<< Background >>The primary target group of the project are Higher education institutions, HEI teachers and staff, and HEI students enrolled in the fields of engineering and textiles. Secondary target groups are stakeholders from the field of textiles and engineering (industries, companies, associations, adult education centres etc) and national policy makers. In Spain there are over 3.700 textile companies and over 47.000 workers employed in this sector. A quarter of these companies are located in the Valencian region where the UPV is located. The number of companies manufacturing technical textiles can be estimated at around 300. Spanish production of technical textiles in recent years has risen to 2.500 million euros, 18% of the total production of the textile/clothing sectors. Companies are increasingly aware of the need to change from linear economic models to circular economic models. However, employees in the textile industry are often not aware of the possibilities to use or recycle waste from fibrous composites and technical textiles.UPV is reinforcing the content on circular economy and sustainability measures in the design, production, use and recycling of textiles in the degree in Industrial Design Engineering and Product Development and in the master's degree in Textile Engineering. In Romania, technical textiles are used in different fields: automotive, construction, agriculture, medical, hygiene etc. The technical and industrial textiles companies (CAEN 1396) registered an ascending trend: 39 companies with 1.388 employees. Moreover, due to the ongoing changes in the sector, the qualification requirements are also changing. Cross-disciplinary courses are becoming necessary, while the HEIs are no longer offering suitable solutions. In Uni.of Oradea we constantly search to provide students with the knowledge and competences that will allow them to succeed in their future professional life. While progress has been made in terms of curriculum change, this is still hampered by excessively theoretical information that is poorly linked to practice.UNIWA has deep experiences in development and research in functional - digital textile,the productio of which has icreased i Greece by 8,31% and exports by 9,51% in the period 2014-2019. UNIWA has collaborations with experts: UGhent – Ιdec company – AUTEX and Hellenic Textile Engineering Association, etc Our scientific personnel have experience relevant with scientific and educational Master Projects and implementat a variety of educational methods. Our HE partnership aims to develop new training content that integrates digital learning, workshops for interactive competencies improvement-based projects in innovation, skills in management, marketing, business model. In this perspective we have perceived the need of blended learning and teaching based online methods and tools in the Knitted and Innovative Textiles / Garments Lab.There are many textile and apparel industrial companies in Lithuania. The textile manufacturing sector is strong and progressive, focused not only on fashion and clothing, but also on technical textiles; approx. 10.000 workers are employed in this sector. The turnover in the sector in 2020 was approx. 1 billion euros. The need and interest of Lithuanian textile companies in sustainability and circular economy is very high, however, it requires constantly updated knowledge about resourcing of sustainable fibres, sustainable manufacturing technologies, waste and quality management, processes of circular economy, etc. The up-to-date approach to ecology inspired new growth and treatment of natural sustainable fibres, and increase in production of sustainable fabrics and garments, also, growth in production of technical textiles from recycled fibres. KTU is strongly focused on strengthening studies in the field of sustainable and green technologies and circular economy and implements R&D projects with Lithuanian industrial companies in this field.<< Objectives >>The textile industry is characterized by the consumption of high levels of resources such as water, energy, chemicals, natural materials and synthetic fibers. Because of the scarcity of some of these in many countries, combined with the pressure of environmental policies and the significant impact that textile production has on the environment, textile management, recycling and waste disposal policies are needed to protect the environment and improve the sustainability of the textile value chain.The need of textile companies in sustainability and the circular economy is growing. But it requires a constantly updated knowledge of sustainable fibre sourcing, sustainable manufacturing technologies, waste and quality management, circular economy processes, etc.The importance of the transition towards a circular economy has been stressed in the EU. An evidence was the creation of the Circular Economy Package and its adoption by the European Commission. The EC will continue to deliver on the Circular Economy Action Plan, setting very concrete targets for industries, which they will have to meet in the near future.Furthermore, a top priority of the EC is the development of an approach to micro-credentials, to help widen learning opportunities and strengthen the role of higher education institutions in lifelong learning by providing more flexible and modular learning opportunities. In fact, the European skills agenda recognises the importance of micro-credentials, since they are able to recognise and capture the results of short courses. In this context, the project aims at offering an online course on circular economy for fibrous composites and technical textiles, which will help students, who are enrolled in relevant fields in their Universities to upskill their sustainability competences and raise their awareness on how to reduce the effect that fibrous composites and technical textiles have on the climate change. The course will be enhanced with the creation of a virtual laboratory, which will help students get a real feel as if they were present in a laboratory. The project will also develop a roadmap for the validation and accreditation of the course, which will result in a set of policy recommendations for the uptake and recognition of microcredentials in partners’ HEIs. The main objective of the project will be to enhance the sustainability competences of HEI students and educators in the sector of fibrous composites and technical textiles. The specific objectives of the project are:- to create an elearning course for HEI students on the circular economy for fibrous composites and technical textiles- to make use of innovative technologies, like virtual reality, to support the learning process- to create a roadmap and recommendations, for the appointment of ECTS points to the course and the adoption of microcredentials. - To bring together European organisations and build their capacity in organising learning courses, which lead to micro-credentials based on learning outcomes.