The EduDemoS project was conceived with the aim of supporting the green and digital transition in Vocational Education and Training (VET) through a practical, innovative and open approach capable of transforming both teaching practices and workplace training. From the outset, the consortium defined a clear set of interconnected strategic and operational objectives that guided all activities and expected results. Firstly, the project sought to develop accessible, practical and transferable pedagogical resources that would allow sustainability and digitalisation to be integrated into VET in a tangible way. This objective was achieved through the creation of sustainable technological demonstrators —based on solar and wind energy and water collection — and the production of step-by-step didactic guides that can be used by teachers, trainers and learners in different educational contexts. These resources were designed to be open, modular and scalable, enabling any training centre or company to adapt them to their specific needs. Secondly, EduDemoS aimed to strengthen the skills and capacities of teachers and in-company trainers, equipping them with innovative pedagogical tools and practical methodologies that facilitate the integration of green and digital competences into their daily practice. Through targeted training activities, transnational exchanges and the use of project-developed materials, the objective was to empower teachers as key agents of educational transformation and as multipliers of the project’s pedagogical approach. Thirdly, the project intended to enhance the green and digital competences of students and workers by offering learning experiences based on experimentation and real-life problem solving. Following the project’s implementation sequence, students participated in workshops and activities led by the trained teachers, and later acted as multipliers themselves by sharing their knowledge and skills with other groups of learners. The goal was for students to acquire not only technical knowledge, but also transversal competences such as teamwork, creativity, autonomy and the ability to apply sustainable solutions in professional contexts. Fourthly, EduDemoS aimed to promote inclusion and reduce gaps in access to green and digital education by developing activities and materials that can be adapted to diverse audiences, including groups with fewer opportunities. The modular structure of the resources allows work at different levels of complexity, facilitating the participation of heterogeneous groups and supporting a fair and equitable transition. Finally, the project sought to foster European and cross-sectoral cooperation and strengthen the structural role of VET in the twin transition. By bringing together foundations, schools, companies and organisations specialised in innovation and sustainability, the project aimed to build lasting synergies that go beyond its duration, combining technical, pedagogical and dissemination expertise to maximise its impact at regional, national and European levels. Taken together, these objectives reflect a shared vision: to drive a structural change in the way VET teaching and learning are approached, preparing students, teachers and companies to successfully face the ecological and digital challenges of the coming decade. EduDemoS was not limited to producing tangible outputs; it aimed to build capacity, motivation and sustainable partnerships that will continue to deliver impact well beyond the project’s lifetime.
The EduDemoS project was conceived at a moment of profound transformation for education and vocational education and training (VET) in Europe. The twin green and digital transition is advancing rapidly, driven by the European Green Deal, the Digital Agenda, and EU strategies to modernise education systems. However, at a practical level, VET centres and companies face significant challenges in integrating these processes into everyday training activities. Firstly, there is a lack of practical pedagogical resources that combine sustainability and digitalisation in a tangible way. Many training centres offer theoretical content on renewable energy or digital skills but lack accessible materials that allow learners to engage hands-on with green and digital technologies, enabling active and meaningful learning. Secondly, there is an urgent need to train and support teachers and in-company trainers. A considerable proportion of VET staff do not yet have specific training or ready-to-use tools to integrate green and digital competences into classrooms, workshops or workplace training. This gap is particularly acute in under-resourced centres, rural or peripheral areas, and in sectors with low levels of digitalisation. Thirdly, there is a persistent digital and social divide that affects different groups unequally. Women, migrants, refugees and young people in vulnerable situations have fewer opportunities to access technological and ecological training, limiting their prospects in emerging labour markets linked to the green transition. Another key challenge is motivation and relevance. When sustainability and digitalisation are presented in a purely theoretical way, learners tend to perceive them as abstract and distant concepts. There is a clear lack of methodologies based on experimentation and real problem-solving that can spark interest, foster creativity, and develop transversal skills. In addition, there is a shortage of open, modular and transferable materials. Many existing resources are subject to restrictive intellectual property rights or require costly infrastructure, which makes it difficult for other centres or companies to adopt them. There was a clear need to design open, scalable and adaptable pedagogical tools that could be easily integrated into both VET and workplace training contexts. These needs were validated by the consortium based on previous European collaboration experiences. Gerda Stetter Stiftung and Fundación Sergio Alonso had previously worked together on the project “In the same code” (KA210-VET), which demonstrated the potential of combining programming, sustainability and hands-on learning in VET contexts. The two participating schools were also involved in the Swiss InnoVET initiative, focused on educational innovation through internationalisation. Finnova joined this partnership by contributing its expertise in European projects, sustainability, entrepreneurship and large-scale dissemination, reinforcing the project’s impact and transferability dimensions. From this shared diagnosis, EduDemoS was born as a practical approach to bringing the twin transition closer to classrooms and workplaces. The project sets out to develop sustainable technological demonstrators —based on solar and wind energy and water collection — that learners can build, adapt and connect to a shared IoT platform. Through this approach, sustainability and digitalisation cease to be abstract concepts and become real, accessible and engaging experiences. Furthermore, EduDemoS contributes to positioning VET as a driver of change in the green and digital transition, fully aligned with European priorities for sustainable development, innovation and transnational cooperation. By strengthening capacities and creating transferable resources, the project supports long-term educational modernisation and impact. Ultimately, the initiative was conceived to address a set of structural and urgent needs: to provide inclusive and practical pedagogical resources; to enhance teacher training; to reduce digital inequalities; to increase learner motivation and participation; to make open and transferable materials widely available; and to strengthen international cooperation in the field of VET and workplace learning.