09/2014
The project URBAN GREEN TRAIN (URBAN GReen Education for ENTteRprising Agricultural Innovation) was designed to encourage pioneering business-oriented initiatives in urban agriculture through knowledge exchange and mutual cooperation between SMEs, policy-makers and higher education institutions. The project developed lifelong learning opportunities through a flexible path that can be entered at different life stages.
Contact details
E-mail : giorgio.gianquinto@unibo.it
Website : http://www.urbangreentrain.eu
Italia
Stakeholders
∙Partner academic institutions: University of Bologna (Italy), agreenium (France), University of Applied Sciences Südwestfalen (Germany)
∙ Private partners: Mammut Film, STePS and Grow the Planet (Italy), Vegepolys (France), Hei-tro GmbH (Germany)
∙ Partner NGOs: RUAF Foundation (Netherlands – International network and leading centre of expertise in the field of urban agriculture and city-region food systems), HORTICITY (Italy)
Objectives
∙Strengthening the knowledge triangle between education, research and business in the field of urban agriculture
∙ Raising awareness of potential employers and entrepreneurs on the global demand for urban green innovation
∙ Developing innovate curricula and learning methods, crossing sectoral, disciplinary and national boundaries
∙ Advocating on the role of new green enterprises in creating more sustainable cities
Legal framework & Budget
URBAN GREEN TRAIN is an ERASMUS+ Key Action 2 Strategic Partnership for Higher Education. The project was coordinated by the University of Bologna and involved 9 other partners.Activities
During a first phase, the project analysed the business opportunities related to urban agriculture, the existing educational offer and the training needs of different target groups. In a second phase, 5 training modules and educational resources were developed, tested through a full eLearning and an international blended course, including a 2-week at presence course in Bologna. The modules and resources were improved on the basis of the results of this phase and translated in the partner languages to be made available on online platforms. Policy recommendations for the validation and recognition of competences and a proposal of curriculum respecting the higher education standards were also developed.>Innovation & Outcomes
URBAN GREEN TRAIN is innovative as it developed a prototype and model for the collaborative development of courses/curricula covering both urban agriculture and entrepreneurship. The strong involvement of entrepreneurs in the process has led to the creation of educational materials that fill the gaps in the existing educational offer. To extend the impact of the project, an international and inter- disciplinary Cluster on Entrepreneurial Urban Agriculture (URBANAG) was created.447 684
Main obstacles & Next steps
The cluster, constituted as a working group, will schedule periodical discussion forums, meetings and newsletters to create a knowledge exchange platform on the most innovative entrepreneurial forms in urban agriculture, to connect experts from different disciplines, and to address to the main funding agencies with key topics and initiatives.More on :
http://www.urbangreentrain.eu
