & operators) to acquire new competences. In spite of this, the development of skills required to enter the 3D printing job market is not currently supported by VET programs and apprenticeships that can lead to certification, and applied 3D printing skills remain unavailable to most VET job profiles.AIMThe project tackled this challenge by supporting VET provision to equip technicians & operators with 3D printing skills. The needs of VET providers, learners, employees, and the sector were addressed by: a) matching skill supply with demand, b) increasing employees' employability, performance and job security, and c) strengthening the EU manufacturing sector by valorising investments in 3D printing through a skilled workforce.OBJECTIVES1) to support VET provision of 3D printing skills with guides, resources, OERs, and a hands-on training methodology.2) to identify new occupational profiles in the manufacturing sector, 3) to facilitate and accelerate the integration of new skills and qualifications in VET.4) to contribute to the implementation of EU policies on qualifications, transparency, mobility, and a European Industrial Renaissance, creating secure and sustainable jobs.THE 3D PRISM PARTNERSHIPThe partnership comprised 5 organisations from 5 countries from the world of VET, the manufacturing sector, the EU skills & qualifications accreditation field, as well as learning innovation specialists. The University of Sheffield-Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (USFD-AMRC) leads the research on additive manufacturing and on-the-job training. FLORIDA University is an expert in designing and delivering VET programs and courses. The European Association of the Machine Tool Industries (CECIMO) represents the needs and workplace realities of the manufacturing sector at EU-level. EXELIA is an expert in R&D and delivery of innovative ICT-based methodologies for VET. CIMEA is a public authority active in the recognition of qualifications. ACTIVITIES & METHODOLOGY1. Original desk and field research, following the ESCO taxonomy and approach, to develop occupational profiles.2. Definition of learning outcomes, knowledge and topics, program structure and development of a hands-on training methodology to produce VET guidelines for 3D printing jobs in the manufacturing sector.3. Development of learning units, video materials, ICT-based materials and OERs for VET provision on 3D printing skills.4.Involvement of public authorities for the certification & accreditation of 3D printing skills5. Sharing and validation of outputs with multiplier events, inviting target groups to uptake 3D PRISM results and act as further disseminators.RESULTS & IMPACT1. A compendium of existing and emerging 3D printing occupational profiles in the manufacturing sector, to support VET providers in advancing and developing new offerings and to supplement national and EU-level labour market research.2. A VET programs and courses guide for 3D printing occupations in the manufacturing sector, to improve the labour market relevance of VET provision across Europe.3. 3D PRISM learning units and resources for initial and continuous VET programs on 3D printing manufacturing jobs, to improve the quality of VET provision and provide learners with access to materials to improve their skills and thus employability.4. A recommendations paper and a consultation & action plan for VET providers and public regulatory authorities, to lay the ground for follow-up activities on the certification and accreditation of 3D printing skills courses and occupational profiling.5. An exhibition event in the largest sectoral event in Europe (EMO 2017), two demonstration workshops and three infodays, to reach, train, and involve target groups.POST-PROJECT SUSTAINABILITY1. Development of new training programs and courses based on 3D PRISM outputs by VET providers across the EU.2. Participation of a growing number of initial and continuous VET learners in courses based on 3D PRISM outputs.3. Expansion of the strategic partnership towards a network of collaborating VET and manufacturing stakeholders to reinforce the ties between VET provision and the labour market.4. Further maturing and development of certification & accreditation policies influenced by 3D PRISM recommendations.

MICROCASA is the first international project aimed at sharing the European experiences and building institutional capacities in Southeast Asia to co-create, promote and deliver short competence-oriented educational units leading to micro-credentials with the goal of solving various economic and social problems. Focusing on different aspects of micro-credentialing, for instance course content co-creation, educational technology, transparent quality assurance, technologies for issuance and verification of digital micro-credentials, the project builds a comprehensive set of competences and technical capacities in Southeast Asian Universities. Leveraging on the partner networks, as well as on the links to the national educational authorities and regional initiatives, MICROCASA has an ambition to have a systemic impact on the ASEAN region as a whole. The project plan builds around the following groups of activities:•Regional Micro-credentials Study and Roundtables, which will allow gathering factual data and experts opinions about the barriers and enablers for introducing micro-credentials into the regional HEIs, as well as to benchmark the regional approaches to the ones in the EU;•Micro-credentials capacity building Programme covering all abovementioned aspects of micro-credentialing;•Pilot development, delivery and evaluation of the set of Digital Competences courses granting micro-credentials;•Targeted awareness raising and dissemination activities spreading the excellence beyond the project consortium.On the European side, the project consortium includes 3 European Universities with complementary competences, Italian NARIC Agency and the quality assurance expert company. The representative group of 6 Southeast Asian University includes central agenda-setting national Universities, as well as Universities with regional development missions.

