The vocational education in the maritime field is regulated by the International Maritime Organisation IMO’s International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW). The Convention aims to universal regulation of maritime education, qualifications and watchkeeping – at least in reaching the minimum requirements. There are, however, major differences between different countries (and VET institutes) on the syllabus level in the contents and structure of maritime VET. MariePRO - Promoting Maritime ECVET Actions project is to provid valuable tools and background for the use of VET institutes on their way to defining a common syllabus structure and content on the European level. MariePRO has examined the differences between VET institutes in the partner countries, organized workshops for maritime VET actors in the partner countries to discuss implementation of ECVET, produced a Catalogue of Best Practices on ECVET implementation, and an example syllabus on marine environmental awareness according to the STCW provisions. A Survey report on syllabus differences between maritime VET institutions in partner countries: Finland, Germany, Italy, Malta and the UK was drafted during the first phases of the project. The report presents the MariePRO project findings on transnational comparisons in VET/MET based on desktop surveys, discussions and conclusions of workshops for MET actors in the partner countries, as well as the results of an interview questionnaire for maritime VET actors in different countries. The areas examined include: the overall framework of MET, i.e., maritime institutes and training programmes as well as curricula of maritime institutes (incl. responsibilities & processes of planning), and other aspects relevant to maritime education and training, i.e., process of certification to become an officer, onboard training practices, e.g., who issues and who assesses the certificate. These aspects were examined against the national framework of education (incl. traditions & beliefs) and the VET structures and practices of the individual countries. The summary report concludes with the views of MET actors on the need for and their visions of harmonised maritime education and training. MariePRO dissemination seminars/workshops for maritime VET teachers were arranged in all the partner countries, as well as an international dissemination seminar in Finland at the end. The dissemination events provided the target groups, VET institutions, teachers and other relevant actors within VET/maritime education and training, with possibilities to change views and participate and contribute to the outputs of the project. MariePRO has provided the target groups, (maritime) VET actors, with tools and preparedness to take actual steps towards implementing ECVET in their everyday activities. The Catalogue of Best Practices on ECVET implementation shows different ways that ECVET is being applied across sectors and countries in the EU. Whereas, the example syllabus on marine environmental awareness, paving the way for harmonization of syllabus contents in practice, can be used as everyday tool in syllabus planning and teaching in MET institutes. The example syllabus provides a course outline as an instrument to implement a MET course on environment awareness, taking into account all maritime environment legislation. The course offers two options, a 2-day programme as a refresher course for the seafarers who have gone through the IMO course and are familiar with most of the updates; and a 5-day programme for incorporation into cadet education and training programme. The broader aims of the project include promoting to student exchange between VET institutions on common-European and international level. Promoting to these aims, the Catalogue of Best Practices on ECVET implementation provides showcases of different, innovative and effective approaches on ECVET implementation for other institutions to learn from. Examples of documentation tools such as Memorandum of Understanding and Learning Agreement are also provided. Whereas, the example syllabus on marine environmental awareness stands as a concrete example on syllabus contents harmonisation, based on international STCW regulations. The impacts of the project at local and regional level have been initiated by target group interviews and questionnaires, as well as dissemination events that have focused on topical issues in each particular country/area. The MariePRO partner consortium included universities, vocational training institutes and MET actors from Finland, Germany, Italy, Malta and the UK. The partners involved in the project included Centre for Factories of the Future (UK), ITTL Nautico San Giorgio (IT), Mediterranean Maritime Research and Training Centre (MT), University of Bremen, Institute Technology and Education (DE), and University of Turku, Centre for Maritime Studies (FI).

The PoliUniBus project builds upon the the expertise already established in UniBUS project, PoliUniBus proposes the conception of a collaborative cloud based platform that implements a new challenge-led methodology to support higher education institutions to link with businesses across the Europe. The PoliUniBUS platform will support use 'challenges' led by policy makers to set conditions for AGILE innovation. Engagement across Universities and Industry will allow companies to manage and implement the complex innovation processes by taking advantage of universities' research and technological knowledge and expertise in a systematic way, by enabling an open multi-agent focused innovation (i.e. university/business focused innovation). Where PoliUniBus seeks to develop additional value is to engage Universities & Businesses with emergent and active agendas in policy, for example Grand Challenges/Catapults. The current (fragmented scenario), means that a Turkish technology developer cannot easily identify and access Finnish Research Expertise to address a UK societal need. This can be segmented into four key areas:• Accelerate Markets• Stimulate Innovation• Increase Understanding• Improve accessibilityThere is an imperative to identify knowledge, skills, research& development gaps in support of current and emerging agendas across the EU. This is a programme to identify and to set the conditions under which identified agendas can be stimulated across key areas of activity. As university research spins out SMEs it remains difficult for those SMEs to develop and access research & develop collaborations at other institutions. Further distance remains between national challenges and SMEs. In this regard, PoliUniBus seeks to develop a cloud-based platform to enable SMEs to initiate wider research collaboration in support of challenge-led initiatives across Europe. Building on the capability of UniBUS to address the University-Business identified need, PoliUniBus seeks to develop a cloud-based platform to enable SMEs to initiate wider research collaboration in support of challenge-led initiatives across Europe. PoliUniBUS seeks to build a coherent platform with a mobile application that is accessible to Europe-wide Universities, and Industry to align with challenges to support Europe-wide innovation.

