Projects
Project employees of the EkF TUKE
Projects of the Faculty of Economics
Coordinator: prof. RNDr. Oto Hudec, CSc.
Duration: 2024 – 2025
Webpage: https://label4future.eu/
Financing: Európska komisia
Project number: 101133162
Label4Future is an initiative that engages quadruple helix (4-H) stakeholders—comprising academia, industry, government, and civil society—from both less developed and more developed EU regions. This initiative leverages design practices, new technologies, future scenario development, and innovative approaches in media art, research, and innovation. The goal is to define, prioritize, and test innovation investment projects that enhance the capacities of SMEs, local public authorities, and research institutions in less developed regions (LDRs). By understanding value chain articulation and implementation, and setting up and reinforcing regional ecosystems, Label4Future aims to interconnect stakeholders from advanced and less advanced EU regions, fostering a transition to a more circular and sustainable economic model.
Label4Future engages innovation actors from LDRs to comprehend and envision the scope of future challenges. The initiative will facilitate the definition and prioritization of innovation investment projects and promote an out-of-the-box approach to circular economy innovation, driven by interregional creative industries—design and new media art. Innovation projects will focus on sectors such as construction, 3D printing, and packaging, and will be developed, produced, and tested in real-world environments (TRL6) through interregional 4-H tandems.
PROJECT OBJECTIVE:
- Building capacity and tools to understand, imagine, and specify future challenges in the context of the green transition and circular economy. The project aims to build the capacity of SMEs, local public authorities, and research institutions in EU less developed regions. Through workshops, mentoring, and financial support, Label4Future provides participants with the tools and knowledge to understand value chains, develop new models, and implement circular economy practices.
- Analyzing European value chains and articulating stakeholders’ own business models, products, and services.
- Prioritizing, designing, and implementing innovation projects that contribute to building capacities of SMEs, local public authorities, and research institutions.
- Fostering multi-stakeholder cooperation on both interregional and cross-sectoral levels.
- Providing continuous systematic institutional support for research, development, and innovation in the transition to circular economy models.
PARTNERS:
- CREATIVE INDUSTRY KOSICE (CIKE) (SK)
- STICHTING EUROPEAN CREATIVE BUSINESS NETWORK (ECB Network) (NE)
- GOSPODARSKA ZBORNICA SLOVENIJE (CCIS) (SL)
- AUSTRIA WIRTSCHAFTSSERVICE (AWS) (AT)
- ARS ELECTRONICA (AT),
- KREATIVINI PRAHA (CZ)
- TECHNICKA UNIVERZITA V KOSICIACH (TUKE) (SK).
Coordinator: doc. Ing. Nataša Urbančíková, PhD.
Duration: 2024 – 2028
Webpage: https://investech-cove.eu/
Funding: Európska komisia
Project number: 101143958
The rapid progress and ever-changing environment in the information and communication technology (ICT) sector is creating strong pressure for the development of new skills and innovation. However, current vocational education and training programmes often fail to keep pace with these changes and do not always provide students with the skills and opportunities needed to succeed in this sector.
The INVESTech project (Innovation Vocational Excellence and Sustainability in Tech, 101143958; ERASMUS-EDU-2023-PEX-COVE) aims to support the innovation potential of VET in partner countries by applying the Quintuple Helix framework - strengthening partnerships between academia, industry, public sector, civil society and natural environment.
The project will establish a transnational platform for the cooperation of Centres of Vocational Excellence (CoVE) in the field of ICT in five European regions: Košice in Slovakia, Attica in Greece, Sofia in Bulgaria, Nicosia in Cyprus and Klaipeda in Lithuania.
The INVESTEch project aims to:
- Facilitate skills development and the use of innovative technology.
- Promote green transition and social inclusion.
- Provide opportunities for international collaboration and the exchange of best practices.
- creation of CoVEs in five European regions by incorporating the Quintuple Innovation Helix (Q2IH) Framework
The project involves 18 partners from five countries (Slovakia, Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Lithuania). Technical University of Košice is the project coordinator. The project is implemented in cooperation between the Faculty of Economics and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Informatics.
Coordinator: Ing. František Janke, PhD.
Project budget: 2 351 006,74 €
Interreg Funds: 1 880 805,39 €
Project duration: 01/2024 – 06/2026
Website: https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/ci-hub
Funding: Európska komisia
Project number: DRP0200388
CI-Hub aims to address the challenge of insufficient consumer and user acceptance of circular offerings, which hinders the transition to a circular economy. SMEs, crucial to the EU economy, face difficulties in adopting circular practices due to limited resources, poor institutional support, and low environmental awareness. The project seeks to enhance innovation potential in less innovative and non-urban industrial regions characterized by low R&D expenditure and weak innovation infrastructure. The project will establish joint transnational circular transition accelerator support services, focusing on the plastic & metal processing sector and the construction sector.
The main outputs of the project will be:
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Circular Transition Toolbox: Providing tools and resources for SMEs to adopt circular practices.
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Training Programs: Implementing a comprehensive training program for circular transition accelerator program.
- E-platform: A validated joint community e-platform to support transnational accelerator services.
- Action Plans: Developing regional and transnational action plans to support circular economy initiatives.
- Pilot Projects: Real-life testing of circular transition strategies in less developed partner regions.
