Footwear in the 21st century: New skills for the design of drastically improved comfort, sustainable, fashion-oriented and scientifically-led footwear products Erasmus Project

Project Title

Footwear in the 21st century: New skills for the design of drastically improved comfort, sustainable, fashion-oriented and scientifically-led footwear products

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 : Knowledge Alliances for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2018

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics:

Project Summary

<< Background >>

The footwear industry in Europe is a traditional manufacturing industry that produces a high-added value consumer product, part of the Creative Industries and European Culture and Heritage. The EU Footwear Industry has to meet the ever-increasing expectations of consumers to whom comfort has become top priority. Footwear specialists have now to integrate higher manufacturing standards that take into account consumer wellbeing when designing their products.

<< Objectives >>

In SciLED Knowledge Alliance, the footwear life-cycle is revised and new knowledge is incorporated into the design process in order to provide a scientific basis for drastically improved fashion, comfort and sustainable oriented products. New skills and professional footwear paths are developed aiming to improve the workforce’s creativity and competitiveness, rendering the sector more attractive to young people.

<< Implementation >>

Project partners have investigated footwear comfort requirements, sustainability parameters and looked into the role of specific materials in these aspects. Together with other companies, research centres and Higher Education partners in the project, this Knowledge Alliance has in parallel analysed current footwear qualifications offered in Higher Education. Skills and competences currently taught have been thoroughly reviewed, and innovative learning tools and methods have been identified.

<< Results >>

This groundwork has allowed the consortium to determine the required qualifications for Footwear Designers and Product Managers to address comfort and sustainability in footwear, as well as the best ways to teach and engage students. The results of this research are the foundation of the cutting-edge and state-of-the-art curricula and related training content supported by innovative learning tools that the project is developing.

Project Website

http://sciled.eu/

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 777853 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA GHEORGHE ASACHI DIN IASI & Country: RO

Project Partners

• VIRTUAL CAMPUS LDA
• CONFEDERATION EUROPEENNE DE L’INDUSTRIE DE LA CHAUSSURE ASBL
• DIMIOURGIKI SKEPSI ANAPTYXIS
• EVATHINK S.L.
• INSTITUTO TECNOLOGICO DEL CALZADO Y CONEXAS
• ACTIV ORTOPEDIC SRL
• VIBRAM SPA