In this project, Career Comeback Support program for Women (CCSP-W), the aim is to increase the awareness of contemporary business environment for unemployed women who had work experience previously, and also encouraging them to get back into the workforce by providing Online and mobile platforms as well as a relevant curriculum. Gender-related differences in employment rates and conditions have been discussed over the decades by the researchers and governments. Women, as a disadvantaged group, have suffered from less stable employment due to various factors. Some of the reasons for less stability in the workplace can be listed as marriage, childbirth, gender roles in the society and cultural issues. Knowledge society transformed business world into an environment where intangible assets are considered the main value of the organizations. There was a radical change from traditional business environment to contemporary social environment where the focus is not only on consumers and organizational needs but also on environmental, social and ethical issues. Diffusion of rapidly changing technology into the business world discouraged people, especially women to return to work force after a long break. Moreover, intense penetration of the technology use and social media require developing new skills and abilities for a successful career. The complexity of such an environment demands a more integrated approach across different dimensions of contemporary business to regain women work force. Considering these, the main purpose of this project is to increase the awareness of contemporary business environment for unemployed women and also encouraging them to get back into the workforce by providing an Online awareness-training system and its curriculum. In this project, there are three objectives: 1) Providing them with online and mobile platforms in all 5 languages of the partners (ie. English, Turkish, French, Greek, and Polish) to adapt them to the social business era considering possible opportunities and necessities in the new business world.2) Assisting potential entrepreneur women who would like to run their own business by networking functionality and knowledge base tools that are provided. Women can also sign up to the web sites of other countries for further matching activities those could allow them to start international business. 3) Providing especially women with a platform where they could find job opportunities, important news related to business life, funding opportunities, etc. that would facilitate their return to work life. After the kick-off meeting, project started with need analysis report. All the partners contributed to this report both with a desktop research and with a survey applied to target group. Being a clear map of the status quo, the prepared report founded a basis for all other activities of the project. Following the need analysis, the requirements defined were reflected to a model for career comeback system. This model is reported in a functional design document (FDD) that both the online and mobile platforms relied on. Almost simultaneously, curriculum development phase started. First, the most necessary topics for the curriculum were defined and agreed on a partner meeting and each partner (besides BIS) worked carefully on an assigned topic. All those curricula were initially prepared in English, proofread by the English partner, and translated into all other 4 languages of the partners. BIS, on the other hand, prepared the Web Portal first, based on FDD. Then they transferred the functionalities and content to a Mobile Application Developed. All those functionalities and content were tested for several dimensions like usability with Pilot Testing held in all partner countries simultaneously. Required fixes were applied and the products became ready for introduction to all related parties. With a final conference in Istanbul, Turkey, the portals were formally presented to the society in general, and to some women NGOs specifically. A multilingual Project Book including the curricula prepared and a users' guide for the platforms was published and distributed during the conference.In the long term, the platforms can be given to all voluntary women NGOs to provide a higher benefit to the society. Thanks to the modular structure of the platforms, some additional content can be developed and added to the system, and existing content can easily be updated. Also, the framework prepared can be used for some other projects, with modifications, to deliver additional benefits not covered in that project. After all, according to us, the project was successful in attaining originally foreseen benefits. Moreover, all the partners learned a lot from each other, gained new abilities, and shared their culture with each other ending up with understanding of and respect to differences.

