The BARISTA project’s main objective was to improve the transparency, validation, and recognition of barista skills, while modernising existing training approaches. It sought to create an innovative learning framework combining theory, practice, and digital tools. The partners aimed to develop a comprehensive training programme (theoretical and practical modules), produce high-quality pedagogical materials, train educators able to transfer these skills, and create a digital learning platform facilitating access to the training content. The project also aimed to strengthen European cooperation in the hospitality-tourism sector, improve learners’ employability, stimulate pedagogical innovation, and contribute to a more professional, coherent, and sustainable coffee experience across Europe.
The BARISTA project emerged from a growing need to harmonise, modernise, and professionalise barista skills across Europe. While the coffee sector is evolving rapidly, the skills of professionals remain uneven from one country to another, and no common framework exists to validate or make these skills visible. The partners identified a lack of structured programmes, innovative pedagogical tools, accessible digital resources, and transnational training opportunities. The project also addressed the strong demand from tourism and hospitality employers for a better-trained workforce capable of delivering a high-quality coffee experience and contributing to tourism attractiveness. Finally, BARISTA aimed to enhance skills transparency, support professional mobility, and promote an entrepreneurial mindset within a rapidly expanding sector.