<< Implementation >>The duration of the project will be of 24 months and it includes 3 results. The project can be divided into 3 stages:Stage 1: Preparation of developmentIn relation to the 1st PR, partners are going to develop the course curriculum, based on the research phase and collection of EU practices on circular economy of fibrous composites and technical textiles. The learning materials are also going to be developed and be uploaded on the elearning platform. In relation to the 2nd PR, partners are going to develop the specification and 3D models of the virtual lab, as well as the specifications and scenarios for the virtual laboratory practices.The partners are then going to attend the learning activity in Spain, which will concentrate on Virtual Reality applied to laboratory practices and will finally develop the guidelines for students on how to implement virtual laboratory practices. This stage will finish with the finalization of the elearning course and the virtual laboratory, as well as their national translated versions. Regarding management/quality assurance/dissemination, partners are going to elaborate on the project management plan, the quality plan, the evaluation methodology and the dissemination and exploitation strategy early and afterwards work to improve them. The project's graphical identity is going to be built, as well as the website and social media accounts. Partners will also deliver the 1st periodic financial report, the 1st semester report and 2 newsletters. Partners are going to work on dissemination of the project, through presentations of the project in workshops, animation of social media and other networking activities. Stage 2: ImplementationThis stage will start with the 1st multiplier event of the project: Online info day - EU, organised by IDEC. The event will aim at disseminating the project and recruiting organisations interested in following the project results and progress. In relation to the 1st and second PRs, partners are going to pilot the elearning course and virtual laboratory with at least 35 students. Partners will also organise at least 3 workshops each in their HEIs with students following the course. In relation to the 3rd PR, partners are going to develop the quality assurance framework for the course, the standard of constitutive elements, the certificate and the roadmap for the validation and accreditation of the course in the framework of microcredentials. Regarding management/quality assurance/dissemination, partners are going to intensify their dissemination activities and present the project in conferences, workshops, events etc. 2 more newsletters are going to be released. Evaluation and quality procedures are going to involve participants in the elearning course. Stage 3: FinalisationDuring this stage partners are going to improve and finalize project results according to the outcomes of the previous stage and evaluation feedback by participants to pilots. The recommendations for policy makers are also going to be published and disseminated. Lastly, partners are going to organise the final multiplier events, in order to attract stakeholders and policy makers, into using project results. More HEIs will be contacted in order to adopt the elearning course for their institutions. Furthermore, partners are going to refine the exploitation strategies to ensure sustainability of project results.<< Results >>The project envisages the development of 3 project results:1) E learning course on circular economy of fibrous composites and technical textilesThe elearning course will be addressed to HEI students and will aim at developing their skills in circular economy practices concentrated in fibrous composites and technical textiles. The course will be modular, based on learning outcomes and competences and will be self passed. It will have a duration of 1 semester and will be complementary to the core studies of the students. Nevertheless, the course will be open to be followed by other interested individuals from the textiles industry sector, who want to increase their knowledge and competences in the circular economy of fibrous composites and technical textiles. The course will include assessment of knowledge gained and will offer certification.2) Virtual laboratory for the implementation of virtual experimentsA virtual laboratory will be built, which will be included in the elearning course. Through the virtual laboratory, participants in the elearning course will be able to test and apply experiments related to the circular economy of fibrous composites and technical textiles. These experiments will be part of the learning process and assessment. The laboratory will include virtual “digital twins” of actual laboratory equipment, enhanced with 3D representations and virtual movement. Students will be able to access the virtual laboratory online through their mobile devices. Moreover, workshops will be organised in partner HEIs, where students will have the chance to emerge into the virtual laboratories, using virtual reality equipment. 3) Roadmap to microcredentials This output will result in policy recommendations for the application of micro credentials in partner HEIs. Partners are going to work on a quality assurance framework for the elearning course and a methodology to apply ECTS points to the course. Partners will take up actions for the validation of the course and the issuing of digital certificates with the potential to be included in the new European-wide digital format of “Europass Digital Credentials”. The outcomes expected are:-capacity building of HEI educators and students in applying sustainability processes in the design, production, use and recycling of fibrous composites and technical textiles-capacity building of HEI educators on applying virtual reality -awareness raising about the environmental impact of fibrous composites and technical textiles-awareness raising about the need to apply circular economy in the life cycle of fibrous composites and technical textiles-provision of innovative elearning courses based on learning outcomes -increased collaboration between HEIs -awareness raising on the use and importance of micro credentials for the recognition of qualifications across Europe, and the use of the new Europass platform.