The HOPE project has made it possible to define and enhance the skills of development project coordinators at European level, and to strengthen them through the introduction of innovative training courses. It has made it possible to reach agreement at European level on a common definition of the profession and its skills, and to prioritise them. It has identified training needs to compensate for the absence or inadequacy of certain skills. In this way, the HOPE project is helping to adapt vocational training to the needs of the labour market and will strengthen the partnership between companies (or employing associations) and training establishments.
The HOPE (Home and Overseas Project management Excellence) project focuses on the skills of coordinators of European or international development projects. Its aim was to share these skills between partner countries, to create a common skills repository and to offer training in a new skill. The project coordinator is in a key position. Their coordination role lies in their ability to manage the project cycle (needs analysis, fundraising, implementation of activities, administrative and financial monitoring, relations with partners, evaluation of results, etc.). However, these jobs are undergoing significant change, with the number and diversity of stakeholders increasing, the demands of funders becoming more stringent, and the introduction of digital and environmental transition initiatives. The project has provided an opportunity to share a common culture around the concepts of project coordination, but also around skills issues and to highlight the importance of remote management, which has led to the provision of specific training.