CONTEXT European Union countries have reinforced the commitment with green energies by including a new target of 32% from renewable by 2030 (European Parliament, 2018). At the same time, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) focuses on the socio-economic challenges facing agriculture and rural areas. Farming has a huge environmental impact but there are new techniques and practices that have been implemented in order to achieve a more sustainable agriculture. This project addresses the current needs to move to a more sustainable type of farming, with the help of the renewable energies and it is focused in agricultural VET centres. OBJECTIVES In this frame, Energy4Farming objectives are the following: - To promote the improvement and modernisation of VET agricultural studies through the professional development of VET teachers (in relation with renewable energies) - To include innovative entrepreneurship practices in VET based on the new opportunities offered by the renewable energy sector in order to diversify the rural economy activities - To facilitate the introduction of innovative project-based learning experiences to meet societal needs in agricultural VET studies by the educational approach of based project learning PARTICIPANTS Partnership includes two VET and a VET association: -EFA La Malvesía -Järva County Vocational Training Centre -Stowarzyszenie Edukacji Rolniczej i Lesnej EUROPEA Polska And three non school organisations acting as experts in different topics: -Eszterházy Károly University -Area Europa -Low Carbon Economy Foundation The countries represented by the partners are Spain, Italia, Hungary, Estonia, and Poland. ACTIVITIES AND METHODOLOGY Energy4Farming implementation follows this structure: 1) Beginning – Agreements, preparation of activities and organisation. 2) VET staff training – Preparation of a technical manuals and training course of school teachers (IO1, IO2 and LTTA1). 3) VET student training – Implementation of methodologies in classrooms and experiences and learning exchange for school students (IO3, IO4 and LTTA´s 2 and 3). 4) Closure – Final evaluation road map for future joint ventures. 5) Project Management (transversal) – Tri-monthly reports, virtual and transnational meetings. 6) Dissemination (transversal) –Website, social networks, meetings, mainly addressed school students and teachers and professionals. INTELLECTUAL OUTPUTS The IOs produced by Project are: IO1 Manual for agricultural VET teachers. Sustainable agriculture: new tendencies and innovation with a focus on renewable energies. IO2 Teachers' dossier with project-based learning. IO3 Guide on sustainable start-up creation with renewable energies. IO4 Sustainable farming start-up model. LEARNING, TRAINING AND TEACHING ACTIVITIES. LLTA1- C1: Short-term joint staff training events for teachers in Italy: This training will be focus in IO1 and it will count with the participation of 2 VET teachers from each VET centre, and one person from non-VET centres. LLTA2 - C2: Blended mobility for VET students in Estonia: Visiting farming companies with renewable energies LLTA3 - C3: Blended mobility for VET students in Spain: VET education for agricultural students in entrepreneurial skills for farming MULTIPLIER EVENTS 2 Multiplier Events will be carried out in each country. Three ME in the period of September-December 2021 at midterm of the project. In June 2022, 2 ME more will be done and at the end of the project the last ME. 6 multiplier event will be done in order to disseminate the results and intellectual outputs. RESULTS AND IMPACTS The results will be the manual for agricultural VET teachers, the teacher's dossier, the guide on sustainable start-up and the sustainable farming start-up model. All these results will be distributed through the dissemination activities and will contribute to its impact. It is expected that Energy4Farming implementation inside VET centres contributes at: increasing the knowledge on sustainable options for farming among students and teachers, give tools to teachers to implement in their classrooms. Outside non-VET centres it will contribute to expand ideas about sustainability, build strong international partnerships and allow entrepreneurs to gather ideas on ho to build their business.
The general objectives were: - To promote the improvement and modernisation of VET agricultural studies through the professional development of VET teachers (in relation with renewable energies) - To include innovative entrepreneurship practices in VET based on the new opportunities offered by the renewable energy sector in order to diversify the rural economy activities - To facilitate the introduction of innovative project-based learning experiences to meet societal needs in agricultural VET studies by the educational approach of based project learning To contribute to this objectives, the specific objectives of the project were: 1. Strengthen the skills of VET teachers in the field of sustainable agriculture. 2. Improve the knowledge of VET teachers regarding the benefits of renewable energies in farming. 3. Reinfornce the VET curriculum of agricultural studies introducing concepts about sustainability. 4. Improve the students competences on sustainability. 5. Reinforce the employability of VET students through an approach to the labour world.
At the time of the call for proposals, the European Union countries reinforced the commitment with green energies by including a new target of 32% from renewable by 2030 (European Parliament, 2018), while the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) focuses on the socio-economic challenges facing agriculture and rural areas. Specifically, it was (and still is) foreseen that energy efficiency and energy production is crucial for the development and employment in rural areas (European Commission, 2017). The participants realised that it was necessary to introduce changes in the current material agricultural VET courses have, incorporating the production of renewable energies into agricultural activities to obtain better opportunities in their traditional income generation for future faming professionals. NEEDS ADDRESSED - Reduction of the “green-skills gap” to address the professional needs for sustainable practices - Updated and practical knowledge on renewable energies for farming - The integration of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit in agricultural VET studies - Social, civic and intercultural competences addressed in VET agricultural centres - Dynamism in the classrooms