To remain competitive in global markets, European footwear needs to focus on increasing its added value. Research and innovation is essential, and much has been developed in various fields. However, results stay often “on the shelve” because footwear companies do not know how to transfer them into products, processes and services. “Knowledge4Foot”, a new Erasmus+ project, will foster innovation in European footwear by enhancing the research and development skills of footwear employees.
The European project “Knowledge4Foot: Knowledge Platform for Transferring Research and Innovation in Footwear Manufacturing” was launched in Iasi, Romania, on 19-20 January 2016. Its objective is to create a curriculum and a knowledge platform for internships and project-based learning. Many European footwear companies currently lack employees with the right set of skills to unleash the companies’ innovative potential, the curriculum will be designed to foster excellence in product design and development, engineering, and management. Moreover, the curriculum and correspondent training will be optimised to meet European footwear companies’ innovation needs and make the most of the existing research results by reinforcing the “knowledge triangle”, which consists of business, research, and education. With the right set of skills, employees will be able to transfer technological knowledge and research results to leather and footwear products.
The project consortium, led by the Gheorghe Asachi Technical University of Iași, includes education and research organisations, enterprises, and other footwear and education stakeholders based in six different European countries, namely Romania, Belgium, Greece, Portugal, Spain, and Croatia.
The CEC –European Confederation of the Footwear Industry- leads the first project output, which is a study on labour market needs for highly qualified professionals in footwear manufacturing. In addition to providing an overview of such needs, the study aims to identify the mix of transversal and professional skills that can improve the transfer of research and innovation results into product, processes, and services in order to increase the added value of the final product. The results of this study will provide the first elements to design the curriculum that will link research and innovation to business through High Education learning.
Europe has a long-standing tradition in footwear manufacturing and is widely recognised for its high quality products. Knowledge4Foot will contribute to maintaining Europe’s image and position through the development of a training-based model that provides the necessary skills to high education students in order to manufacture innovative materials, processes and products. Connecting the “knowledge triangle” will enhance the contribution of higher education to jobs and growth in EU footwear sector and will become an exemplary model for fostering excellence in education in the European Union.
More information soon available at www.knowledge4foot.eu .
CEC
Brussels
8 February 2016