The project will implement five types of circular transition strategies: circular supplies, resource recovery, product life extension/remanufacturing, sharing platforms, and PaaS. CI-Hub offers a complex transnational accelerator program aimed at supporting the circular transition in two of the most challenging supply chains. The project provides a comprehensive support ecosystem, including training, real-life testing, and collaboration platforms, tailored to meet the specific needs of SMEs in less developed regions.
This project is supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme and co-funded by the European Union.
Coordinator: Ing. František Janke, PhD.
Project budget: 2 045 335 €
Interreg Funds: 1 636 268 €
Project duration: 2023 - 2026
Website: https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/deca
Project number: DRP0200388
DECA aims to accelerate the adoption of citizen-led renewable energy initiatives across the Danube Region, addressing the common challenge of underutilized renewable energy resources. The project focuses on fostering energy independence, climate neutrality, and community prosperity by supporting the development and implementation of decentralized renewable energy systems.
The main outputs of the project will be:
- Community Energy Capacity Development Solution: Training programs covering the fundamentals of community energy initiatives and social enterprise skills.
- Community Energy Project Pipelines Toolkit: Methodologies for robust community energy action development and a set of replicable, innovative community energy action concepts.
- Danube Community Energy Acceleration Strategy: A strategy for creating a network of community energy acceleration hubs to sustain and expand support for community renewable energy action.
DECA will implement a transnational collaboration model that pools knowledge, experiences, skills, networks, and expertise to jointly develop and promote solutions to shared energy challenges. This approach includes testing and refining solutions through local pilot projects and ensuring the adoption of outputs for ongoing use. This project represents a significant step towards fostering community-led energy transitions in the Danube Region, enhancing energy security, local prosperity, and climate resilience.
This project is supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme and co-funded by the European Union.
Project budget: 2 192 667 €
Interreg Funds: 1 754 133,60 €
Project duration: 1/2024-06/2026
Project website: https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/romanswinedanube
#RomansWineDanube aims to address current situation in the Danube region, which is marked by a demographic decline in rural areas, imbalanced socio-economic development, and social exclusion of vulnerable groups, by applying innovative and inclusive solutions for destination management and developing the touristic potential of underdeveloped sub-destinations with local action plans and innovative destination management solutions. The project seeks to capitalize on the cultural heritage and natural resources of the region and create transnational partnerships to deliver high-quality tourism products and solutions.
The main outputs of the project will be:
- Collaborative models, plans, and labels, leading to new and improved touristic offers and enhanced visitor´s experiences.
- Innovative solutions for sub destinations development and management namely Model for local community involvement and a model for tourism observatories.
- Sustainable and eco-friendly travel solutions: Green travel packages and itineraries developed through collaboration with tour operators.
- New touristic products- pilots: Festivals of Roman Emperors and Wine Festivals that will test, showcase and promote newly developed solutions.
This project is supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme co-funded by the European Union.
Project budget: 2 720 670 €
Interreg Funds: 2 176 336 €
Project duration: 1/2024-06/2026
Project website: https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/iaas-4-dr
The IaaS4DR project, is designed to revolutionize innovation support and technology transfer in the Danube region, particularly targeting industrial rural and remote areas with low innovation capacities. The project's main objective is to deliver locally, durably improved, and integrated innovation support services. This will be achieved by enhancing the capabilities of business support organizations, innovation intermediaries, and technology transfer institutions.
Key objectives include:
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Capacity Building: Increasing innovation support competence across regions.
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Collaboration Models: Enhancing integration among regional innovation service providers.
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Transnational Expertise: Facilitating access and the use of external, advanced innovation support services on demand.
The project aims to transform traditional, linear, and top-down approaches into dynamic, integrated services that significantly exceed existing capabilities by leveraging limited local resources with broader transnational support. This strategic shift is expected to foster a more competitive and smarter Danube Region, well-equipped to face the future challenges of industrial transition and innovation.
This project is supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme co-funded by the European Union.
Project budget: 2 260 572 EUR
Interreg Funds: 1 808 457 €
Project duration: 1/2024-06/2026
Project website: https://interreg-danube.eu/projects/meet
The MEET project, is aimed at promoting mental well-being among disadvantaged youth across the Danube Region. This initiative addresses the urgent need to support young individuals affected by various crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine war, and climate-related challenges. By fostering inclusive and innovative educational settings, MEET targets enhancing the capacity of educators and youth workers to support mental health at three strategic levels: practice, organizational, and policy.
The project's comprehensive approach includes developing tools and learning materials, forming mental health coalitions through Youth Mental Health Labs, and creating strategic frameworks and action plans to integrate mental health into educational policies. These efforts are poised to facilitate a significant positive change in the mental health landscape for vulnerable youth across multiple nations, promoting a more inclusive and supportive educational environment.
- Building Capacities for Youth Mental Health: This objective focuses on increasing the competence of stakeholders within formal and non-formal education sectors to implement effective mental health measures. This will be achieved by enhancing knowledge and fostering cooperation between the health and education domains across all participating countries.
- Developing Inclusive Learning Tools: MEET will advance the integration of mental health activities into educational settings by developing and piloting inclusive, innovative educational tools and learning materials. This effort aims to equip educators and offer resources tailored to young learners in various countries within the Danube Region.
- Policy Development and Uptake: This involves the creation of a transnational strategy and local action plans to integrate mental health promotion within educational policies. The strategy aims to guide policy-level adoption and the practical application of project outputs to improve education inclusivity
This project is supported by the Interreg Danube Region Programme co-funded by the European Union
Coordinator: Ing. Mojmír Prídavok, PhD.