The disruptive effects of the COVID-19 outbreak have impacted almost all sectors of our society. tertiary education is no exception. A study by Aucejo et al (2020) about 1500 students reported that the outbreak had large negative effects on students' current labour market participation and expectations about post-college labour outcomes. Around 40% of students lost a job, internship, or a job offer, and 61% reported to have a family member that experienced a reduction in income. The pandemic also had a substantial impact on students' expectations about their labour market prospects post-college/university. For example, their perceived probability of finding a job before graduation decreased by almost 20%. They are now competing not only with other graduates but also many experience workers who lost their jobs recently. In the UK 700,000 experienced workforce lost their jobs due to the pandemic (ONS, September 2020). The situation in other EU member states is not dissimilar. All these issues have increased stress and anxiety leading to mental health among the young generation which has less experience of coping with stress. Emergency measures are required to put in place to help them realise their strengths, develop missing skills and boost their confidence which will ultimately help in avoiding mental health related issues by combining the VR technology and John Holland’s personality criteria known as RAISEC – according to which people and work environments can be classified according to six basic types: Doers (Realistic), Thinkers (Investigative), Creators (Artistic), Helpers (Social), Persuaders (Enterprising) or Organizers (Conventional). RAISEC provides the young people an opportunity to understand what areas they are inclined to succeed. The application of the RAISEC is combined with the development of key skills (Ziarati, 2020) which gives job applicants a greater chance of finding and keeping a job such as i) developing and managing self, ii) working as a member of a team, iii) communicating effectively, iv) maintaining physical and mental fitness, v) applying technology, vi) managing time, vii) defining and solving problems and viii) design skills. With an affordable, accessible and fun app those graduated during the Covid-19 pandemic (Generation C) is given a means to know their strengths, skills and abilities better and to hunt for their future occupations. The proposed project intends to take full advantage of VR both as a tool to identify interest and strength and to develop key life skills required by the labour market. The VR industry is growing fast, with the market for virtual reality hardware and software projected to increase from 6.2 billion U.S. dollars in 2019 to more than 16 billion U.S. dollars by 2022 (Source: Statista.com). With a set of well thought tests, the proposed app will allow users to take part in carefully organised quizzes that they will experience for themselves without getting bored or finding it dreadfully dull. Our proposed project aims to solve the problem of giving the youth the necessary skills and knowledge of what their skills and abilities are and in which occupation they can excel and have a bright future. By approaching the issue at the earliest stage, the aim is to prepare the young and to reduce stress and future dissatisfaction and provide a glance of the future opportunities. The users will know the missing skills and will be able to focus on the important aspects by themselves and therefore will be able to eliminate skills mismatching and develop key skills. Also, by knowing their strong points the Generation C will be able to develop themselves to higher levels in seeking and retaining good and well paid jobs.

Why? Background of project - A global approach for the development of energy efficiency systems including an effective emission control is led by the IMO on account of the continued rapid growth of the world trade in the maritime transport. (IMO, 2012). According to GL (2012), IMO has mandated certain measures related to energy efficiency in international shipping namely, Energy Efficiency Design Index (EEDI) which mandates energy efficiency standards for new ships; Energy Efficiency Operational Index (EEOI) to provide a tool for measuring the ship’s fuel efficiency in operation and monitor the effect of any variations e.g. more frequent propeller cleaning or improved voyage planning or introduction of technical measures such as a new propeller or waste heat recovery systems; and Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan (SEEMP), a management tool for ship owners. These three standards came into force on January 1, 2013 within a new chapter of MARPOL Annex VI. Complex technologies will be involved in building a ship efficiency and emission control system by the marine suppliers bearing in mind the life expectancy of vessels which is estimated to be around 30 years and also of the mandatory regulations to be met as set by IMO (Ziarati et al, 2017, 2018, Oceana 2013).What? Objectives - Currently there is no standard for the proposed role of the Emissions Management role as proposed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). This project proposes the development of an Emissions Management job specification and a training programme for it specifically for the shipping industry to be able to continually improve its energy and emissions management on board ships with the view to save energy, reduce pollution and to improve the overall quality of energy and emissions management. The intention is also to encourage shipping companies to seek international standards such as ISO 50000. The intention is to use the IMO TTT ship energy efficiency materials developed (www.mariems.com) by some of the partners in this proposal expected to make ships energy efficient. The proposal will review ship emissions monitoring and management with regards to ship types, ship propulsion systems, ship navigation equipment, energy production units, electrical and mechanical parts and circuitry, safety issues, national certification, accreditation and validation of learningmaterials, pedagogical aspects of learning and last but by no means least online application.Who? Number and profile of participants – the partnership is composed on an organisation (C4FF) with unique knowledge of energy production and engine emissions, the project team has considerable experience of training programme development and their validation and recognition internationally. C4FF are supported by two Maritime Education and Training (MET) providers (SAMK in Finland (North); and UPC in Spain (West) covering the periphery of the Europe to ensure multiplier activities reach as many as countries in Europe as possible. The partnership is complemented by IDEC and CET to make sure the training programme takes all practical aspects into consideration. SPIN in Slovenia has been invited into the partnership to support C4FF in the development of several novel online e-learning platforms similar to the one developed by SPIN and C4FF in previous EU funded projects such as EGMDSS and MarTEL see their European maritime platform www.marifuture.org for all their projects: many of the projects by the partnership has been selected as ‘Best in Europe’ by the EU. Through its double role, both as educational provider and as management consulting company, IDEC is able also to incorporate best practices from the business sector, helping the partnership to develop open, sustainable and accessible education outputs for all.