Innovative Dairy Science education material development, focused on Products, Processes, Quality, Safety & Entrepreneurship, using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Open Educational Resources (OER). Erasmus Project

Project Title

Innovative Dairy Science education material development, focused on Products, Processes, Quality, Safety & Entrepreneurship, using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Open Educational Resources (OER).

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Cooperation between educational institutions and business; Overcoming skills mismatches (basic/transversal)

Project Summary

The dairy industry is one of the most important components of the world food system, and is constantly undergoing changes. Currently processes of change are being driven by a wide range of forces including shifts to the regulatory environment for dairy production and trade, technological changes to the production of milk and dairy products, rapidly shifting consumption trends, and the restructuring of transnational corporate strategies. On the other hand, there are existing gaps between the competency profiles of Food Science and Technology graduates and the labour market needs that need to be sustainably addressed by the academia, in order to prepare the future Dairy Science Professionals. Therefore, InnoDairyEdu comes as a result of the common need of Higher Education Institutes to provide up to date knowledge and skills in Dairy Science. The main objective of InnoDairyEdu was to provide Food Scientists with the skills required by the labour market and the economy, while allowing them to play an active role in society and achieve personal fulfilment. InnoDairyEdu is an integrated undergraduate module for Food Science and Technology students, which was developed by a strong partnership including academics, experts and representatives from the dairy industry. Five universities and a market actor acted as full partners, supported by more than twenty associated partners, originating mainly from the dairy industry in the participating countries.
InnoDairyEdu developed education material, focused on Products, Processes, Quality, Safety & Entrepreneurship of the Dairy Sector. This new curriculum design approach and other good practices were shared through collaborative platforms, using Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and Open Educational Resources (OER). In addition, the specific material developed is freely accessible to dairy industry professionals that were also supported by the partnership on entrepreneurship issues.
InnoDairyEdu aimed to use the potential of Europe’s human and social capital originating from higher education’s institutes and the dairy industry, in order to exchange and transfer knowledge and know-how in dairy science education, by the creation and development of a network that provided opportunities for cooperation among stakeholders, in order to foster employability and socio-educational and personal development, as well as participation in civic and social life.
The main target groups are Food Science/Technology Students and Food Science/Technology Professionals working in the Dairy Industry. By the completion of the project approximately 100 students per university per year were involved in the train the trainees activities leading to a total of 500 students. Additionally more than 250 people participated in the multiplier events in all partner countries and approximately 80 tutors participated in the train the trainers’ event. In all industry events more that 80 people participated.
The general objectives of InnoDairyEdu were to promote European cooperation in education and training, to use innovative practices in education by the strategic use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and open educational resources (OER), to create sustainable links between academia and the dairy industry and to assist the strategic development, quality and internationalisation of the participating Higher Education Institutions.
More specifically, InnoDairyEdu:
1. Evaluated the training needs in Dairy Science in European Higher Education Organizations
2. Developed innovative education training materials for EU Universities focusing on Products, Processes, Quality, Safety & Entrepreneurship of the Dairy Sector
3. Digitalized the education material to be developed
4. Used ICTs and OER to ensure wider accessibility to knowledge, by developing an interactive MOOC online platform with all the material produced
5. Pilot tested and evaluated the Dairy Science platform with all education material developed
6. Translated part of the educational material at all the languages of the partnership (Greek, Italian, Spanish and Polish) and English in order to be wider accessible
7. Created a sustainable link among academia and dairy industry, by using ICTs and OER emphasising on entrepreneurship issues
8. Disseminated the project’s results to the academia and the dairy industry

InnoDairyEdu enhanced digital integration in learning, teaching and training at various levels by the development of scientific, pedagogical, informative and formative materials in Dairy science. The educational material are available through InnoDairyEdu platform which is based on latest technologies for OER distribution and utilization, interaction between course participants and customized training paths provision. The material was pilot tested and evaluated in all the participating countries and the final results were further disseminated through conferences, multiplier events and a Summer School.

Project Website

http://innodairyedu.eu/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 182104 Eur

Project Coordinator

PANEPISTIMIO THESSALIAS & Country: EL

Project Partners

• UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI PARMA
• Chatzi A. -Roupa E. O.E.
• UNIVERSIDAD DE LEON
• TECHNOLOGIKO PANEPISTIMIO KYPROU
• UNIWERSYTET WARMINSKO MAZURSKI W OLSZTYNIE