Duration: 2023 - 2026
Financing: European Commission
Webpage: https://www.interreg-central.eu/projects/digicare4ce/
Project number: CE0100038
The Digi4Care project will help to increase the level of digitalization in long-term care facilities for the elderly, through digital solutions that help to increase the efficiency of nursing staff, allowing them to devote more time and attention to the patients themselves, thus increasing the quality of the health and social care provided. Given the shortage of qualified staff, the need to introduce such measures is essential to ensure the very existence of nursing homes in the future.
The currently identified lack of digital solutions in practice will be reflected in the activities of the partners of the international consortium, who will work together to create a step-by-step approach to support the solution of the situation. The initial definition of a methodology for assessing the digital readiness of care facilities will allow the identification of specific weaknesses, the improvement of which will then be precisely designed, described by concrete activities, within the framework of the individual regional action plans and then the measures will also be directly implemented, allowing not only for the increase of digital skills and knowledge in the pilot facilities, but also for the testing of the developed approach itself and, possibly, for its future improvements, facilitating the future replication of these good practice examples.
Coordinator: doc. Ing. MVDr. Ján Buleca, PhD.
Duration: 2023 - 2027
Financing: European Commission
Webpage: https://www.interregeurope.eu/citisystem
The challenging energy and resources situation has highlighted the importance of supporting the utilization, circulation and recovery of biobased resources. Seven project partners from six diverse regions aim to support cities and related regional policies in increasing the potential of promoting regional biobased change to a circular economy.
The system-level solutions are crucial, however, without active communities, they cannot function. System-level solutions include effective and innovative ways to organize policies to support circular biobased economy through the utilization of bioresources (e.g., separate biowaste collection, production of biogas and recycling nutrients). Regions face challenges to involve the community in the circular scheme. In some regions, systems are partly working, however, biowaste, mainly food and garden waste, is still not widely processed in the most effective ways.
The activities of the project include regional and interregional exchange of experience and capacity building to support the improvement of policy instruments. Through the exchange of good practices, the regions will be better equipped to develop systemic biobased circularity and together with their communities make use of valuable resources. The partners will increase their knowledge through policy discussions, site visits and online thematic webinars that form the basis for joint policy development.
Coordinator: Ing. Mojmír Prídavok, PhD.
Duration: 2023-2026
Financing: European Commission
Webpage: https://www.interreg-central.eu/projects/capacity2transform/
Project number: CE0100048
The project “Capacity2Transform” reflects with its activities the identified current lack of necessary knowledge and experience in the field of cultural and creative industries, especially in the target group of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which would enable an effective transition to the digital and green economy, which has been identified as necessary to maintain and potentially increase the competitiveness of the Central European region.
The project brings together business support organizations, education and research organizations, innovation agencies, thematic clusters and representatives of local and regional government, in addressing the lack of opportunities for cultural and creative industries and SMEs in sustainable tourism, to engage in concrete activities supporting the so-called digital and green transformation.
The main objective is to change the business environment in terms of accelerating capacity building for the target groups, and connecting sectors where digital and green measures are neither in the development process nor in the supply chain of sustainable digital and green products to the market.
Coordinator: Ing. Mojmír Prídavok, PhD.
Duration: 04/2023-03/2026
Financing: European Commission
Webpage: https://www.interreg-central.eu/projects/smerf/
Project number: CE0100383
According to the rapid progress, we already know that many companies will have to change their business models to stay competitive. They need to innovate to be prepared for a greener and more digital future. One way to cope with this challenge is to seek support from so-called innomediaries that function as innovation bridgers or change agents.
The SMERF project offers SMEs the guidance on working with innomediaries and the project partners will develop InnoGreen market for transforming companies across Europe, innovative audit methodology, Inspirational Knowledge Base, SMERF Diagnosis Tool, SMERF Individual Support Program and also many webinars, trainings and workshops providing companies the valuable knowledge for green and digital transformation.
Coordinator: Ing. František Janke, PhD.
Duration: 2023-2026
Financing: European Commission
Webpage: https://www.interreg-central.eu/projects/smart-circuit/
Project number: CE100007
Manufacturing growth in Central Europe is characterized by high resource consumption and waste. The circular economy is the key to solving this problem. Business models based on digital technologies enable circular economy manufacturing and support their competitive advantage. The SMART CIRCUIT project aims to support the uptake of digital and technology-based circular economy models in manufacturing through an interconnected network of digital innovation hubs and multi-stakeholder testing/development of solutions. The project's infrastructure and policy support activities will enable capacity building, in particular for SMEs, to create and use digital technologies for the implementation of circular economy principles.
Coordinator: Ing. František Janke, PhD.
Duration: 2023-2026
Financing: European Commission
Webpage: https://www.interreg-central.eu/projects/circotronic/
Project number: CE100114
The digitalization of the economy, society and our daily lives is contributing significantly to the increase in the production of electrical and electronic equipment (EEE). At the same time, such production has serious negative environmental and climate impacts resulting from the use of materials, chemicals, air pollutant emissions and greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, we often encounter product obsolescence (designing products with artificially limited lifespans), technical obsolescence (older versions of a product are not supplied, forcing people to buy replacements) or marketing-induced obsolescence (which gives people the impression that the product is becoming perceived as old-fashioned). All this creates a rapidly growing waste chain of electrical and electronic equipment, to which the CIRCOTRONIC project focused on the circular economy is responding.
