I-THEN - International Technical Higher Education Network

Project Title: International Technical Higher Education Network

Project acronym: I-THEN
Project code: 2020-1-IT02-KA203-079561
Web page: https://ithen.eu/
                  https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/projects/search/details/2020-1-IT02-KA203-079561

Project Coordinator: Fondazione Istituto Tecnico Superiore per le nuove tecnologie per il made in Italy – Jobsacademy, Italy
Partner institutions:
- University of Primorska, Slovenia
- Atlantica University, Portugal
- Institut de Vic, Spain
- Mugla Sitki Kocman University, Turkey
- OneOffTech, Germany
- Associazione Multiculturale I Due Mondi, Italy
- Institut Escola del Treball de Lleida, Spain

Participating member of the University of Primorska: University of Primorska, Faculty of management, Slovenia
Project manager at the University of Primorska: PhD Likar Borut

Funding: Erasmus+ Programme
Key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Duration: 1.10.2020 – 30.9.2022
Overall budget: 299.399 €

Description:
CONTEXT
Despite official attempts for the creation of regular paths starting from TVETs and continuing with a third year and a bachelor’s degree, this connection is not systematized yet. I-THEN TVET partners have activated agreements with Universities to recognize their EQF5 degrees and enable students to obtain an EQF 6 or 7 degree. This system has proved to be very effective and needs to be adopted on a larger geographical scale to become ordinary practice.

AIM
To establish a strategic and structured cooperation between Universities and TVETs delivering technical HE by creating a network for the development of joint international courses.

OBJECTIVES
- to overcome the skill gap encountered by students entering international business environments by developing a set of methodologies that can be embedded in joint international curricula to foster the development of key entrepreneurial and cultural awareness competences.
- to establish a synergy between Universities and TVETs that will facilitate the transition between different EQF level courses and degrees
- to bring technical HE in the fields of marketing and business management closer to the requirements of the international job market
- to upskill HE teachers enabling them to successfully contribute to the development of entrepreneurship and cultural awareness competences among their students.

PARTICIPANTS

• >30 teachers of TVETs and Universities
• ca. 140 HE students
• >250 people among the following categories: deans and teachers of TVETs and Universities; SMEs and trade associations; students; representatives of associated partners, public authorities and other national/regional/local stakeholders)
• >40 SMEs
• >20 TVETs, Universities, Chambers of Commerce, Public Bodies, Corporations and International Organizations from Europe and Worldwide

ACTIVITIES
- Project Technical Management
- Financial Management
- Quality Assurance, Evaluation, Impact Assessment
- Dissemination

OUTPUT 1: I-THEN SET OF METHODOLOGIES AND GUIDELINES

- O1-A1: Definition of key competences needed from students attending international joint courses
- O1-A2: Draft of a set of I-THEN methodologies
- O1-A3: Alignment of the methodologies with requirements of the job market
- O1-A4: Development of methodological guidelines
- O1-A5: Piloting and evaluation
- O1-A6: Fine-tuning of the methodological guidelines

C1 – SHORT-TERM JOINT STAFF TRAINING EVENT

OUTPUT 2: AGREEMENT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE I-THEN NETWORK
- O2-A1: User needs assessment and requirements analysis for the digital platform
- O2-A2: Selection, configuration, installation and maintenance of the digital platform
- O2-A3: Design of the I-THEN Agreement Model
- O2-A4: Creation of a wider network of TVETs, universities, Chambers of Commerce, public bodies, corporations and international organizations
- O2-A5: Signing of the Agreement by the partnership 

E1-E9: Multiplier events in Italy, Portugal, Spain, France, Turkey, Slovenia, Germany

MAIN TANGIBLE RESULTS

• I-THEN Workplan
• Interim and Final technical and financial reports
• Detailed set of competences
• Set of I-THEN Methodologies in 8 languages
• 7 National Pilots
• 24 short video interviews to students
• Final version of the I-THEN Methodological Guidelines
• Installed and functioning digital platform
• Signed I-THEN Agreement
• List of potential new members of the I-THEN network
• Short Term Joint Staff Training Event
• I-THEN web showcase
• National Multiplier Events

IMPACT 

• 140 students will acquire news skills and key competences in the field of international marketing and business management, increasing their opportunities on the job market
• 32 teachers/professors will master innovative methodologies useful to deliver key entrepreneurial and cultural awareness competences, strengthening their CV and competences
• 100 teachers/deans/rectors of HE bodies will benefit from the participation to a worldwide network of HE bodies expert in the field of marketing and business management courses
• TVETs and Universities will exploit I-THEN methodologies for their marketing and business courses and offer update the competences of their teaching staff
• The network of TVETs and Universities members of the enlarged I-THEN Network will allow students registered to the I-THEN courses to obtain a university degree in different countries after completing I-THEN's 2-year courses, acquiring the opportunity to study in at least 10 different countries, obtain a EQF 5 degree and – eventually – continue their studies in one of the partner Universities to obtain an EQF 6 or 7 degree
• SMEs and private business involved in the I-THEN network will increase their internationalization capacities and will be able to host I-THEN’s students for international mobilities and internships, gaining access to a class of potential new staff members highly prepared to work in international contexts.