WIFI Academy for Facility Management Erasmus Project

Project Title

WIFI Academy for Facility Management

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 addressing more than one field

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2014

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Open and distance learning; New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Access for disadvantaged

Project Summary

The Facility Management (FM) as defined by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) and ratified by 31 European countries is “integration of processes within an organization to maintain and develop the agreed services which support and improve the effectiveness of its primary activities”. The main aim of the FM sector is to provide a safe and healthy place for living and work. In 2009 the International FM Association identified 11 core FM competencies – communication; emergency preparedness and business continuity; environmental stewardship and sustainability; finance and business; human factors; leadership and strategy; operations and maintenance; project management; quality; real estate and property management; and technology.

Nowadays FM is subject to continuous innovation and development. Additional advantage but also challenge is that FM is both integrated and interdisciplinary. Different competences and skills from diverse professions could be directed to particular FM courses and trainings. At the same time FM has to operate at both levels – strategic-tactical and operational. These give great opportunity for many people to qualify or re-qualify but FM’s interdisciplinary nature sets a constant challenge before the organisations involved in FM education and training – to answer the persistent development of all areas of knowledge constituting the FM discipline.

Based on a good Austrian practice, our project aimed at developing and piloting an innovative, multilingual platform for online distance training in FM – WIFI Facility Management Academy (WIFI-FMA). It lead to the creation of a set of comprehensive online training materials in English, Bulgarian, German, Hungarian and Serbian. Our approach is focused on applying a trainee-friendly learning method and delivery, which allows addressing the needs of various target groups.

The project impacts many sectors, among which are VET, the adult education and youth. It also gives incitement for enhancement of the facility management-related subjects delivered at higher education level.

The project adds value to the Erasmus+ objectives. WIFI-FMA contributes for achieving the five ambitious objectives defined by Europe 2020 on employment, innovation, education, social inclusion and climate/energy. The project corresponds to the third strategic objective of the strategic framework for EU Cooperation in Education and Training 2020 (ET 2020), namely “enhancing creativity and innovation, including entrepreneurship, at all levels of education and training – the acquisition of transversal competences by all citizens should be promoted and the functioning of the knowledge triangle (education-research-innovation) should be ensured. Partnerships between enterprises and educational institutions as well as broader learning communities with civil society and other stakeholders should be promoted”.

A market survey was commissioned and conducted in March 2014. It showed that the FM professional training in Bulgaria was in early stage, with limited supply and growing demand. There is no online training or education responding the needs of both the individual trainees and private/public sector. There was no training available which was introducing the European standards in FM which was flexible, affordable and holistic.

Our project considered good practices of applying transparent and efficient project management, as well as addressed key EU horizontal priorities. Our experts applied a methodology which combines innovative distance training delivery methods, trainees’ evaluation and internal monitoring.
The project represented a first attempt to develop an EU-wide open model of continuous professional development in FM. Among the main project results are WIFI-FMA – developed and tested innovative, multilingual platform for online and distance training and self-education in Facility Management; developed training materials in 5 languages – 4 EU and Serbian; successfully tested training platform; 544 registered trainees; successful partnership among 6 partners from 4 countries; launched online forum allowing exchange of ideas, knowledge and experience.

Across Europe the impact which already occurs is:
1) A more aligned relationship between training provision and the needs of people employed in the FM sector.
2) A more standardised European framework for distance, online training of those working in the FM sector.
3) Shedding light on of the gaps/challenges for FM workers seeking to update their knowledge and skills both locally and across Europe.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 294587,06 Eur

Project Coordinator

WIFI-BULGARIA & Country: BG

Project Partners

• Agencija za konsaltig KALA
• WIRTSCHAFTSKAMMER OSTERREICH
• Public Policies Watchdog Forum
• Bulgarian Facility Management Association
• WIFI Hungaria Oktato es Tovabbkepzo Intezet Kft.