ENGAGEMENT

Project Acronym                  

ENGAGEMENT

SUPPORTING THE ENGAGEMENT OF BUSINESS & EDUCATION OF IT-AL-ME SMEs IN A CB PERSPECTIVE

Project Number 

SA-0100223

Programme Priority

1) PA 1 – A smarter South Adriatic programme area, by promoting innovative and smart economic transformation

Specific objective

S.O.1.1: Enhancing sustainable growth and competitiveness of SMEs and job creation in SMEs, including productive investments

Start – End Date

01.02.2024 – 28.02.2025

Project Summary

ENGAGEMENT capitalises HISTEK and HISTEK Plus results. HISTEK has worked on strengthening the competitiveness of IT-AL-ME SMEs by promoting their integration into a CB EQF 5 business /education system aimed at equipping the target of higher technicians with the specific skills the CB companies need. In fact, in all 3 countries there is a prevalence of SMEs with few employees. In this context, the high level of knowledge and skills is the true value to promote, to ensure stability first, and then growth. The common challenge emerged in HISTEK Plus is to reinforce the capacity of SMEs to fit into a wider knowledge management system, actively participating in the co-designing processes of the EQF 5 training offer, in the delivery of training and in the final certification of skills, guaranteeing high quality standards at CB level, shared with educational institutions at each stage.

Therefore, Project’s objective is to identify the aspects (cultural, environmental, social, legislative etc.) that currently hinder an effective business/education engagement by SMEs, to outline, through a Joint Action Plan, which is the main project’s output, recommendations for policy makers aimed at promoting and supporting a progressive opening of the SMEs’ approach to collaboration with training systems, in view of the future CB cooperation, with a CB approach which is needed. It will contribute at changing the mentality of businesses, opening it up to collaboration on qualifications. It will bring benefits to SMEs but also to young people, considering that creating a privileged channel through which raising the quality of human capital in the company, equipping it with the specific skills the company needs, reduces resulting times and costs of the transition from the world of school to the labour market and that a higher level of capacities in companies means more attractive job offers for young people, with a greater propensity not to leave their country.

Partners:

• Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Tirana (LP)
• Chamber of Economy of Montenegro
• Ministry of economic development and tourism; Montenegro
• FOUNDATION ITS “ANTONIO CUCCOVILLO”

PURPOSE

To identify in more detail the aspects (cultural, environmental, social, legislative…) that currently hinder an effective business/education engagement by SMEs in the partner countries, to outline, through a Joint Action Plan, recommendations for policy makers aimed at promoting and supporting a progressive opening of the SMEs’ approach to collaboration with training systems, in view of the future CB cooperation.

To explore issues hindering the business and education engagement by SMEs in the partner countries and to outline recommendations for policy makers aimed at promoting supporting the SMEs collaboration with training systems at CB level.

The ENGAGEMENT project draws on the results of HISTEK Plus – High Specialized Technicians in KETs PLUS – Project (Interreg IPA CBC Italy-Albania-Montenegro Programme) a capitalization proposal of the results achieved by HISTEK, aimed at boosting the Cluster to promote the model, identifying new potential users, increasing the number of SMEs and Training Institutions interested in joining the network which will support the future joint implementation of the course, spreading awareness on the opportunities offered by innovative 5th level EQF pathways, thus improving the CB framework conditions in which the facilitators of competitiveness operate.

ACTIVITIES

The Project partnership is structured in a balanced way and designed in order to achieve the project’s objective optimally. It includes n. 2 Chambers of Commerce, which considering the focus of the project will play a crucial role in the setting of the Joint Action Plan, and n. 2 Ministries with similar competences from Albania and Montenegro. Moreover, from Italy, ITS Cuccovillo will be a strategic partner considering the central role it played, especially in terms of experience in 5th level training offer, within the HISTEK and HISTEK Plus projects which the ENGAGEMENT project aims at capitalising.

The Chamber of Commerce of Tirana (AL) will coordinate all the project’ activities as LP, including the administration of the questionnaires and co-deliver the Joint Action Plan, involving the business sector in Albania, as well as the organisation of the first Capacity building seminar in Albania.

P2 The Chamber of Economy of Montenegro will co-deliver the Joint Action Plan and, play a role parallel to that played by LP, will involve the business sector in Montenegro; P3 the Ministry of Economic Development of Montenegro will organise the second Capacity-building seminar in Montenegro.

The third one will be organised by P4 ITS Cuccovillo in Italy, which will bring its expertise in the project also contributing to the co-delivering of the Joint Action Plan.

Project results

ENGAGEMENT project, in particular its output Joint Action Plan – will contribute to change the SMEs approach to collaboration with the training sector, helping to create a privileged channel to equip the companies with the specific skills they need, reducing the resulting times and costs of the transition from the world of school to the world of work.

 

Project coordinator: Albana Laknori

Email: albana_laknori@cci.al