The results of the project will enable sustainable support for SMEs producing EEE in the transition to a circular economy. This will be done in particular through the establishment of physical or virtual laboratories with solutions developed and services provided to EEE manufacturers as part of their service portfolio.
Coordinator: Ing. František Janke, PhD.
Duration: 2023-2026
Financing: European Commission
Webpage: https://www.interreg-central.eu/projects/mission-ce-climate/
Project number: CE100019
The project "Climate Resilient Communities of Central Europe" (MISSION CE CLIMATE) helps regions to better coordinate their responses to climate change. Partners are mobilizing citizens in the pilot regions to contribute to the newly established Climate Resilience Missions and to develop a climate resilience strategy, including locally tailored action plans. The project will build durable systems (Community Climate Resilience Missions) and capacity in communities (integrated strategy, local action plans, solutions) using inter-sectoral governance with significant citizen participation. The project partnership consists of 12 partners coming from 6 countries (Austria, Croatia, Germany, Italy, Slovakia and Slovenia) representing communities that have the ambition to become climate resilient by 2030.
Coordinator: Mgr. Nina Hadidomová
Duration: 2021-2024
Financing: European Commission
Webpage: www.diceaccelerator.eu
Project number: 2022-1-SK01-KA220-HED-000087668
The mission of universities is not only to educate students and conduct research. There is also a third mission of universities, which is to bring together academia and the community of people surrounding it. They should encourage civic engagement and create strongly interconnected and engaged communities. At the same time, universities are also affected by the widespread digitalisation that is affecting all its processes. Linking digitalisation and civic engagement would help universities to broaden their scope, bring a new range of activities and enable more actors to be involved, by removing physical barriers.
The DICE project focuses specifically on combining digitalisation and the third mission of universities, by providing university educators and course directors with a step-by-step guide on how to create their own digital community engagement courses and bring it into the online world.
The DICE project aims to:
- Provide university educators and course directors with an integrated framework for digital community engagement, based on the values identified in the research
- Define a process for creating digital community engagement courses in the form of a manual
- Validate the above listed tools by piloting and launching a new digital accelerator platform
- Provide a collection of best practices, references and strategic recommendations
The project is a collaboration between partners from Slovakia (Technical University of Košice), Germany (ACEEU), Italy (IUL), Spain (UAH) and Romania (HELIX). TU Košice is the coordinator of the project.
Coordinator: prof. RNDr. Oto Hudec, CSc.
Duration: 2022-2026
Financing: Európska komisia
Webpage: https://secove-project.eu
Project number: 01056201
SECOVE aims to establish a platform of Centres of Vocational Excellence across 5 different European countries whose main goal is to mainstream a European culture of innovation, inclusiveness, and excellence in the sector of sustainable and renewable energies. The platform will be based on a solid transnational dialogue between locally established VET centres, business organizations, public actors and other relevant stakeholders to ensure the maximum degree of engagement and osmosis between VET sector and the industry.
PROJECT OBJECTIVE:
- To promote innovation, creativity and entrepreneurial mindset;
- To promote learner-centred and inclusive Vocational Education;
- To support work-based learning at national and trans¬national level;
- To attract more women at all ages and from all back¬grounds in technical occupations;
- To promote quality culture and European and international quality standards;
- To ensure the sustainability of the SECOVE platform, through engagement of stakeholders, alignment of the platform with Smart Specialisation Strategies and securing governance and financing
PARTNERS:
- University of West Attica, Greece -coordinator
- Technická Univerzita Košice, Slovakia,
- ASTRA – Association for Innovation and Development, Slovakia
- IZOLA, Slovakia
- Secondary School of Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Slovakia
- Slovak Chamber of Civil Engineers, Slovakia
- IDEC, Greece
- IEK Delta, Greece
- DIEK Aigaleo, Greece
- Chamber of Small and Medium Sized Industries of Piraeus; Greece
- CRES;Greece
- Politeknika Ikastegia Txorrieri, Spain
- ONDOAN, Spain
- GAIA, Spain
- CIOFS-FP, Italy
- Universita degli studi di Roma La Sapienza, Italy
- RI.EL.CO Impianti srl, Italy
- Regione autonoma della Sardegna, Italy
- Omegaflow, Portugal
- IPP, Portugal
- ENERGAIA, Portugal
- INOVA+, Portugal
Coordinator for TUKE: Ing. Frantisek Janke, PhD.
Duration: 5/2022 – 5/2024
Funding: Programme „Climate change mitigation and adaptation“ (SK-Climate) co-financed by the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2014 - 2021 and the State Budget of the Slovak Republic
Project website: www.young4climate.sk
Project Number: ACC05P04
Project aims to increase the awareness level on climate crisis adaptation and mitigation by delivering the series of innovative awareness raising activities targeting especially the pupils and their families at 62 secondary schools in Košice region, helping them to understand the climate agenda and preparing them to fight the climate crisis. Project activities focus on environmental literacy, methods of solving environmental problems, understanding of own responsibility, assessment and communication of the actual environment situation.
To increase the awareness level of target groups, the project will deliver :
- 7 thematic campaigns on climate adaptation and mitigation conducted via serious game and social media,
- the voting contest among schools;
- the implementation of the demonstration measures as the educational areas;
- general project promotion via project website and information events.
