"<< Background >>ALLIES apply for this project taking into consideration the challenges met by project partners and their collaborators in education process. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to awareness of significant gaps and deficiencies in digital skills, connectivity and the use of technology in education. In addition, according to the latest Index of the Digital Economy and Society, 42% of Europeans do not have basic digital skills and the European labour market faces a significant shortage of digital experts. Similar to the Member States, in Romania, starting with March 2020, the ""COVID-19"" crisis has reconfigured educational practices from the ""face-to-face"" interaction to the online environment. This challenge highlighted the role of digital education as a key objective for teaching-learning assessment of high quality, accessible and inclusive, as well as the need for a strategic approach to the acquisition of digital skills throughout life, for all actors involved.ALLIES targets two different categories of target groups: teachers from universities and professionals (graduates of mechanical, civil and industrial engineers). Also, ALLIES targets two types of specializations: ITC and steel structure integrity, in order to boost digital education in engineering sciences. The ALLIES consortium is consists of 4 universities, 1 umbrella organization in the field of engineering, 1 welding institute focused mainly on steel structure construction and 1 company specialized in development of new digital learning technologies.This challenge highlighted the role of digital education as a key objective for high-quality, accessible and inclusive teaching-learning-assessment, as well as the need for a strategic approach to the acquisition of digital skills throughout life, for all actors involved. During this period, ""teaching-learning"" has moved mainly in the online environment and the challenges faced by education systems have been related to:- Insufficiently developed digital skills for the efficient organization of the teaching process in the online environment- insufficient skills in the production of digital materials, especially in the field of engineering sciences and the results of their applicationThe Digital Education Action Plan calls for closer cooperation between EU Member States so that education and training systems become appropriate for the digital age, given the impact of digital transformation on societies, the labour market and its future, as well as on education and training systems. From this perspective, the digital transformation in education is driven by advances in connectivity, the widespread use of digital devices and applications, the need for individual flexibility and the growing demand for digital skills. At the same time, it is a call for action for closer cooperation at European level, in order to draw conclusions from the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, during which technology is used at the highest level in the field of education and training, respectively for adapting education and training systems to the digital age. According to SMART.Edu 2020, at least 20 universities from Romania have introduced or are in the process of introducing post-graduate (short-term) and master's studies in cybersecurity (digital competence) into the university curriculum.From the point of view of the labour market in the steel structure construction sector, the development of new digital tools has led to the identification of a lack of skills of engineering professionals in the use of digital tools for design, analysis and inspection of metal structures. According to DESI, only 65% of engineers have basic digital skills.<< Objectives >>General objectives:- To contribute to the digital transformation of education by offering micro-credentials, in the field of ITC and new methodologies for distance and blended teaching, to the teachers from HE, as well as by providing digital environment for teaching, learning and assessment in the education process- To increase the chance for job positions of postgraduates (civil and mechanical engineers) by giving the new micro-credentials, related to design and inspect the steel structures using an fast, distance and blended learning in digital environment- To harmonized the education among HE by offering to the teachers the opportunity to interact with students and teachers from other countries in new postgraduate programme study.Concrete Objectives1. Development of new postgraduate programme study for improving digital and technical skills of the teachers 2. Deployment of ALLIES programme study at universities participating in project in order to achieve harmonized education among Europe.3. Increasing the chance for job positions of postgraduates (industrial, civil and mechanical engineers) by offering the new micro-credentials, related to integrity of steel structures using fast, distance and blended learning in digital environment.<< Implementation >>1. Activities of management and implementation- management of consortium and team members of partners participating in project- technical coordination- financial coordination- reporting project results- dissemination- follow up activities2. Activities for production of project results- implementation of designated tasks for partners- elaboration of analysis reports, methodologies, lessons materials, study cases, digital tools and layouts, transnational actions plan3. Activities for learning, teaching and training- organizing 3 short-term courses on site- organizing 1 short-term course virtually- examination of participants- issue diplomas for participants<< Results >>Outputs- 1 Quality Management Plan- 1 Dissemination and Valorisation Plan- 1 Interim Report (first year)- 1 Final Report (second year)- 1 post-graduate programme study- 1 technical report related to teacher need and perception analysis on digital education - 1 curricula for steel structure integrity- 1 set of methodologies for digital teaching- 1 complete set of lessons materials related to steel structure integrity- 1 complete set of study cases, provided by industry, related to steel structure integrity- 1 battery with tests for assessment- 1 set of digital layouts for online e-learning platform- 1 set of digital study cases provided by industry for online e-learning platform- 1 set of digital tests for assessment for online e-learning platform- 1 offline software application for users without internet connection- 1 