The project aims to support the innovation management capacity of Greek SMEs as a mean for advancing competitiveness and ensuring growth. Four partners of the Enterprise Europe Network-Hellas will provide mentoring and coaching services on all stages of the innovation management system, including the innovation process from idea generation to innovation results, leadership, management skills and other enabling factors, such as collaboration with R&D partners, clients and suppliers. The service is of particular significance for Greek SMEs that have been seriously affected by the lasting financial recession and need support activities directly aiming at boosting their competitiveness and growth. The proposal addresses the specific objectives of the work programme, namely: a) Identification of bottlenecks in the innovation management process of SMEs benefitting from grants by Horizon 2020’s SME instrument and address these bottlenecks with the help of capable coaches, b) Increase the efficiency and effectiveness of innovation processes in SMEs with significant innovation activities that could potentially become beneficiaries of European support to research and innovation. The service will be delivered by nominated experts of the Enterprise Europe Network-Hellas consortium. 51 service packages (7-days each) are foreseen to be delivered by the end of December 2014, to: a) Beneficiaries of the SME Instrument, b) SMEs with significant be selected based on a multi-parametric process, incorporating both geographical and sectorial criteria. National priorities for research and innovation in Greece and priorities of the Smart Specialization Strategy of each region will be taken into consideration. Common high level quality standards and predefined procedures will be developed for all partners to maximize the efficiency of the service.

The project aims to support the innovation management capacity of Greek SMEs as a mean for advancing competitiveness and ensuring growth. Four partners of the Enterprise Europe Network-Hellas will provide mentoring and coaching services on all stages of the innovation management system, including the innovation process from idea generation to innovation results, leadership, management skills and other enabling factors, such as collaboration with R&D partners, clients and suppliers. The service is of particular significance for Greek SMEs that have been seriously affected by the lasting financial recession and need support activities directly aiming at boosting their competitiveness and growth. The proposal addresses the specific objectives of the work programme, namely: a) Identification of bottlenecks in the innovation management process of SMEs benefitting from grants by Horizon 2020’s SME instrument and address these bottlenecks with the help of capable coaches, b) Increase the efficiency and effectiveness of innovation processes in SMEs with significant innovation activities that could potentially become beneficiaries of European support to research and innovation. The service will be delivered by nominated experts of the Enterprise Europe Network-Hellas consortium. 176 service packages (7-days each) are foreseen to be delivered by the end of December 2016, to: a) Beneficiaries of the SME Instrument, b) SMEs with significant be selected based on a multi-parametric process, incorporating both geographical and sectorial criteria. National priorities for research and innovation in Greece and priorities of the Smart Specialization Strategy of each region will be taken into consideration. Common high level quality standards and predefined procedures will be developed for all partners to maximize the efficiency of the service.

NEARVET produces an innovative mechanism of systematic inquiry and development of Applied Research in VET, by drawing upon state of the art methods in the co-creation and validation of applied research local innovation eco-systems. It addresses a question that is often left unaddressed - 'if applied research in VET is critical - who are the applied researchers?', therefore defining its target group within the European community of VET practitioners and companies. NEARVET will reach out directly to +200 among VET practitioners, local companies and academic staff and +500 through the Community of practice.NEARVET will realise its ambitions through an interdependent, highly participative work programme, that will:(a) elaborate a methodology concept, within which it will draw upon state of the art methods in the co-creation and validation of applied research methods in VET through andragogical philosophies and user-led and user-validated methods and techniques (b) identify, define and specify the competences required to act effectively in the performance of applied research in VET, including the elaboration of standards and the performance criteria and attainment levels in relation to knowledge and skills to conduct effective applied research in VET (c) provide and nurture a community of practice rooted in a wide and relevant network, fostering exchange of knowledge and innovation through applied research and collaboration between VET practitioners, stakeholders, employers, enhancing VET’s role in innovation, research and development across the EU(d) co-create and validate a set of practical resources and methods, through the establishment and facilitation of a digitally-enabled transnational platform and Hub(e) a comprehensive legacy framework, supporting transferability and sustainability in a long-term perspective, including the exploitation of its results in 5 additional countries in addition to the 6 involved in the proposal.