The presented 36 months lasting project named “Enhance skills and competences to boost ecological innovation in automotive industry: DRIVEN” is of an innovative kind. The partnership is made up of 4 organizations, 2 universities, 1 research institution and 1 research and science supporting organization, coming from HU, RO, RS and SK. The project aims to tackle skill gaps and mismatches and focuses on the “Environmental and climate goals” priority area and addresses the following topics: 1. Environment and climate change, 2. New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses, and 3. Transport and mobility. In a wider sense, the project aims at strengthening Europe´s innovation capacity of the automotive industry and at fostering shift to innovative circular and green economy studies in higher education, and innovation towards this concept in business and the broader socio-economic environment. The project aims to achieve the following 2 points: - develop new, innovative and multidisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning in study fields connected to circular and green economy in automotive industry - facilitate the exchange, flow and co-creation of knowledge between different types of actors in fields connected to automotive industry and circular and green economy In more concrete terms, the aim of the project is to close the existing knowledge gap caused by shortage of highly skilled and competent professionals in environmentally friendly solutions for the automotive industry with a desire to improve and extend the supply of high quality learning opportunities tailored to the needs of individuals and job markets emerging in the automotive industry. Target groups involved directly to activities are: - academic staff and students, who will be provided with innovative learning materials but also other higher education and research staff - institutions, companies and associations who will benefit from experience and knowledge exchange that the project outputs will bring to them The project results will be materialized in form of improved conditions of learning and education in subjects tackling automotive by incorporating elements of ecological solutions, circular and green economy requirements, and energy efficiency topics into courses. The list of main results of the project is composed of the following elements: - implementation of an improved educational program - developing innovative courses and textbooks - designing a portal and a dedicated e-learning platform concentrating relevant know-how - carrying out joint training activities in form of combined courses and trainings for the staff from different partner organizations, ensuring connections and cooperation between industry and educational institutions - developing guides for promoting the partnership and its innovative approaches, identified good practices when it comes to broad-minded courses and new research and business ideas in applying green and circular economy in the automotive industry - proposals on policy recommendations focused on implementation of dual education in the automotive industry influenced by circular and green economy principles and approaches - disseminated information on the project and its achievements in form of elaborated articles published in media, and presentations at relevant events Educational activities will be tested as a pilot testing on small groups of participants (20 participants each) as part of the project, but the project outcomes transferred to the active measures in the higher education will markedly expand the circle of persons benefiting from the results. Considering the cooperation with SMEs and industry in practical teaching, the possibilities of the future graduates asserting themselves directly in these companies also at other employers will concurrently increase. The expected impact of the project is that participants will learn in detail about green and circular economy application in the automotive industry. They will dispose of knowledge on the basic theories and practices of circular and green production in the automotive industry. They will receive knowledge on challenges connected to environmental needs and automotive industry options in production. Participants will learn how to apply the knowledge into practice, in case of academic staff they will receive a novel insight into this nowadays topic and transfer it further in their research or teaching, students will learn that they can reflect the environmental needs in their studies, theses or research. The participating institution furthermore will get a direct experience with implementation of new tools and new topics in their own workplaces. Last but not least, all stakeholders and target groups will benefit from mutual learning and exchange of needs and challenges but also possible resolutions that can be transferred into their practices.
Our primary aspirations were multi-faceted and aligned with the impacts of educational empowerment. We sought to ensure that a significant number of participants benefited directly from our pilot courses. Through multiplication events, our aim was to ensure the involvement of participants, with a focus on promoting gender equality, as evidenced by our target value for female participation. We aimed for a lasting impact, contributing to horizontal principles, the EUSDR action plan, and fostering synergies with other initiatives, thereby amplifying our outreach. In the long run, we aspired to influence academic endeavors. By tracking the surge in final theses related to our project's core themes and the creation or updating of subjects in educational institutions, our goal was to leave a lasting academic footprint. A significant aspiration was to make policymakers aware of our activities and outcomes. By doing so, we hoped to inspire the formulation of future policy documents that prioritize environmental and circular economy education. The project's implementation was fueled by a desire to bring transformative change in the automotive sector, promoting sustainability, education, and innovative practices.
We applied for the project Driven because we see a transformative opportunity in merging the principles of the circular economy with the ever-evolving automotive industry, especially in the context of education. The project's clearly defined outputs reflect an ambitious roadmap to not only address industry challenges but also to pave the way for a sustainable, educated, and skilled workforce. We made a significant contribution to achieving the envisioned outcomes. The emphasis on cross-border collaboration and the exchange of knowledge is essential in today's interconnected world, especially in an industry as globally intertwined as automotive. Holistic approach ensures that education and training systems are tailored to current industry needs, promoting employment and workforce education. We addressed several crucial needs inherent to the European automotive industry. Among others are knowledge gap in green and circular economy and skill shortage in environmentally friendly automotive solutions, stakeholder collaboration and mutual learning. A key need we addressed was raising awareness about the importance of building a robust knowledge society within the automotive industry and promotion of green thinking and circular economy.