report on survey related to quality of products- 1 set of questionnaires for survey among ALLIES partners related quality of the outputs- 1 set questionnaires for survey among ALLIES partners related to quality management - 2 annual reports related to quality management- 4 transnational project meetings- 8 certificates of attendance to transnational project meeting- 3 learning teaching training activities- 24 certificates of attendance to learning teaching training activities- 14 multiplier events with at least 20 participants/event- 140 certificates of attendance to multiplier events- 14 dissemination activities at conferences with at least 20 participants/event- 1 project logo- 1 project website- 700 flyers in national languages- 7 posters- 1 social media account- 16 scientific articles in journals indexed in international databases- 7 roll-ups- 4 newslettersOutcomes- strengthening the transnational cooperation between universities, steel structure construction industry and software development companies in order to fill the gaps between what labour market requires, in terms of technical competences, learning outcomes provided by post-graduate programme study and digital tools developed by programmers.- improvement of digital skills, in terms of digital tools and pedagogy, of teachers from universities among partnership and beyond- harmonized education at tertiary level of education by deployment a pilot post-graduate programme study for universities involved in ALLIES project- improved education through better performance of teachers in blended learning"

"""The future of work will be a race between education and technology.""Mauricio Macri, Former President of Argentina, host of G20, 2018COVID-19 has had global impact on overall social movements. Education and especially vocational education - its practical part in particular - have been influenced as well. All the classes have moved to the internet and many teachers have found themselves in trouble. According to an OECD report, more than 60% of them have not learned to work in a digital environment. On the other hand, in vocational education, the problem is even more pronounced and relates to skills - the practical part of education. And while online theoretical classes have been implemented at a certain pace, many students have been left without the opportunity to do the practical part in industry, training centres and schools due to COVID-19 and anti-pandemic measures. As a result, in Denmark alone, e.g., close to 20,000 students were prevented from taking practical exams.Both of these problems suggest that quick solutions need to be found to alleviate the problem, primarily through better access to distance learning. The project partners see the solution in Digital Reality tools that allow students to complete a real task with a simulated tool or in a simulated environment mirroring reality, which ultimately solves the burning problem of practical teaching and taking practical exams. In order to do this in the right way, it is necessary to develop a good pedagogy and methodology for the use of DR tools, which currently does not exist, as well as tools that will raise teachers' competences and enable teaching processes to lead safely towards learning outcomes needed for the labour market.For this reason, the objectives of the project can be summarized in the promotion of DR tools as a solution for distance learning with the possibility of application in theoretical and practical teaching, but also in various and even social crisis circumstances. Also, the goal is to develop tools for raising the competencies of teachers to work in the DR environment, promoting learning with technology. The project involves 7 partners from 6 European countries of different profiles and competences in the field of DR. Association for the Promotion of Vocational Education, Secondary Vocational School and University as experienced users of the DR tool, companies that produce simulators based on DR technologies and a virtual reality development agency.Partners will develop 6 outputs during project implementation:1) Basics of digital reality - A handbook for teachers and trainers on how to use different virtual reality simulators for professional occupation in VET2) VET library of DR - A database of digital content creators / developers3) HOW TO ... - Best practice examples from VET digital classrooms across Europe (platform for knowledge exchange)4) Pedagogical guidelines for learning and teaching using DR technologies5) Technical manual: Minimum conditions for education, training and testing in educational processes in virtual environment6) Guideline for Online assessment: Tools and procedures to perform harmonized online assessment of learning gained through virtual environment.As there are currently no solutions in existence such as the ones offered by this project, and they are necessary ASAP, the partners decided to apply a ""step by step"" methodology in the implementation of the project, i.e. step by step to the solution. All outputs will be developed according to this methodology, both internally and externally. Such an approach will enable that, through selected media, the obtained results are published part by part and that the target groups have some of the results available already in the second step (phase) of project implementation.The project results are intended primarily for secondary vocational teachers, their students, high(er) VET education, adult education institutions with vocational characteristics and public authorities at national and international level. What is important to emphasize is that pedagogical guidelines are generic for DR to ensure transferability. Therefore, their use will not be limited to vocational education.The DRinVET project will have an immediate and long-term impact on target groups and vocational education as a whole - from the local, national to international levels. The project can be considered a basis, because it will deliver those tools that will provide all target groups with easier access to DR technologies and the foundations for further personal development of teachers and students and the development of educational organizations and institutions in which they operate and learn. Teachers, trainers, students and trainees will learn how to learn with technology. This will allow them to dive into DR as experienced users and participate equally in the education and technology race mentioned in the saying at the beginning of this summary."

