There are about 250 000 Icelandic horses registered in the world and the partnership of Iceland (Holar University College), Germany (Islandspferde-Reiter- and Züchterverband) and Sweden (Wången AB) represent approx 65% of the entire population. With its long history on Iceland there is of course an immense source of knowledge about the Icelandic horse. As for the rest of the equine sector knowledge from master to apprentice has been the most frequent way of teaching and learning but its implementation has been in various ways of work-based situations. However, the need for other systems of transferring knowledge and skills have increased with the breed's popularity. Still work-based learning has not ceased to be the most important way of learning both within vocational training and education as well as outside VET. The OBJECTIVES of the partnership is to: A.Knowledge about vocational education and training programs in the partner organisations and to classify according to EQF Each partner presents the different kinds of education for and within the Icelandic horse sector - offered by the organisation (short term courses and training programs, vocational education on secondary level and/or BSc-programmes on tertiary level). The different offered programs will be classified according to the European Qualification Framework (EQF) for transparency and recognition. B. Good practises in work-based learning .As our knowledge of the horse is becoming both broader and deeper the needs for promoting work-based learning in all its forms also increases. All education has to be based on science and "proven experience". Good pracitices in applying theory into practical situations under various conditions will help us to have a healthy horse in a healthy horse business and will meet the demands from society on ethical aspects, horse welfare and stayability in the sector. The most important TARGET GROUPS: 1. Partner organisations 2. Partner organisations staff 3. The working life sector in Icelandic horse 4. Students, now and in the future The project is planned for 24 months and the partnership has planned to meet four times during that time and will rotate between the partner countries. The project will have a positive impact on the educations offered in the partner organisations. With the EQF classification it will be important for the transparency and will be a major pathway for recognition. For the participants it will give an opportunity for professional development and promote competence and practical skills. Based on the exchange of experience partners can identify the good practises and combine them into common guidelines for education an training of the horse which will have a major impact on the Icelandic horse breed and also the sector as a whole. The partnership will actively disseminate activities and results during the project, also on websites and in social media.
The main objectives of the partnership in the project were - to increase the knowledge of education within the Icelandic horse sector - to increase the awareness of the EQF levels and to classify the educations according to the system - to present, to share and discuss good examples of practice in workbased learning in different VET programs for the Icelandic horse The objectives were set to promote transparency and recognition, for future cooperation and increased mobility as well as transfer of knowledge and good practice in education and training of the Icelandic horse. The overall objective is to have a healthy horse business that will meet the demands from the society on ethical aspects, horse welfare, work safety and stayability in the sector.
The three main countries with Icelandic horses were represented in the project by partner organisations Holar University College (iceland), Islandspferde- Reiter- und Zuchterverband e.V. (Germany) and Wången (Sweden). The countries have together about 65% of the registered Icelandic horses in the world. The background for the project is the substantial impact the Icelandic horse has had during the past 20-30 years. The population of horses has increased not only in Europe but also in North America and in Australia. The popularity may be explained by the character of the horse but also how it can be used in many different ways (disciplines) and by a great variaty of people. It is a very genuine horse with a long and exciting history However, this rapidly increased interest for the breed has also called for the need of education for the different categories of people interested in the Icelandic horse. Many are without the knowhow of the biology of the horse, horse management and health care etc