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UrBIOFuture project for inspiring the bioeconomy education

2019-07-09

UrBIOFuture project wants to inspire the bioeconomy education in Europe being the example to follow in this area. It’s main goal is to bring Europe to the forefront of the bio-based sector. The project’s tool will be boosting careers, new educational programmes and research activities.

 

UrBioFuture project focuses on education in the biotech sector. First, a map of completed and ongoing programs addressing curricula that involve bio-based activities will be developed in a wide range of educational levels. The map will cover a wide geographical scope in the EU. It is needed for the identification of current education and professional gaps and skills mismatch in the bio-based field. These results will ensure the cooperation and alignment among educational and research institutions and industry. It will also set the basis for new educational programmes.

The agriculture, forestry, fishing, chemical industry, and energy are demanding new positions, new expertise and qualified skills. UrBIOfuture project has considered these elements to foster the interaction between educational and research institutions and industry, to identify professional gaps and skill mismatch in the bio-based field.

In general, it will be possible to create a chain effect. Firstly: the needs of the industry are covered and those fields of the bio-industry that need a push are promoted. After: training opportunities are given to professionals within the sector. As a result, these professionals, in return, in their search give all their expertise innovating new products that increase the competitiveness of the bioeconomy in Europe.

This approach is intended to be developed in this project as a 3-step methodology:
  1. An identification step:

involving career mapping of programmes involving bio-based activities and pointing of skills mismatch between them and the bioindustry needs as main KPIs, alongside with a previous methodology and work terminology developed and aligned between the educational sector and the industry needs.

  1. An interaction step:

in which the constant contact and contributions of the education sector, academia and industry will be sought throughout the project. The KPIs involved will be (a) building a comprehensive stakeholder network and a working group involving representatives from each sector of the bio-based value chain .

  1. The implementation of UrBIOfuture, through an appropriate Communication and Dissemination plan:

organization of promotional events, train-the-trainer and train-the-student workshops. Developing of an afterlife plan will ensure the broader impact of the project among the European bio-based sector.

The results of UrBIOfuture will help building a bio-based industrial sector with the adequately skilled people. So they will be able to operate innovative value chains while establishing and sustaining a solid bio-based industry in Europe.

The role of PPNT

Poznań Science and Technology Park is a partner in the project. We were invited to cooperation by the Autonomous University of Barcelona (Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona). PPNT is involved in validation of future programmes by the bio-based industry, and the identification of their needs. We will also define the methodology in order to identify bio-based industries competences in education and industry. We will also participate in communication and dissemination actions as well as preparing and running workshops, meetups and webinars based on our university education experience.

Media:

Webiste: https://www.urbiofuture.eu/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urbiofutureeu/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/UrBIOFuture
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/urbiofuture/

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