The main objective of the project is fostering the modernization and development of the stone sector in Western Balkans partner countries and strengthening the relationship between the higher education and the industry. For this purpose different specific objectives have been allocated to the project:• To benchmark existing training initiatives & incorporate elements into project training outputs• To support technological & practice-based innovative training based on courses approach and format.• To encourage participation of industry stakeholders in outputs conception and testing phases• To test new HE possibilities of Tertiary VET levels in partner countries• To contribute to National/regional innovation strategies for specialization in the natural stone sector with project outputs• To create a Stone Sector network platform involving stakeholders in programme & partner countries.The project aims at Higher Education, and this is the reason why most partners are HEIs, but it includes also a VET tertiary level and a stone technologic centre, Marble, Natural Stone and Materials Technology Centre (CTM), Several associated partners will be involved in the project, mainly city halls and SMSE’s. Main products of the project are training content for university courses, a training programmes for VET tertiary level, an Online Resource Centre and multimedia handbooks. The project will last for three years and involve partner from Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Kosovo and Montenegro, as partner countries. From programme countries, partners from Spain, Italy, Romania and Greece.
BKSTONE aims at fostering the modernization and development of the stone sector in Western Balkans through the collaboration between the HEIs and VET organizations and the stone industry, updating the curricula and developing quality learning resources. Specific objectives of the project are:Develop new curricula and learning resources.Foster technological and practice-based innovative training.Create a network involving Stone Sector, HEI and VET organizations.
The stone sector is Western Balkans. However, the new technology for stone sector that allow the industrial processing, raised a lot from the years 60-70’s, did not arrive to Western Balkans, due to the political and economic situation in Western Balkans, staying outside of the global markets. Currently, the situation has totally changed, and in this context there are private initiatives to develop this industry, but they face the problem the lack of skilled staff in all steps of the stone chain
<< Background >> The stone sector is Western Balkans. However, the new technology for stone sector that allow the industrial processing, raised a lot from the years 60-70’s, did not arrive to Western Balkans, due to the political and economic situation in Western Balkans, staying outside of the global markets. Currently, the situation has totally changed, and in this context there are private initiatives to develop this industry, but they face the problem the lack of skilled staff in all steps of the stone chain << Objectives >> BKSTONE aims at fostering the modernization and development of the stone sector in Western Balkans through the collaboration between the HEIs and VET organizations and the stone industry, updating the curricula and developing quality learning resources. Specific objectives of the project are:Develop new curricula and learning resources.Foster technological and practice-based innovative training.Create a network involving Stone Sector, HEI and VET organizations. << Implementation >> The project implementation will be based in the following steps:Survey in the partner countries’ stone companies to find out the needs and interests of stone industry. Survey in the HEI of partner countries to highlight the content related to competences in stone sector. Production of CV for innovative programmes of stone for HEI and VETProduction of eBooks, animations, videos and multimedia resources. Training Programmes for VET and HEI teachersTesting project outputs in partner countries << Results >> The results of the project will be the following:Update and improved curricula in areas related to stone. Multimedia learning materials adapted to the content of the developed courses. Learning courses for teachers implemented in partner countries. The setup of a network platform involving HEI and VET organizations and stone industry.