Project based on three pillars: First one is developing a work based learning (WBL) model for higher education institutions and adapting relevant lectures appropriate to on-job training activities, second one is developing a 'training of facilitator' programme to increase efficiency of on-job training activities and the third one is developing an e-platform to use as training mediator and develop materials for e-platform. At first pillar, project aims to make a comprehensive research on work based learning models in Europe by searching academic research results, policy papers and also using results of other projects already carried out. Innovative side of the first pillar is preparing a survey to analyze needs and expectations of students, academicians and firms from internships / on-job training activities. Survey is planned to be implemented to over 3600 students, academicians and firm representatives at 6 European countries. A common work based learning model will be developed and relevant lectures will be adapted by considering cultural, practical and systematic differences of the participating countries according to results of survey and research findings. Second pillar of the project is developing a 'training of facilitator' programme both for academicians and for training responsible of firms that will be hosting students for on-job trainings. Although 'training of trainers' programmes have some common elements, and common developing and implementation rules, developing a programme for academicians and firms representatives for facilitating on-job training activities to increase quality and efficiency of the HE programmes is an innovative approach. It is expected that such a programme will help to strengthen university-industry relationships and increase the quality of science, engineering and technology education by bringing all relevant parties together. Third pillar of the project is developing a moodle based e-platform which allows academicians, firms and students to follow, monitor and assess on-job training activities and lectures related to that on-job training activities. e-platform to be developed within the project will be bringing together academy, including both students and academicians, and industry together to contribute higher education's quality, to facilitate transition between school and working life, to increase students and newly graduates employability, and also to support development and competitiveness of enterprises and particularly SMEs. 6 national workshops, 2 international conferences, 1 ‘training of facilitators’ programme, and on-job training activities will be organized within the project. Intellectual outputs of the projects will be “Work Based Learning Model”, “Training of Facilitators Programme” and “e-platform”. It is expected to create awareness on all participants and relevant stakeholders about the importance of collaboration between university and industry to increase the skills and employability of HE students. Expected impacts on partner/shareholder universities are increasing their education quality and achievements, expanding their Erasmus by signing agreements with partners universities and develop collaboration possibilities for other future projects. As the science parks are regional development zones, project's micro impact will directly to the regions that science parks of the partners serve. Desired impact is increment at the quality and achievements of universities, skills of students, employability of students, and competitiveness of enterprises. Desired national impact is creating awareness on collaboration of academy and industry for education and training of students and dissemination of model to be developed within the project across partner countries. Desired impact at European level is dissemination of the e-platform and model by starting from the universities that has Erasmus bi-lateral agreement with each other and catch the standard education and training quality for students. It is also desired to initiate new future collaborations and partnerships between different institutions that will come together and meet each other at different activities of the project. Sustainability of the e-platform in the mean of availability is ensured by the coordinator as Mersin Technopark already has its own server.
Project was based on three pillars: First one;a work based learning was developed (WBL) model for higher education institutions and adapted relevant lectures appropriate to on-job training activities, second one was developed a 'training of facilitator' program to increase efficiency of on-job training activities and the third one was developed an e-platform to use as training mediator and develop materials for e-platform. During first pillar of the project was make a comprehensive research on work based learning models in Europe by searching academic research results, policy papers and also using results of other projects already carried out. Innovative side of the first pillar was to prepare a survey to analyze needs and expectations of students, academicians and firms from internships / on-job training activities. Survey was implemented to over 3600 students, academicians and firm representatives at 6 European countries.A common work based learning model was developed and relevant lectures were adapted by considering cultural, practical and systematic differences of the participating countries according to results of survey and research findings. During second pillar of the project was developed a 'training of facilitator' program both for academicians and for training responsible of firms that were hosting students for on-job trainings. Although 'training of trainers' program had some common elements, and common developing and implementation rules, developing a program for academicians and firms representatives for facilitating on-job training activities to increase quality and efficiency of the HE programs was an innovative approach. It was that such a program helped to strengthen university-industry relationships and increase the quality of science, engineering and technology education by brought all relevant parties together. During third pillar of the project was developed a model based e-platform which allows academicians, firms and students to follow, monitor and assess on-job training activities and lectures related to that on-job training activities. E-platform was develop within the project brought together academy, including both students and academicians, and industry together to contribute higher education's quality, to facilitate transition between school and working life, to increase students and newly graduates employability,and also to support development and competitiveness of enterprises and particularly SMEs. 6 national workshops, 2 international conferences, 1 ‘training of facilitators’ program, and on-job training activities were organized within the project. Intellectual outputs of the project was “Work Based Learning Model”, “Training of Facilitators Program” and “e-platform”. It was created awareness on all participants and relevant stakeholders about the importance of collaboration between university and industry to increase the skills and employability of highly trained students.Expected impacts on partner/shareholder universities were increased their education quality and achievements, expanding their Erasmus by signing agreements with partners universities and developed collaboration possibilities for other future projects. As the science parks were regional development zones, project's micro impact was directly to the regions that science parks of the partners serve.Desired impact was increment at the quality and achievements of universities, skills of students, employability of students, and competitiveness of enterprises. The desired national impact, academia and industry have created awareness about co-operation for the education and training of students and the dissemination of the model to be developed under the project in partner countries has been realized. The desired effect at the European level was to spread from e-platform and model Erasmus to universities that had bilateral agreements with each other, and to achieve students' standard education and training qualifications.It was also desirable to launch new collaborations and partnerships between different institutions that met together and find each other in the different activities of the project. Sustainability of the e-platform in the mean of availability was ensured by the coordinator as Mersin Technopark already had its own server.