"The key topics within our project are design thinking and disruptive innovation processes to develop smart city solutions by SMEs. Another aspect is the user experience design. Design thinking is able to approach more closely the unmet needs of a community by observing its behaviour.The technology advancement is too fast for the managers and owners to respond and adjust to the market. Smart city solutions work in the quadruple helix: society(social innovation)-research- public authorities- business. A smart city is defined as “a community of average technology size, interconnected and sustainable, comfortable, attractive and secure”. The number of smart-city solutions is booming, and many new technologies are being utilized to improve the city of the future. However, governments are not seeing the results they aimed for and one of the main causes for this is the digital skill gap. The digital skill gap is a two-factor problem: from one side the need is unrealized by citizens as they don't know about the smart solutions; from another - there is a lack of skilled personnel to implement and maintain tech solutions of SMEs.The aim of the project is to develop the competences of the SME managers and owners to drive smart disruptive technology business. More specifically we combine management and digital skills and provide: a map of digital disruptive technologies; training program with modules and materials for smart innovation; toolkit with business models, tools for UX and DT process, social innovation aspects, platform for learning with materials and tools.The target groups of our project are:- SME managers and owners of smart city technology businesses are the primary - those who are and want to be ""smart innovators"";- VET trainers as secondary group.The main results of the project are the intellectual outputs with the respective interim products/deliverables:IO1 Map of digital and smart disruptionsO1/A1 Key areas of smart technology innovation - we will conduct a study to narrow the scope of technology areas of smart innovations and define key success factors and applications to prepare the map.O1/A2 Case studies collection and focus groups - each partner will select two SMEs in the field of smart technologies and have interviews with their managers/owners to create a state of the art case study. This will generate a case study collection and initial contacts of the target group to be further involved in the project.O1/A3 Development of the map the map itself will consist of: description of the technological areas, challenges and opportunities for designing, developing and managing smart city innovative solutionsO1/A4 Internal testing - this part of each output will be done either during project meeting and/or short-term staff training event in month 13. There will be short evaluation report after each internal testing before going to testing with the target group.O1/A5 Finalization and translation is also a common phase of each output and defines the final translated versions.IO2 Training program for smart disruptive innovation - we will develop a program covering analytical, interdisciplinary critical thinking, management and technological skills; we will define the key topics of interdisciplinary knowledge across technology, social sciences and management disciplines.O2/A1 Capabilities framework of smart innovation - common framework with key competences, skills and knowledge.O2/A2 Training modules for smart innovation - specific modules with learning elements and assessment criteria, including self-assessment tools, thesaurus, materials.IO3 Training toolkit for managers and owners of smart businessesO1/A1 Business model cards for smart solutions - we will create a set of explanatory cards with definitions, examples and frameworks for innovative business models.O1/A2 User experience design and design thinking process and tools - this will be a collection of tools, description and materials for UX design and design thinking process.O1/A3 Disruptive technologies for social innovation development - this part will focus on social innovations in the context of smart city solutions.IO4 Digital platform for smart innovationsO4/A1 Simulation process for rapid prototyping - detailed step-by-step process of how to do rapid prototyping and what tools to be used will be developed. O4/A2 UX design and design thinking games.The desired impact on the target groups is expected to be stronger and immediate at local and regional level where partners’ and their members’ apply the Smart City concept and thus our results and beneficial impact is expected to be more tangible. Additionally to the impact on the target groups, the project is expected to have a positive longer-term benefit for the local and regional economy as Smart city entails the creation of inter company and inter sectoral links, for an inter-connected city. It relates to the new phenomenon of city-as-a-platform creation."