1. ObjectivesThe main objective of the project is to elaborate a master programme study related to digital manufacturing in order to meet the needs and challenges of Industry 4.0 and therefore to improve the performance of the companies. This objective can be reached through the following actions:- inventory of relevant digital technologies in order to elaborate a guideline for alignment of the Industry 4.0 to actual digital devices for fabrication process- elaboration of minimal requirements to introduce a new innovative master programme study related to digital fabrication- elaboration of new innovative curriculum related to digital manufacturing- elaboration of digital lessons materials in order to improve technical and digital competences of the students- elaboration of learning management system for an open education in digital era- promotion of new innovative programme study to industry stakeholders, HEIs and students2. Target Groups- teachers who must have digital competences in order to better perform in a digital environment- students who needs to have technical and digital competences as a prerequisite for acting in digital manufacturing- stakeholders from industry who will need qualified personnel in the field of digital manufacturing3. Activities3.1. Transnational Project MeetingsTM1. Craiova, RO - kick off meetingTM2. Lisbon, PTM3. Budapest, HUTM4. Cluj, RO3.2. Intellectual OutputsO1. Guideline to align requirements of Industry 4.0 to existent and designed digital technologiesO2. Sheet containing all data required to apply the proposed Master Degree courseO3. Elaboration of lessons materials, teaching notes and examination systemO4. Elaboration of DIGIMAN - Learning Management System3.3. Learning Teaching TrainingC1. Robotized WeldingC2. Digital ManufacturingC3. Digital Tools for Teaching/Learning/Assessing3.4. Multiplier EventsE1. Workshop ROE2. Workshop PE3. Workshop PE4. Workshop DE5. Workshop HUE6. Workshop ESE7. Workshop RO3.5. Project Management4. Results- increasing the level of technical competences for students in order to meet requirements of digital manufacturing- increasing the level of digital competencies for students and teachers- increasing the level of cooperation between HEIs and industry stakeholders- improving the pedagogical competences of teachers by introducing XR/AR/VR/MR and simulated processes in teaching process- improving transnational cooperation between universities, technologies developers and industry stakeholders- improving the level of education by using blended learning environment - improving the teaching/learning framework among Europe by providing lessons materials, real life study cases, videos, etc. in digital form embedded in a learning management system 5. Outputs- 1 survey regarding the evaluation of digital manufacturing competences required in industrial engineering field - 1 survey regarding the evaluation of Industry 4.0 requirements - 1 survey for stakeholders related to necessary competences provided by the foreseen curriculum - 1 survey for teachers/students related to quality of the project products- 1 curriculum for master programme study related to digital manufacturing- 12 lessons materials covering disciplines of the programme study- 1 database with questions and answers for examination process- 1 learning management system for the master programme study developed- 3 short-term courses- 16 teachers trained during short-term courses - 14 teachers trained after short-term courses of teachers from organizations participating in project- 16 certificates for teachers participants to short-term course- 14 workshops in countries participating in DIGIMAN project- 280 participants to multiplier events for the whole project- 1 Quality Plan- 1 Dissemination Plan- 2 technical and financial reports to Romanian NA- 1 report on quality of outputs, results and products of DIGIMAN project- 1 report on dissemination activities- 1 project website- 7 webpages in national languages on partners websites- 4 articles published in newsletters- 600 flyers in national languages (100 flyers/partner)- 6 roll-ups in national languages (1 roll-up/partners)- 60 posters (min A3) with project objectives, activities and results (10 posters/partner)6. Future activities after project completion- implementation the digital manufacturing programme study in UCV educational offer- continuous update of the content of lessons materials for the next 4 years- continuous consultation of the industry stakeholders in order to improve the educational materials and teaching methods and tools