Low Carbon Economy Foundation
Low Carbon Economy Foundation is a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) registered as Environmental Foundation in the Region of Valencia (registration code CV-110). The Foundation was created in 2014 and is located in La Vall d’Uixó, a small town with 31.000 habitants in the province of Castellón (Region of Valencia). Its members are professionals in engineering, education, sustainability and entrepreneurship, and collaborate with an extended network of VET educational centres, green enterprises, eco-associations and youth organisations. According to its statutes, the primary aim of the Foundation is to promote training, dissemination, demonstration, mentoring, consultancy and management in environmental areas based on a low carbon economy model. Specifically, the main fields of knowledge of the Foundation are:
- Renewable energies and energy efficiency
- Valorisation of agro-forestry waste
- Environmental conservation and regeneration
- Bio-construction
- Cooperation for development and rural development
- Social economy, solidarity and fair trade
Website: https://www.lowcarboneconomy.org/
IG: https://www.instagram.com/lowcarboneconomy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lowcarbon.economy/
Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/lowcarboneco
TikTok: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMRSXqujH/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lowcarboneconomy-foundation-6776101a2
EFA La Malvesía
“EFA La Malvesía” is a semi-private school that offers agricultural vocational training and secondary education since 1970. The institution has a great importance around rural areas because there are more than 600 students who come from different towns in the Valencian Community. It is part of UNEFA (Union of Agricultural Family Schools) which joins 27 EFAs in Spain. In addition, UNEFA is integrated in the AIMFR (International Association of Maisons Familiar Rural). Every school in this association follows the same original training system. The main feature of our education system is the alternative stages between school and company, very close to the German Dual System. This has been applied since the beginning of the school. The methodology has developed the employability and, besides, it has propitiated a close relation with companies of the agriculture and forestry sector in our region. Currently, we have agreements with over 600 companies. Between them there are Public institutions (such as Department of Agriculture, Ministry of Environment), as well as smallsize companies.
Area Europa
Area Europa is a co-operative consulting firm, established in Bologna in 1999, with the aim of promoting cooperation and social and economic development in Europe. Its services focus on design, coordination and financial management of EU-financed projects, as well as business strategy and development consultancy, event organisation and training. Thanks to the interdisciplinary team, the numerous experienced collaborators and a wide network of partners, the company offers numerous targeted services. Area Europa offers integrated services to companies increasingly oriented towards European and extra-European markets. The creation and management of a Temporary Foreign Office and the assistance to business networks and regional and transnational clusters, as well as the opening of new markets and sales channels, are just some of the tools that Area Europa successfully puts in place in order to help companies to build their position in Europe and in the world. Area Europe promotes cooperation for sustainable territorial development, both in rural and urban areas. Thanks to the network implemented in its 15-year history, Area Europa develops and manages pilot projects and territories networks with the support of European, national and regional funding, always with the aim of enhancing local resources, safeguarding the environment and landscapes, and strengthening the entrepreneurial and inclusive skills of the territories. A particular asset is the experience in the wine sector, typical products, sustainable agriculture, climate change and rural and cultural tourism. Area Europe is a cooperative of technicians and consultants active in two primary sectors.
- Environmental management
- Rural development
Järvamaa Kutsehariduskeskus
JKHK main study fields are agricultural study fields. The majority of our students are agricultural students. Many of our students also come from the rural areas. 10 years ago, two schools were immerged and one of them was the agricultural school. Among our staff, there are teachers with more than 30 years of experience of teaching agriculture. Our school has horse stables, cow farm with 60 milking cows and 500 acres of farming land. We are the only school who provides fish farming, horse management and veterinarian assistant education in Estonia. Due to the many farm facilities as well as the large terrain of land, and because we major on agricultural education, green skills in farming are very important for us. Therefore, through this project we would like to increase the green knowledge for both our teachers and our students, as well as to be a promoter of the green skills in Estonia among agricultural schools and education providers.
Stowarzyszenie Edukacji Rolniczej i Lesnej EUROPEA Polska
EUROPEA Poland is an association of schools and institutions within the green sector. It is a very well-organized network of schools and educational institutions operating in the green economy sector (i.e. broadly understood agriculture, forestry, landscape architecture, agribusiness, agritourism, gastronomy and nutrition and other related industries). Furthermore, it is part of EUROPEA International (www.europea.org), a non-profit institution founded in 1993 by the Belgian Law, but Europea-PL was established in 2005. In the network EUROPEA INTERNATIONAL there are currently 25 EU members and two associated country members. Statutory tasks of Europea-PL are: exchange of good practices in European vocational education, organization of internships, initiation of international cooperation to improve the quality of vocational education, dissemination of the ECVET concept, preparation of green sector schools for climate change, etc. The statutory tasks are carried out through national and international seminars, visits studies, exchange of experience, mobility and partnership projects for students and teachers. Participating teachers have the opportunity to update their knowledge in relation to national and European standards, while students acquire innovative, modern skills that increase their chances on the labor market. Besides, conferences are attended by representatives of institutions deciding on the directions of changes in Polish vocational education. Currently, more than 700 schools and other institutions related to agricultural education are members of the association; therefore, the organisation interacts with ten thousand young people daily. Moreover, there are more than 20 Polish VET schools associated to Europea-PL across Poland. Most of schools’ communities belong to rural areas with high rates of unemployment and low income. These problems frequently lead to social exclusion and a lack of perspective for young people. Europea-PL strives to recognise students’ problems and needs, educate them to become well-qualified employees with excellent values and ethos. The management and members of Europea-PL are managers and teachers of agricultural and forestry schools who have expressed the need to exchange professional experience with partners from the EU because they see mobility as an opportunity to introduce modern forms of training, teaching content adequate to the needs and exchange of good practices. Currently there are 15 employees working with the association. Activities in European structures provide them with proven contacts throughout the Union, and international activity aims to improve the quality and adaptation of vocational education in Poland to European standards. Currently, the priority of vocational education is cooperation with entrepreneurs and providing training at the workplace (WBL), for schools to prepare for the implementation of the ECVET system and prepare graduates to navigate the European labor market. The quality of the projects is influenced by the fact that the association uses its network of proven contacts to acquire partner institutions, facilitating its members – students, teachers and schools – to participate in different activities, and in the future undertaking independent international projects.
Eszterházy Károly University
Eszterházy Károly University is a higher education institution with more than 1500 permanent staff and more than 7000 students with numerous external collaborators. The scopes of the university are higher education and research.
The University aims to establish a distinctive strategy that enhances services at international level. This strategy is made up of pragmatic steps and the university attempts to make internationalisation an integral part of its operation by implementing a strategic directive, which focuses on education, research and organisational development. The internationalisation of the university can only be effective if it is a priority for all members of the institution. For this purpose, an unprejudiced and student-oriented attitude shall be the primary objective. Improving the quality of education and the international reputation of the university is an important element in the university’s financial strategy and the synergy between the different grant and scholarship programmes supports rationalised budget management. For that reason, the university is highly involved in European projects. The university’s approach is in line with the ERASMUS+ goals to promote education, visual art for young people, to design our projects in the common values of solidarity, respect for nature. As an organisation, we have participated as a partner in a successfully implemented KA2 project with the title of Innovative Practices in Renewable Energies to Improve Rural Employability (In2Rural – 2014-1-ES01-KA203-004740). We use e-learning platforms (Moodle, Mooc) for teaching and training activities and developed several learning materials for students and partners. Our E-learning Unit is responsible for the technical development of courses.