The purpose of the project is to develop a new methodology and teaching and learning model based on gamification for entrepreneurship compiled of both Entrepreneurship and Intrapreneurship. We aim to develop experiential learning model with a game and external business partners who will act as mentors to pupils and guide them in the process. Pupils work in teams to create virtual companies. At the end of the course pupils make expeditions to real companies and investors to present their businesses.The two target groups of NeXT are: - primary target are high school pupils in 10th,11th and 12th grades. Pupils are from general education and specialization in Management and Entrepreneurship.- secondary group - teachers in Geography and Economics; teachers in Entrepreneurship. Small-scale pilots of the model that we are proposing in NeXT have already been undertaken in the participating organisations and they show this model leads to reduction of early school leavers and higher pupils ‘engagement and thus better grades. By developing the project we have the following key objectives:- to take pupils out of their comfort zone via gamification to focus on user empathy, whole-brain thinking, collaboration, and experimentation;- to encourage pupils to start their own innovative businesses - whether or not they proceed and really found enterprises, they will develop entrepreneurial mindset and key business knowledge and skills; - to create better collaboration between schools and real businesses – in the process we foresee the active participation of managers and experts who will provide guidance and mentorship; - to develop necessary digital skills for both target groups - one, we aim for digital (virtual) business creation by student teams and second, lecturers use open educational resources to deliver the course and make it available widely. The project is set to produce four intellectual outputs as follow:-Teaching methodology and course syllabus; -Game, manual and training materials; -Teacher’s manual and study documentation; -Open education space platform. The ultimate outcome is development of a game and digital tools for starting and developing innovative business. The project will start with a detailed description and outline of the game content with the respective templates, tools and other elements that will be developed. We are focusing to equip the young people with the skills and mindset to start their own businesses Thus we develop our methodology in compliance with it as well taking into consideration the concepts we are using as well:- Innovation management with its elements – innovation culture, innovation process and capacity, innovation leadership. - Entrepreneurship – key elements of how to start a business- Intrapreneurship – how to develop the business- Design thinking – as a process to generate innovative products and services following the Stanford’s d.school framework: Empathize, Define, Ideate, Prototype, Test.The project aims to adapt the development of competences to the changing world. The students will not work to learn new things but to think of new things from scratch and interact with the real business. NeXT project is designed for strengthening the links between school education and business and enhancing the entrepreneurial training by building effective methodology and course framework to be implemented across different schools and applicable to various competence levels.

SMEs are Europe’s motor for growth and employment. They represent 99% of all businesses in the EU and account for two thirds of EU28 employment. The availability of skilled labour is an important prerequisite to their prosperity. Nonetheless, there is a mismatch between the skills the labour market demands and those that the education and training system provides. Realising this mismatch, the European Commission has identified that quality work-based learning and apprenticeships can be an efficient way of addressing labour market imbalances. In countries, where there is a well-established apprenticeship system, such as UK, Austria and Germany, SMEs contribute strongly to the training of the future work force through their involvement in work based learning and apprenticeship schemes. On the contrary, in countries with more school based systems, like Slovakia, Spain, Portugal, Greece and Bulgaria, the engagement of SMEs in the supply of placements is more challenging as they lack the support systems and fail to realise both the financial and social benefits. The SMEs awareness of the cost-benefit analysis deriving from the work-based learning is therefore crucial in order to determine their participation to the apprenticeship system. Based on this need, “RoI of WBL and apprenticeships” project suggested the development of a return on investment (RoI) model and digital tool that allow European SMEs to calculate and visualise how investment on WBL and apprenticeships can manifest to multiple benefits. The innovative force of the project is the focus of its model to SMEs needs as well as the integration in the model and the digital tool of both SMEs-related benefits as well as society-related ones in order to clearly demonstrate the multilevel outcomes derived from work-based learning & apprenticeship practices. The general objectives of the project were: - make apparent the benefits of WBL and apprenticeships at the level of individual SMEs and the society. - promote WBL and apprenticeships by motivating the engagement of SMEs. The direct target groups were SME’s entrepreneurs, managers and staff as well as VET providers (vocational training centres, professional schools, employment centres) that cooperate with SMEs for the provision of WBL and apprenticeships. At second level, it targeted VET stakeholders and policy makers, national representatives of European networks as well as VET practitioners and experts. The main results of the project are: - A model for the calculation of RoI of WBL and apprenticeships by SMEs - A digital online tool that will demonstrate in visual way the RoI model - A Good Practices Guide addressed to SMEs, giving guidance on how to design, implement and monitor profitable apprenticeship practices which can benefit the enterprise, the apprentice and the entire society. - Creation and promotion of an apprenticeship-friendly SMEs badge to increase the engagement of companies in the provision of WBL. - Promotion of VET – SMEs cooperation, through experimentation and validation of the RoI model. - Organisation of promotional events addressed to SMEs entrepreneurs, VET centres and stakeholders that are interested to apply and promote the RoI model and tool. The project was implemented by 8 partners from 8 different EU countries in order to create results that have European wide applicability and impact, including countries that are still lacking in the engagement of SMEs in WBL (Slovakia, Spain, Portugal, Greece, Bulgaria), taking benefit from countries that are more advanced (UK and Italy) and using the technological know how of others (Cyprus). The expected long term benefits deriving from the project are: - increased supply of WBL and apprenticeship opportunities from SMEs - empowerment of mainly young people by expanding apprenticeship offer - better matching between skills needed by SMEs and those provided by the VET centers - increased number of VET business partnerships - contribution to the establishment of sustainable funding of WBL and apprenticeships through the self-motivation for investment from the side of the SMEs.

