HISTEK TEST – HIgh Specialized Technicians in KETs TEST

Acronym:                        HISTEK TEST
Project ID:                       SA-0300528
Programme:                    Interreg IPA South Adriatic 2021–2027 – Italy–Albania–Montenegro
Programme Priority:     PA 4 – A more social South Adriatic programme area
Specific Objective:         S.O.4.1 – Improving equal access to inclusive and quality services in education, training and lifelong learning
Duration:                          30 months
Lead Partner:                   Fondazione ITS Antonio Cuccovillo, Italy

Project partnership

The HISTEK TEST partnership consists of six organisations from Italy, Albania and Montenegro:

• Fondazione ITS Antonio Cuccovillo – Italy – Lead Partner
• Regional Union of the Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Craft and Agriculture of Puglia – Italy
• Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Tirana – Albania
• Aleksander Moisiu University Durrës – Albania
• Chamber of Economy of Montenegro – Montenegro
• Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation of Montenegro – Montenegro

The consortium brings together education and higher-education institutions, Chambers of Commerce, the business community and public authorities, ensuring that the new model responds both to education priorities and to the practical skills needs of the labour market.

Total project budget:          EUR 1,072,517.85
IPA III CBC funding:             EUR 883,876.03

About the project

HISTEK TEST is a cross-border cooperation project involving Italy, Albania and Montenegro, designed to move the results and models developed through the previous HISTEK, HISTEK Plus, GOVERNANCE and ENGAGEMENT projects into a concrete testing and implementation phase.

The project focuses on developing and testing a common cross-border education and training system at European Qualifications Framework (EQF) Level 5, strengthening cooperation between higher vocational education and training institutions, companies, Chambers of Commerce, universities and public institutions across the three participating countries.

Through HISTEK TEST, previously developed models and tools will move from concept to practical implementation through training activities, pilot actions, company internships and cross-border institutional cooperation.

Main objective

The main objective of HISTEK TEST is to establish and test a Cross-Border Collaborative Learning Factory, providing a sustainable cooperation model between education and business for the development of advanced technical skills.

In particular, the project aims to:

• test the effective involvement of companies in joint cross-border training processes;
• train company trainers and teachers from higher vocational education and training institutions;
• test joint training modules involving young people and EQF Level 5 students;
• implement theoretical and practical training activities, including company internships;
• adapt the HISTEK model to labour-market needs and the Smart Specialisation Strategies of Italy, Albania and Montenegro;
• develop a standardised and sustainable model for a cross-border EQF Level 5 HISTEK course;
• promote the recognition and alignment of professional qualifications across borders;
• strengthen long-term cooperation between education systems, businesses and public institutions.

Main activities

Project activities include reviewing and fine-tuning the HISTEK curriculum, training company trainers and vocational education teachers, organising the HISTEK Camp for Teachers and HISTEK Camp for Youth, and testing common training modules in Italy, Albania and Montenegro.

A key component of the project is the practical testing of the HISTEK model through theoretical and practical laboratories and company internships involving students and young people from all three countries.

The project will also develop a standardised model for the cross-border EQF Level 5 HISTEK course, define quality standards, support the recognition of professional qualifications and identify mechanisms capable of ensuring the future financial sustainability of the system.

Expected results

The main expected results of HISTEK TEST include:

• 51 participations in joint training schemes, involving company trainers, vocational education teachers and students;
• practical testing of the HISTEK model and its cross-border curriculum;
• development of a Cross-Border Strategy for the standardised EQF Level 5 HISTEK course model;
• establishment and consolidation of the Cross-Border Collaborative Learning Factory;
• stronger cooperation between companies and vocational education and training institutions;
• creation of the conditions for a sustainable, standardised and replicable training model that may also be transferred to sectors beyond manufacturing.

The pilot activities will involve vocational education teachers, Technical Upper Secondary School students and EQF Level 5 students from the three participating countries, allowing the partnership to test in practice the feasibility and effectiveness of a joint cross-border training programme.

Cross-border added value

HISTEK TEST seeks to move beyond separate national approaches and develop a shared model through which Italy, Albania and Montenegro can cooperate in the training of highly specialised technicians.

By aligning training models, actively involving companies and strengthening cooperation between public authorities and education institutions, the project aims to create a system that can remain operational and be further developed beyond the lifetime of the funded project.

Funding: HISTEK TEST is co-funded by the European Union under the Interreg IPA South Adriatic Programme 2021–2027.