Innovation

• The subject of innovative eco-friendly technologies for sustainable development exploited by ECO-Train project to develop a training model. It introduces key considerations in use of biotechnologies, health technologies, nanotechnologies and ICT for more sustainable economy and society; promotes the worldwide impact of key eco-friendly technologies in solving global problems; and transfers knowledge and skills in the ECO-Train field, which can change the economic success of society, in particular through ICT-based training.
• The concept of the Learning Outcomes based e-training, structured and exploited following the EC CVET instruments EQF and ECVET, is implemented by ECO-Train project in a way to provide awareness through transnational strategic partnership in order to reinforce adult education in innovative eco-friendly technologies.
• The processing of Internet-based tools available through both fixed and mobile appliances allows an innovation-driven web-based application making possible the operation of a depot of learning objects, and allowing the provision of personalized learning. As a result, the trainees gain new skills in innovative eco-friendly technologies for sustainable development and their application in practice.

All these create a value for innovation of competences in project field and improves the business opportunities in the sector.

Impact

Impact on participants/participating organizations

The project will strengthen the teamwork between partners and partner institutions - educational settings, NOGs and SMEs whose scope of activity tackles the area of innovative eco-friendly technologies application for societal well-being. In particular,

• The training modules expand the current educational opportunities for adult educators.
• The developed system for educational transfer will influence the future investments in educational infrastructure: the novel blended training resource aims at changing the tutor-led training to a learner-centred one.
• The implementation of new practices in the training initiatives in participating institutions will contribute to improvement of the professional image at a local and international level and will be strongly influenced in respect to adult’s educational system.
• The entailment of teachers/trainers to stand open to society, create training content and cooperate with trainees, (re)develop their knowledge and skills impact the process of teaching itself.

Impact on relevant stakeholders and sectors

This impact is based on the established interrelations between stakeholders and sectors that promote the sector-oriented adults’ education in the ECO-Train field. The networking between stakeholders and sectors in that field will equip them with innovative ways to increase the integration of adults’ education internationally. The main expected results by these clustering activities are related to:

• Transfer of ECO-Train results and use of the LOs-based project outcomes; adjusting resources and database to meet the training needs in the sector(s).
• Performance of Multiplier Events for popularization/guidance of the staff development in the sectoral partners.
• Expanding the adult education and improving its quality in respect to the sectoral/national needs.
• Involvement of related sectors in long-term ECO-Train activities to improve the employment and ICT-based training.

Impact at local/regional level

The project will support the promotion of the organization's capacity to network with adult learning providing institutions at local/regional levels. ECO-Train is also expected to increase the awareness for adult training in related industrial organizations or groups. The project also urges the stakeholders related to it to seek financial support for educational purposes in order to rise interest in adult training. The ECO-Train web-based training platform will rise the users’ chance for such training; it encourages sustainability of ECO-Train results; and enlarges the local/regional economy.

Impact at national/European level

The adult training organizations explore national/EU standards for lifelong professional development with a focus on developing effective open and innovative education through the use of ICT. The national policy in Bulgaria and the project partner countries is in agreement with this European policy as set out in the European Agenda and accentuates the quality of education. The successful performance of the project and in particular, the production of Intellectual Outputs embedding NQF/EQF systems will affect the national adult learning systems. Such considerable positive impact will influence the training capacity of the partnership at a national/EU level and their ability to transfer subject-specific information to related organizations. ECO-Train will also improve the connection between training settings for formal, non-formal and informal education using ECVET system and EQF as common transparent tools for assessment/validation of knowledge.

Impact on International level

The ECO-Train project unifies the background, knowledge and innovative trends in the national/EU adult education policy and introduces it in a smart mode. The project strategy assures the internationally acknowledged mechanisms for creation of qualifications framework, applying tools for validation and recognition of non-formal and informal learning and a credit system (ECVET) for assessment purposes. These instruments are intended to boost the ongoing trans-European process for smooth transition from education to work and/or progression to further education.

Sustainability

A substantial task of the ECO-Train project is for the project results to remain further available and better used by current and further beneficiaries. ECO-Train training model will be promoted the training organizations beyond the ones that participate in the final roll-out and evaluation phase. The lessons learned through the experience of ECO-Train will contribute to more effective training process design and practice.

• Post-project dissemination/use of ECO-Train results will be realized through:
• The Erasmus+ Project Results Platform, EPALE and project web platform/participants institutions’ websites
• Meetings and visits to key stakeholders
• Opportunities for dedicated discussions organized by project partners
• Targeted written materials issued by the ECO-Train consortium
• Tracing of areas for future development and use of the project results by others.