Leonardo da Vinci actions - Multilateral projects : transfer of innovation
Objectives and description of the action
The aim of Leonardo da Vinci Multilateral Projects "Transfer of Innovation" is to improve the quality and attractiveness of Vocational Education and Training (VET) in the participating countries by transferring existing innovations to new legal, systemic, sector, linguistic, socio-cultural and geographic environments through working with transnational partners. Innovation transfer projects generate synergies by exploiting existing VET innovations (no "re-inventing the wheel").Proposals for an innovation transfer must clearly present the basis of the transfer and must demonstrate the benefit of the transfer: innovation regarding, for example, VET courses, tools, materials, methodologies, occupational referentials or standards, credit systems, experiences or policy or legislative lessons, can be transferred to other sectors and countries; the innovation that shall be transferred can be, for example five years old, as long as it has not been outstripped by another – newer – innovation.
These existing innovations can be based on previous Leonardo da Vinci projects, or on any other national, European or international innovative projects, and can be transferred into vocational training systems and organisations at national, regional, local or sector level. Therefore proposals should clearly take into account the ownership rights on the previously developed innovations (IPR).
Ideally, a "Transfer of Innovation" project should not only combine innovations from several countries for the transfer to one or several countries but also partners from those countries. Thus the project can also become a learning experience for those partner VET stakeholders from where the innovations come from. For a transfer of innovation one does not necessarily need innovative organisations as partners but for its introduction in other countries and environments one will need partners in the national VET systems there with standing, reputation and international cooperation experience.
The proposal for an innovation transfer project should elaborate on how the following elements were prepared:
- Analysis of the needs of the target group/s (there can be a direct target group, for example teachers or trainers, and an indirect target group, for example pupils or apprentices);
- Identification of innovations that in principle are suitable and selection of those that will meet the needs of the target group in the best way;
- Analysis of the feasibility of their blending and of their transfer.
The proposal should further explain how the project – if selected for funding – would implement the following steps:
- Blending the selected innovations and adapting them to the legal framework, training system (public, private, sector), language, culture and geography as well as to the needs of target group;
- Transferring them to, and testing them in the new environment;
- Integrating or even certifying the transferred innovations in European, national, regional, local or sector training systems and practices.
Although a "Transfer of Innovation" project is about identifying existing solutions to a given problem, their adaptation to other environments may need some development work. However, proposals for a transfer of innovation should plan only little time for development but largely sufficient time for adaptation, testing, fine-tuning and integration. In order to make sure that the solutions are really adapted to the direct and indirect target groups in the best way, they should be closely involved in the project work.
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