The consortium of project partners consists of the Technical University (the main beneficiary) and three partners - the European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation Via Carpathia Ltd, the Košice Self-Governing Region and Smart Innovation Norway AS (Norwegian partner).
More information at: www.young4climate.sk
Coordinator: prof. RNDr. Oto Hudec, CSc.
Duration: 2021-2023
Financing: European Commission
Webpage: https://microhub.erasmus.site/
Project number: 2021-1-SK01-KA220-VET-000032999
Craft and arts form an integral part of human identity and the economy. This area was one of the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Industry 4.0 offers many opportunities for artists and craftsmen to start or revitalise their businesses. To take advantage of these opportunities, entrepreneurs need digital skills and a creative entrepreneurial mindset.
The MicroHUB project is aimed at developing innovative digital learning solutions to increase the efficiency and competitiveness of crafters’ and artisans microenterprises especially in the context of participation to national and EU markets. The development of training materials will strengthen the capacities of existing micro-enterprises and craft - type enterprises so that they are able to establish and sustain themselves in the current and ever-changing economic market. The project aims to help all craftsmen and artists who want to set up their own micro-enterprise and fight unemployment.
The MicroHUB project aims to:
- Prepare training materials for trainers to teach them how to respond flexibly to the challenges of digitalisation and to teach in a project-oriented way.
- Support capacity building through innovative approaches, through skills development and business models for professionals in the field of crafts and arts
- Enable people to acquire new skills that will enrich their professional lives and open up new opportunities in the labour market
- Provide digital tools to facilitate entrepreneurship and help start new businesses in the post-covid era
The project is a collaboration between partners from Slovakia (Technical University of Košice), Malta (IIF), Ireland (I&F), Poland (CWEP), Bulgaria (OECOM), Sweden (Sensus) and Greece (Fix in Art). Technical University of Košice is the coordinator of the project.
Coordinator: doc. Ing. Nataša Urbančíková, PhD.
Duration: 2021-2024
Financing: European Commission
Webpage: www.trigger-project.com
Project number: 617309-EPP-1-2020-1-SK-EPPKA2-CBHE-JP
The countries of Central Asia- Kazachstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have undergone major changes in recent years, which have brought them positives and considerable development. However, they are still struggling to create a strong economy and healthy competition for businesses in the market. The reasons are frequent changes in the political system, poverty, high unemployment or emigration of the population. They still prefer more traditional industries, they lack innovation, their technological infrastructure is at a weaker level and all that combined hinders their enterpreneurial development.
The aim of the TRIGGER project is to improve conditions at universities and educate students in innovative ways. The result of this education should be young people whose entrepreneurial thinking and skills will prepare them for their future profession and open them doors to new opportunities in the labor market. Educated and prepared graduates will create a new generation whose knowledge and skills can therefore secure the progress and contribute to economic growth of the Central Asia countries.
TRIGGER project intends to do that by:
- supporting HEI preparedness for future challenges especially related to the entrepreneurial and innovative nature of their higher education environment;
- enhancing Entrepreneurship Education and Skills Development at Central Asia HEIs;
- establishing/enhancing the Careers, Employability and Enterprise Services at Central Asia HEIs;
- strenghtening the relations between HEIs and the wider economic and social environment.
This international project is a partnership between European and Central Asian partners. Eleven universities from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kazachstan will cooperate with partners from Slovakia, Greece, Austria and France. The leader of this project is TUKE, Slovakia.
The Košice 2.0 project is being implemented thanks to the initiative of the European Commission Urban Innovation Measures (UIA). The aim is to support innovative and experimental projects in the field of sustainable urban development to the extent that the cities would not normally be able to fund. More information
ACCESS-3DP is a transnational project funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union, implemented by 5 different organisations in France, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Spain.
The project aims at taking Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing) as a new, disruptive technology under the umbrella of Advanced Manufacturing in order to set out frameworks to train and upskill workers in the craft and creative industries.
More information: https://access3dp.eu/
Coordinator: doc. Ing. Nataša Urbančíková, PhD.
Duration: 2020 - 2022
Financing: Európska komisia, spolufinancované ERDF
Web page: http://smartcommunities.eu/
The aim of the project is to revitalize rural areas around the Slovak - Hungarian border. The project focuses on exploiting the potential of the rural workforce, the integrity of communities, but also on developing a partnership between the two republics. As part of this initiative, the Smart Communities project has raised the digital awareness of rural people, who are often marginalized and, due to their disadvantaged position, lack the opportunities or motivation to develop key ICT skills.
Through the creation of intelligent working groups, the project transfers professional knowledge and know-how to the population in a natural way. The task of mobile IT centers and local movements is to bring technological conveniences to people even in the most remote areas and to teach them to work with them so that they are self-sufficient. In cooperation with the Technical University in Košice, they also want to involve young people from these rural areas and arouse their interest in education.
The project "Intelligent Communities 2.0 - How to be smart in the countryside?" EötvösLoránduniversity of Budapest SKHU/1902/4.1/027) takes place in the years 2020 – 2022. The consortium consists of the Faculty of Economics of the Technical University and two partners from Hungary - the Interindustria Knowledge Center Foundation from Salgótarján and EötvösLoránduniversity from Budapest.
Coordinator: doc. Ing. Nataša Urbančíková, PhD.
