Development of a joint study program between higher education and vocationaleducation and training: International Master’s Degree for the FUrniTURE Sector Erasmus Project

Project Title

Development of a joint study program between higher education and vocationaleducation and training: International Master’s Degree for the FUrniTURE Sector

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 2016

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Enterprise, industry and SMEs (incl. entrepreneurship); New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Overcoming skills mismatches (basic/transversal)

Project Summary

The field of Higher Education has been recognised as one of the key drivers within the EU2020 Strategy to overcome the socioeconomic crisis, to boost growth and jobs and to foster equity and inclusion. Moreover, one of the key priorities for HE is the reinforcement of the “Knowledge Triangle”, through the support of innovation, entrepreneurship and university-business cooperation. This specifically applies to those traditional sectors, such as the furniture and woodworking sectors, where changes in education and training are required to equip the future workforce with the new skills for the new demands generated by the changing patterns of furniture consumption (e.g.: ageing population/assisted living).Nevertheless, the European furniture sector is a key driver of sustainable growth with a significant contribution to Europe‘s overall economic health, competitiveness, creativity, innovation, employment and export: One quarter of the world´s furniture is produced in the EU. In 2012, more than 900,000 EU workers were employed in approximately 126,000 firms, and production amounted to more than €84 Billion (1) (figures for each participant country are fully detailed in Partner´s Description). However, these figures are 13% lower than in 2007, while the Asian market has increased its production to 230% during the same period (2). Staff qualifications along with the ageing workforce and the inability to attract young workers (3) remain one of the crucial points in these industries. To boost the recruitment of highly prepared staff requires initiatives addressing training to make the sector attractive and capable of transforming both the academic knowledge and high-level basic and transversal competences required to be useful and applicable.
Objectives
The aim was to develop an International Master’s Programme for the furniture sector in Europe. The new Master’s programme offers an adapted curriculum to equip the young generation with the specific, basic and transversal competences currently required in the furniture, woodworking and related industries. This international Master Programme provides students with opportunities to gain additional skills by studying and training abroad.
For these reasons, this Strategic Partnership developed a flexible learning pathway in line with the needs of learners and companies in the furniture, woodworking and related sectors. The project provided a joint study program between Higher Education and Vocational Education and Training that are providing enterprises innovation, expertise and added value. Partnership.
IM-FUTURE was a Strategic Partnership composed of seven entities from regions that are highly influenced by the furniture and woodworking industry: Four universities, two technical research and training centres and one furniture industry representatives.

Main activities consisted in:
-Conducting surveys, comparative analysis and evidence-gathering, studies of real life cases in order to have a real idea of the needs of skills and competences in the European furniture and Woodworking industry.
– Development of a joint curriculum with the integration of different learning modes such as distance, face to face or blended learning employing innovative approaches.
– The creation of learning and training materials together with methods, pedagogical approaches and tools.
– Capacity buildings and networking activities.
The consortium developed a Study Report on current skills needs on the European Furniture and Woodworking industry, a Joint Curriculum together with a learning content and an e-Learning platform that is freely and widely distributed. Four Multiplier Events have been conducted at the end of the project.
Results and impact.
IM-FUTURE contributes to the modernisation and reinforcement of education aligned to the needs and opportunities offered by traditional industries.
The project provides, assesses, and seeks the recognition of basic skills needed in the furniture and wood working sector. IM-FUTURE also addressed transversal skills, such as entrepreneurship, foreign languages and digital competences. HE students and staff, and also everyone involved in the development of this initiative had the chance of increasing their sense of initiative and entrepreneurship, their competences in foreign languages and, of course, increasing their skills and capabilities for employability in an industrial sector which is the main key driver in many European regions. It is estimated that in the next five years there will be about 500 students benefiting directly from the educational materials developed within the project. These will become better equipped to contribute to the development of the furniture sector, to fulfil the demand of highly qualified staff, to foster entrepreneurship in the sector. The fact that the Programme is taught in English facilitates the mobility of staff from one EU country to another and through this the integration is facilitated.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 358169 Eur

Project Coordinator

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE NEW UNIVERSITY & Country: UK

Project Partners

• SZKOLA GLOWNA GOSPODARSTWA WIEJSKIEGO
• UNIVERSIDAD DE MURCIA
• BFM LIMITED
• UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI CAMERINO
• CONSORZIO DEL MOBILE SCPA
• ASOCIACION EMPRESARIAL DE INVESTIGACION CENTRO TECNOLOGICO DEL MUEBLEY LA MADERA DE LA REGION DE MURCIA