The aim of RecoLATIN project is to favour and to increase the quality of vertical and horizontal student mobility within Latin America and European higher education systems. Partners intend to improve competencies and skills of credential evaluators by defining common practices and realising common tools among European and Latin America national bodies and HE institutions, starting from the experience of European HE institutions in relation with the Bologna Process and practices adopted by NARIC centres. Recognition procedures and practices are not only related to technical issues, but are influenced by the structure of each HE system and their cultural approach. The theme of recognition takes into account all the aspects of a HE system (i.e. QA; accreditation/recognition of institutions and programmes; access to courses; etc.): in order to evaluate a foreign qualification we need to know different elements and to consider the purpose of this evaluation procedure (i.e. academic or professional recognition). The activities of the project are placed both at national (official bodies) and institutional level (HEIs). The Latin America countries signed the UNESCO Recognition Convention in 1974 and their recognition practices are based on previous concepts not influenced by the Lisbon Recognition Convention criteria. For that reason we intend to create operational national recognition centres and to provide training activities on recognition practices for their staff. We will draft National Reports of each partner country involved in the project in order to present their HE systems in the view of recognition purposes. We will focus our attention on controversial recognition cases and sectors as TNE and international institutions, distant learning qualifications and non-traditional degrees. Each result of the project will be disseminated through two final seminars organised in the two respective areas as an impulse for both other countries and their HE institutions.

AppSkil forms an ICT Sector Skills Alliance focused on the mobile apps field that will connect VET providers, sector representatives, and VET authorities to identify skills needs & mismatches, develop and deliver an appropriate training programme connected with European qualification frameworks. The AppSkil Alliance will provide staff in ICT with needed mobile apps creation skills that are in short supply, enhancing personal development and job performance. Based on the learning outcomes approach, the AppSkil VET programme will promote mutual trust and mobility. ICT enterprises will be able to identify personnel with sector-specific skills and VET providers will benefit through the availability of a sector-specific VET program ready to be integrated in NQFs and EQF. The VET will draw from the European e-Competence Framework (e-CF) which uses a common language for competences, skills and proficiency levels that can be understood across Europe. Most of the qualifications that have been identified in connection to the professional profile of app developers correspond to EQF level 5. At this level, most of countries propose training programmes related to mobile application area and programming languages. e-CF has also been employed as reference basis to defining the competence required of mobile app developers.Aims In the latter stages of the project it aims to form an ICT Sector Skills Alliance focused on the mobile apps field, setting the basis for the establishment of a European ICT Sector Skills Council. The AppSkil Alliance responds to the call for enhancing the responsiveness of initial and continuing VET systems to sector-specific labour market needs and to the demand for improved skills by: a) Acting as a collaboration platform that will connect VET providers, sector representatives, and VET authorities, b) identifying skills needs & mismatches, and c) developing and delivering an appropriate training programme connected with qualification frameworks. Objectives AppSkil sets out to: •Design a European learning outcomes approach curriculum for mobile apps creators to improve business and design skills•Link the designed curriculum with ESCO, EQF, NQFs and e-CF and quality assurance principles to facilitate recognition and make it transferable across EU. •Gather and systemize evidence of skills shortage at EU level to fine-tune and optimize vocational learning content and approach. •Coordinate the sector in terms of skills anticipation and act as a cornerstone for a long-term European collaboration. •Introduce innovative training delivery methods in the form of MOOC. •Validate the training approach so as to offer operationally mature open educational resources and approaches. •Provide replicable training to mobile apps creators.

Background The growing demand for skilled employees within the Artificial Intelligence (AI) cannot be met by current education and training programmes. Europe needs an innovative European AI Strategy that can fast-track the upskilling and of the EU’s workforce to meet this ever-increasing demand.ObjectiveThe project will support the implementation of the Pact for Skills by developing a sectoral skills strategy on AI. This strategy aims to lead to systemic and structural impact on reducing skills shortages, gaps, and mismatches, as well as ensure appropriate quality and levels of skillsParticipants The ARISA project configurating the European AI Skills Alliance, sets up a consortium of 16 partners and 4 associated partners led by DIGITALEUROPE, brings together key Industry and Education stakeholders from across the domain.Activities The ARISA consortium will work together to develop, implement and disseminate an AI European Strategy that will tackle the current and future skills shortages in the AI Sector, enabling continuous development, innovation and competitiveness within the industry. Methodology The project will be implemented in 9 work packages as follows: WP 1 – Project managementWP 2 - Needs analysisWP 3 – AI Skills StrategyWP 4 - Development of an innovative curricula and training program WP 5 - Development of a certification systemWP 6 – Piloting in different EU countriesWP 7 – Dissemination and communicationWP 8 – Long term sustainabilityWP 9 – Quality assuranceExpected results and impact The project includes the establishment of a long-term partnership for an innovative European Artificial Intelligence Skills Alliance; the design of an innovative and sustainable short term and long term Strategy; the development, testing and roll-out of VET and HE training curricula in 8 pilot sites (5 universities and 3 VET providers), the adaptation of programmes and qualifications in line with latest market needs and consistently linked withaaaa