Duration: 2020 - 2022
Financing: Európska komisia,
Web page: inclusiveworkplace.eu
Project number: 2020-1-SK01-KA204-078253
Diversity is one of the principles that the European Union promotes. Diversity in the workplace means creating working conditions in which all people, regardless of their race, age, religion, etc., succeed. Since population is aging rapidly, so is the workforce.
Creating an environment that takes this phenomenon into account requires careful preparation. It is becoming more and more common for different generations with diametrically different approaches to work to meet in the workplace. This can sometimes become a source of discrimination, a hostile work environment and can even result in termination of the employment. Problems also appear at the very beginning of employment process - employers refuse to hire older workers because they are inflexible and often lag behind in knowledge of the latest digital technologies. On the contrary, there is also a problem with the recruitment of young workers, due to the lack of experience and little or no practice.
The aim of the INSPIRER project (Inclusive workplaces for senior workers) is to eliminate this mutual age discrimination and, conversely, to help create inclusive workplaces. Managers of multigenerational companies will have training on how to manage such workplaces so that this goal is met. The intention is to teach employees to draw on each other's knowledge and experience through reverse mentoring.
Based on this, the implementation of the project includes the creation of a training program for multigenerational culture in the workplace, an e-learning platform, a 360º evaluation tool for multigenerational culture in the workplace and mutual reverse mentoring.
The project is implemented in five countries of the European Union, namely Slovakia (TUKE and ASTRA), Hungary (TREBAG), Greece (IDEC and OBES), Luxembourg (CCIL) and Germany (VHS).
Danube´s Archaeological eLandscapes project´s major goal is to make the archaeological heritage, especially archaeological landscapes of the Danube region, regionally, nationally and internationally more visible and thereby more attractive for its integration into sustainable cultural tourism.
More information: http://www.interreg-danube.eu/approved-projects/danube-s-archaeological-elandscapes
And you fill find us also on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danubesarchaeological
Coordinator: prof. RNDr. Oto Hudec, CSc.
Duration: 2020-2021
Financing: European Commission
Web page: http://ris3heinnovate.eu/
Project number: 612903-EPP-1-2019-1-PT-EPPKA3-PI-FORWARD
To bring Europe back to growth and higher levels of employment, Europe needs more entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship is a key competence – powerful driver – to increase the competitiveness and economic growth of EU economies. A number of tools have been created to support the development of an entrepreneurial mindset among EU citizens, among which HEInnovate for higher education institutions. The European Commission and the OECD have joined forces in the development of HEInnovate. HEInnovate is a self-assessment tool for Higher Education Institutions who wish to explore their innovative potential. It is free, confidential and open to anyone to use. The Council of the European Union invites the Member States to enhance the entrepreneurial and innovative capabilities of higher education institutions through the use of the HEInnovate self-assessment tool.
The aim of the project RE-ACT (Self-reflection Tools for Smart Universities Acting Regionally) is to help in exploiting the potential of HEInnovate self-reflection tool for the design and implementation of Regional Innovation Strategy (RIS3). The tool HEInnovate for RIS3 will support HEIs to rethink and reposition their strategies, structures and actions through a holistic approach to innovation and entrepreneurship, regionally embedded and supported by collaborative links among key actors of the quadruple helix.
The expected project results are:
- HEInnovate for RIS3 online self-assessment tool and supporting resources,
- capacity building programmes and resources for HEIs and regional actors,
- HEIs’ self-assessment, organisational action plan and joint positioning,
- RIS3 design and other collaborative processes leveraged by HEIs and engaging key actors of the quadruple helix,
- trans-regional spillovers underpinned by a validated framework and facilitated by an effective peer support mechanism,
- White Paper with policy recommendations for HEInnovate for RIS3.
The project is realized in consortium with the partners from Hungary, Portugal, Romania, Italy and Belgium.
Co-funded by the European Union
PARTNERSHIP WITHOUT BORDERS
Cross-border network of energy sustainable universities - NET4ENERGY
Coordinator: doc. Ing. Nataša Urbančíková, PhD.
Duration: 2019 – 2021
Financing: European Commission, The Hungary-Slovakia-Romania-Ukraine ENI CBC Programme
Project number: HUSKROUA/1702/6.1/0075
Net4SENERGY is designed to raise capacity of key universities within the cross-border HUSKROUA region to ensure sustainable development of territories through cooperation, support and exchange actions contributing to that. EU-UA Association Agreement which came fully to force in 2017 show deep potential and draws a strict agenda for such cooperation in energy-efficiency and promotion of renewables in Ukraine. Furthermore, all 4 countries represented in the project are looking for new opportunities for closer cooperation, including the field of higher education, business links, partnership of municipalities and we believe such kind of projects will trigger that in proactive way. The project target groups are a triangle: (i) the HEI staff, teachers and students; (ii) regional stakeholders – authorities, municipalities and SMEs; (iii) domestic energy consumers. The project aims to: (1) To establish a cross-border network of universities as proactive agents of energy-efficiency with own sustainable energy action plans, a set of promotions tools and pilot installations on RES – educational and research site with real cost-saving for university; (2) feasibility study, bottlenecks identification (physical and IT infrastructure, management model): (3) building-up a control systems with IT-solutions for on-line monitoring of consumption and energy losses by single.
The applicant is Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas with other partners as beneficiaries – Technical University of Košice, Slovakia, University of Miskolc, Hungary and Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, North University Center of Baia Mare, Romania.