Nowadays, problem solving skills play an important role in coping with complexity and change in today's society (European commission, 2018). These skills can respond to the growing needs of individuals to develop personally and handle obstacles and change. Problem solving skills apply prior learning and life experiences, with the look for new opportunities to learn and develop.The aim of ADDET is to develop the employability and problem solving skills and competences of VET students. For that aim, the project will develop an apprenticeship model for students in upper secondary and higher VET schools, based on the design thinking methodology as well as problem-based learning.The specific objectives of the project are:To develop problem solving competences and design thinking mindset for upper secondary and higher VET students through an apprenticeship modelTo develop problem based learning through an apprenticeship model that will follow a design thinking methodologyTo support VET trainers by developing a trainers’ guide addressed to trainers in VET schools and companies that will apply the apprenticeship model and will design, support and evaluate the apprenticeship programme. To create VET-company partnerships, experiment and validate the apprenticeship model To spread the idea of problem-based learning in apprenticeship by organizing seminars for trainers in VET schools and companies that are interested to apply the apprenticeship model.The project will produce three core intellectual outputs that are:IO1. Apprenticeship model for the acquisition of problem solving competencies and design thinking mindset. The apprenticeship model will consist in the development of a sustainable business solution, based on real problems of the company that host the apprenticeship. The apprenticeship will use problem-based learning methods to keep the students engaged. The apprenticeship model will include theoretical foundation and guiding principles for the design, implementation and evaluation of apprenticeship programme. The apprenticeship programme will be based on open-end real problems that the company faces. With the support of trainers, the apprentice will formulate realistic and viable business solutions to address the problems. The apprenticeship will also use the processes of design thinking methodology in order to adopt solution focused strategies. IO2. Trainers guideIn order to support the design, implementation, management, evaluation and validation of the apprenticeship model, the second intellectual output is a guide for trainers, in VET organisations and companies. The guide will prepare and train trainers from VET providers and companies to apply the apprenticeship model and to integrate innovative learning approaches (problem based learning and design thinking). The guide will also include successful stories from the piloting of the model, as well as instructions, suggestions to enhance the apprenticeship programme among new coming enterprises. IO3. VET – company partnerships guideThe third intellectual output of the project will focus on the creation of partnerships between VET providers and companies for the successful implementation of the apprenticeship model. The guide will present practical support for the creation of partnerships, benefits for companies and VET centres, practical steps and guiding principles for the establishment of a partnership for apprenticeships and lastly quality assurance principles of a VET-company partnerships. The direct target groups of the project are VET trainers and companies involved in apprenticeship programmes, yet, the final beneficiaries are students enrolled in upper secondary and higher VET schools and centres. The partnership consists of 7 partners: CEIG from Romania, ZBB from Germany, KISMC from Bulgaria, APDNE from Turkey, IDEC from Greece, CESIE from Italy and Magenta from Spain.The project is designed to have an impact at local/regional/national and european levels. ADDET will contribute to the promotion of apprenticeships and the development of networks and partnerships between VET organisations and companies. ADDET will also contribute to the promotion of apprenticeships at EUropean level.

DigiThink stands for Design thinking for digital innovation. The project aims to develop a new course to be implemented as part of HEIs' curricula on this topic. The idea behind DigiThink is to apply design thinking methodology for digital innovative business creation. The project has four key intellectual outputs: Course syllabus and learning methodology; training and learning materials, open educational resources. it is based on three concepts: design thinking, social and digital innovation. Design thinking incorporates constituent or consumer insights in depth and rapid prototyping, all aimed at getting beyond the assumptions that block effective solutions. Design thinking—inherently optimistic, constructive, and experiential—addresses the needs of the people who will consume a product or service and the infrastructure that enables it. Businesses are embracing design thinking because it helps them be more innovative, better differentiate their brands, and bring their products and services to market faster. Nonprofits are beginning to use design thinking as well to develop better solutions to social problems. Design thinking crosses the traditional boundaries between public, for-profit, and nonprofit sectors. By working closely with the clients and consumers, design thinking allows high-impact solutions to bubble up from below rather than being imposed from the top. We are following the five steps in the process - empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test - leading to development of new digital products and services by students working in teams who wish to develop new social and digital businesses.Social entrepreneurship is an emerging field focused on formation and growth of ventures (nonprofit, for-profit or hybrid) that have at their core a mission to have a positive social or environmental impact on the world. The field includes founders, funders, intermediaries, academics, board members and more; social enterprise: a social purpose venture with a business model that relies primarily (or exclusively) on earned income to cover its operations. The last output Model and guide for implementation will provide guidance and recommendations on how to implement this model in other universities and institutions who wish to teach entrepreneurship, apply design thinking for digital and social innovations, drive innovative products and services. This model and guide will be used in order to produce publications and JCR article about the project. The aim of this future action is to promote the diffusion of the project activities and to raise awareness about this topic in education. he final version of the learning materials will be designed for distance learning in the learning management system - LMS (like Moodle). This includes helping students start digital business by using step-by-step process based on design thinking to generate not only concepts but prototypes that can be undertaken as a business by new business models and/or provided to existing businesses and social ventures for further use and implementation.