The project aims to establish a transdisciplinary educational platform targeting the development of skills in the field of NBS implementation in cities, bringing together trainers and learners from the fields of botany, technology, design, and economy and cities involving them in a unique transdisciplinary learning environment. Goals included developing curricula targeted at NBS implementation; Increase the quality and relevance of higher education, responding to labour market needs; Reinforce networks in urban sustainable development, establishing collaborations between HEIs, RTOs and Municipalities, facilitating the introduction of learners in the labour market; Produce reusable, transferable and up-scalable results. Specific objectives were: OBJ 1 Setting up a “Training for Trainers” Programme enabling trainers to develop transdisciplinary educational formats; OBJ 2 Setting up a “Long-term Programme” aimed at creating a transdisciplinary educational format embedded in each of the HEIs academic programmes; OBJ 3 Setting up a “Short-term Programme” aimed at developing a 1 week format for professionals (lifelong learning); OBJ 4 Setting up a series of dissemination activities to promote the upscaling and replication of the project
There is growing recognition that nature can help provide viable solutions that use the properties of natural ecosystems services to address urban environmental, social and economic challenges. The European Commission (EC) defines NBS as “Solutions that are inspired and supported by nature, which are cost-effective, simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits and help build resilience.” Currently, NBS projects for cities are mainly developed by external entities specialized with the necessary knowledge to develop such complex projects, where experts from the fields of botany, technology, design and economy are required. To strengthen the integration of NBS in cities, experts working in the public sector need to be empowered and trained with a transdisciplinary knowledge. This will help: (1) introduce NBS projects in the cities with more efficient action plans and visions targeted at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), especially SDG 13 Climate Action; (2) integrate NBS in the urban and climate action plans; (3) develop new innovative NBS projects; and (4) receive, implement, and manage NBS projects developed by external entities.