For more information about ENI CBC HUNGARY–SLOVAKIA-ROMANIA-UKRAINE Programme please visit https://huskroua-cbc.eu/
Coordinator: doc. Ing. Nataša Urbančíková, PhD
Duration: 2019 - 2021
Financing: European Commission
Web page:https://savestartups.erasmus.site/
Project number: 2019-1-PL01-KA202-065209
Industry 4.0 is expected to boost the productivity and value added of European industries and stimulate economic growth. As part of its new Digital Single Market Strategy, the European Commission wants to help all industrial sectors exploit new technologies and manage a transition to a smart, Industry 4.0 industrial system.
Most of the currently available VET programs do not foresee the development of the mentioned skills. Therefore, the project Consortium has identified the need to build on the content and resources within, for VET learners to acquire adequate competences to participate on the labour market in the Industry 4.0 sector. An additional challenge is that start uppers are very busy persons, expecting training on practical and time-saving solutions, which they could immediately apply in their professional environments. The project results to be delivered will be tailored to meet these requirements.
OBJECTIVES
The project aim is to strengthen the quality of start-uppers, young entrepreneurs and VET providers, and enhance their professional development through improving digital entrepreneurship competences, as well as give them the opportunity to validate these competences and adapt to VET environment.
Start-uppers’ experience is commonly analysed across countries, because they operate in specific, mostly high-tech sectors, and their scope of activity is often transitional. That is the first reason, why this project is under implementation within transnational partnership. The second one is the experience and background of entities involved in the project (related with start-ups, collaborating with or supporting them),
which have to be joined to create synergies.
Main TARGET GROUPS
The target groups in this project are Start-uppers, Young entrepreneurs, as well as VET Teachers and VET providers from Poland, Lithuania Spain, Cyprus, Portugal and Slovakia.
RESULTS
1.1. IO1 - Curriculum for VET providers - “Digital, Modern Entrepreneurship it’s your best chance!”- extended curriculum containing the aim, the objectives, the rationale, the content with the description of the 7 modules, duration of the training course, forms and methods of delivery, the learning outcomes and the validation tool for VET providers, references.
The aim of the curriculum is to define the framework for developing the training modules under the second project output (IO2).
Additionally, this program is devoted to the development of VET providers and VET Teachers in the field of validation of digital entrepreneurship competences. The size of the program will be about 70 pages. This program is devoted to enhance start-uppers professional development through improving digital entrepreneurship competences, as well as give them the opportunity to validate these competences and adapt to VET environment.
1.2. IO2 - Digital training materials for start-uppers - set of Open Educational Resources (OERs) with m-learning interface containing training materials for start-uppers and consisting of 7 modules:
- ‘Digital start-ups’ vs ‘Digital scale-ups’,
- Circular economy in your start-up,
- Digital Lifestyle entrepreneurship,
- Internet of Thing in entrepreneurial practice,
- Infrastructures of sensors in daily business usage,
- Analytics algorithms for customers Big Data,
- Cybersecurity in your start-up.
The major innovation of the SAVE start-ups project is that it gives the opportunity to the targeted groups to enhance their digital skills, emphasising on concepts like Digital Entrepreneurship, IoT in entrepreneurial practice, Circular Economy and how start-ups can embrace this concept.
PARTNERSHIP
The SAVE start-ups partnership constitutes of representatives from Poland (RARR and Danmar), Spain (Sea Tech), Lithuania (SIF), Portugal (Mindshift), Cyprus (GrantXpert) and Slovakia (TUKE) - organizations experienced in impacting on societies lacking sufficient skills or resources.
Coordinator: prof. RNDr. Oto Hudec, CSc.
Duration: 2018 - 2020
Financing: Európska komisia
Web page: http://www.ontrack-project.eu/sk/
Project number: 2018-1-SK01-KA202-046331
The employability of young people is a concern in many EU Member States, especially in Southern and Eastern Europe. In many countries, including Slovakia, Greece, Bulgaria, Latvia, Spain and Cyprus, VET graduates are unemployed, or they are working in jobs irrelevant with their studies. Good quality information about what VET graduates do after leaving education and training, how they use the knowledge, skills and competences they gained, is essential to understand both the causes of employability problems and the success factors in particular regions, economic sectors or for graduates from particular VET institutes and disciplines. This information can then be used to identify solutions.
The project On Track responds to the identified gap and will develop, evaluate and put in use a VET graduates tracking system for graduates of initial vocational education and training schools and institutes.
The aims of the project are:
- To analyse, in depth, the context and need in each country.
- To develop a tracking system for VET graduates at institute level that will feed into the quality assurance system of the VET provider.
- To pilot test and implement the tracking system, establish a tracking mechanism and integrate it in VET monitoring processes.
- To support VET providers to establish the tracking mechanism and integrate it into their quality assurance system.
On Track project addresses European policies and priorities and responds to common needs of European VET providers. The transnational partnership guarantees the development of a tracking mechanism and tools that respond to the needs of all involved countries and can also be transferred to other countries.
Target groups:
The target groups of the project are VET schools and institutes providing secondary (EQF levels 3-4) and post-secondary (EQF level 5) initial VET, institutes providing further VET courses and higher education institutes (EQF levels 6-7).
Coordinator: doc. Ing. Nataša Urbančíková, PhD.
