Holts Academy of Jewellery (UK), Trier University of Applied Sciences (Germany) and Alchimia Contemporary Jewellery School (Italy), recognize the need to ensure that programme content remains as relevant as possible and responds to the changing needs of the industry and consumers, so as to produce practitioners that are able to successfully compete as well as drive the growth and success of the industry at national, regional and international levels. Keen to build connections across Europe, all partners see the value of sharing practices unique to each institution as well regionally, as a means of strengthening provision for learners across VET and Higher Education institutions and ensuring that each partner remains at the forefront of teaching in jewellery creation and design.The project would involve the exchange of 4 tutors between London, Berlin and Italy, who would undertake teaching placements for a minimum of 2 months. During their placements, all tutors will engage in the sharing of making and design skills and methods through the delivery of projects, master classes, the shadowing of lessons, lectures and seminars, and upon their return, expected to feed back to their institutions with regards to the possible enhancement of existing programmes, as well as share their newfound skills and experiences with fellow tutors and learners.At the end of the project, three exhibitions would be held in London, Idar-Oberstein and Florence respectively, which would be an opportunity to showcase the outcomes of the project to fellow peers as well as the external public, including jewellery pieces produced by learners throughout. Holts Academy of Jewellery will also lead the creation and production of a joint publication, which will seek to discuss the experience of tutors and learners abroad, their views with regards to regional trends, the changing demands and required responsiveness of jewellery training institutions by way of programmes/curricula, as well as showcase the pieces produced throughout the project by the participants under instruction by the visiting tutors.
Holts Academy of Jewellery Ltd. Trading as the British Academy of Jewellery (UK), Trier University of Applied Sciences (Germany) and Alchimia Contemporary Jewellery School (Italy), recognise the need to ensure that programme content remains as relevant as possible and responds to the changing needs of the industry and consumers, so as to to train and develop the next generation of jewellers, craftsmen and artists that are able to successfully compete as well as drive the growth and success of the industry at national, regional and international levels. Keen to build connections across Europe, all partners see the value of sharing practices unique to each institution as well regionally, as a means of strengthening provision for learners across VET and Higher Education institutions and ensuring that each partner remains at the forefront of teaching in jewellery creation and design.The project involved the exchange of tutors between London, Idar Oberstein and Italy. During their placements, all tutors engaged in the sharing of making and design skills and methods through the delivery of projects, master classes, the shadowing of lessons, lectures and seminars, and upon their return, fed back to the institutions with regards to the possible enhancement of existing programmes, as well as shared their newfound skills and experiences with fellow tutors and learners, peers and the organisation. At the end of the project, a large exhibition was held in London, and 2 smaller showcases in Idar-Oberstein and Florence respectively, which was an opportunity to display and disseminate the outcomes of the project to fellow peers as well as the external public, including jewellery pieces produced by learners throughout. British Academy of Jewellery also led the creation and production of a joint publication, which discussed and showcased the results of the experience of tutors and learners during the project. The strategic partnership has induced a number of short and long-term benefits to all participants and partner institutions. Immediate benefits included the boosting of participant's skills and employability, a greater understanding of social, ethnic, linguistic and cultural diversity, a more positive attitude towards the European project and EU values, as well as increased competence in a foreign language, notably - English, Italian and German. With regards to the long-term benefits, the exposure to new programmes as well as the sharing of pedagogy methods, has led to the long-term enhancement of existing programmes, and has strengthened provision and will boost the skills and employability of present and future learners.