Duration: 2018 - 2020
Financing: Európska komisia
Web page: https://entermode.eu/
Project number: 601125-EPP-1-2018-1-SK-EPPKA2-KA
Competitiveness of European economy requires citizens and particularly young people to be innovative, creative, flexible and courageous to face challenges in a dynamic and volatile economy.
Young people need to become ‘entrepreneurs’: they should be able to turn ideas into action, successfully develop new commercial and social ventures and be innovator in the organizations where they work.
The entrepreneurial mind-set is not a personal characteristic and it can be developed through learning and experience within the education system. The European Union has set as a strategic objective to enhance creativity and innovation, including entrepreneurship at all levels of education and training (Education and Training 2020).
AIMS & OBJECTIVES
EnterMode aims to stimulate entrepreneurial skills of higher education teaching staff and company staff and develop the entrepreneurial mind-set and related skills of higher education students. Its main objectives are:
- Raising awareness on the importance of internships for higher education students in general and for building entrepreneurial skills
- Developing HEIs–companies partnerships for the promotion of entrepreneurial education of higher education students
- Capacity building of higher education teaching staff and companies’ trainers, to organise entrepreneurial teaching and learning
- Developing entrepreneurial mind-set, skills and competences of higher education students, during their internships
- Developing an integrated model of entrepreneurship skills acquisition that includes different levels of learning, using online serious game
- Building a community of practice that allows for developing common practice and integrating newcomers into existing business communities
- Developing learning analytics to enable the tracking of learning progress and adapt the EnterMode program to personal and organisational needs.
URBAN CENTRES of so-called peripheral regions in the Central Europe widely lack innovation and business development spirit due to their limited access to global innovation processes and cooperation partners. Various Circular economy models offer options for the sustainable and resource-efficient development of cities and municipalities and for pooling innovation, new technologies, services, solutions and business models. In order to help cities overcome those challenges, we created CITYCIRCLE.
The CITYCIRCLE project will facilitate innovation and technology transfer and improve services and business models in peripheral cities. By providing these with tools and knowledge linked to the circular economy, the project will enable a new generation of innovative solutions in their urban ecosystems in a long-run. A full circular economy package for cities will deploy organizational structures, knowledge and tools, transnational value chains and present visible benefits to their citizens.
More information: https://www.interreg-central.eu/Content.Node/CITYCIRCLE.html
And you fill find us also on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CitycircleInterregCentral/
I-CARE-SMART - Innovation Ecosystem for Smart Elderly Care
Health and well-being of the elderly is not only a societal challenge but also as growth opportunity by bringing innovation closer to senior citizens.
Local and regional governments involved in the I-CARE-SMART project are committed to act as facilitators of innovation. They aim to offer an open space for co-creation. For that they will exploit existing channels through which elderly citizens are currently reached (e.g. the care system, senior communities, social networks).
Together with regional partners, there will be new quadruple helix innovation ecosystems that will create huge potentials for promoting innovation through a better understanding of user needs.
The project will deliver a comprehensive toolset with practical guidance on how to engage seniors and businesses in user-focused co-creation and open innovation. The development of innovative solutions together with final users will be piloted in interactive co-creation sessions and living-lab tests. Additionally, the project will create a “SilverStar” platform to facilitate co-creation processes across borders.
More information: www.interreg-central.eu/I-CARE-SMART
And you fill find us also on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/icare.smart.ue/
Projekt RECORD - Regions in Europe Coordinate and Optimize innovation and competitiveness policy instruments towaRDs improving the sustainability of transport - study case of SMEs in the railway sector
Europe has always been a step ahead regarding sustainable transport mode in comparison with the rest of the world and Europe has developed valuable expertise and innovation in the railway sector. That is why, railway is identified in many RIS3. However due to a fierce competition in particular from emerging industries, the whole sector and especially SME are facing big challenges regarding their competitiveness (pricebased vs. innovationbased competitiveness). To tackle this challenge, regions with the help of the EC, put efforts to encourage R&I joint activities (triple helix concept) by offering innovation delivery support in the ERDF OP (direct fundings, cluster policy...). Other initiatives have been launched towards the railway sector but it has been pointed out that SME have specific issues due to the way public transport works, the specificities of its value chain and its market structure (few big companies with thousands of SMEs, few profit margin, low innovation culture, etc.). Taking this into consideration, the RECORD project aims at helping SME to invest more and better in innovation activities by redesigning the regional policy instruments. To do so, we plan individual work to be compared with partnering regions and analyzed. Benchmark and brainstorming sessions with local stakeholders will help draw provenoriented conclusions and develop new approaches together. To have comparability and to be able to share experiences and learn from each other, it is key to admit regional policy structure, industrial environment and clusters differences. Stakeholders engagement in this project is very important as it will be the first time managing authorities, clusters, businesses, universities, other funding organizations, regions etc. are working together early in the political process in the railway sector. This lends credibility and builds solid foundation to develop a framework that will be accepted for implementation.
More information about the project: https://www.interregeurope.eu/record/
More information about the Interreg Europe Program: https://www.interregeurope.eu/
- Lead partner is i-Trans Transports Terrestres Promotion and implementation in Slovakia is performed by Technical University in Kosice.
- Project duration: 1st June 2018 – 31st May 2022
- Project budget: 1,102,909 EUR
Dokuments:
Projekt CABCIN - Establishment of Capacity Building Centers as a sustainable solution to raise the standards of teaching staff in Indian HEIs