At the beginning of November, representatives of the six German-Italian model networks of the ConnActions – Condividere, Cooperare, Crescere project met at the Santa Chiara Laboratory of the University of Siena. The project is entirely financed by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and coordinated by the German-Italian Chamber of Commerce (AHK Italy). The aim of the initiative is to promote exchange and cooperation between German and Italian stakeholders in various economic and educational fields and to create synergies.
The ‘Taste’ network was represented by Stefania Fecchio, Director of the ‘Santachiara’ vocational training centre in Stradella, and Dr Ivana Marenzi from the L3S Research Center at Leibniz University Hannover. It aims to analyse in detail and improve the Italian and German dual training systems in the food, wine and hotel sectors. The network comprises 27 partners from the province of Pavia and the Hanover region.
In an intensive workshop, the participants had the opportunity to get to know each other and to reflect on key work results and challenges one year after the project start. The afternoon was filled with group work, in which the participants exchanged working methods and defined future goals.
Accompanied by Prof. Langella from the University Federico II in Naples, Fecchio and Marenzi were given an insight into the Santa Chiara Lab, an innovation and research centre that develops modern applications for the food industry, including 3D printing processes and sensory tasting rooms. The centre also focuses on high-tech solutions to support people with disabilities.
In addition to the network representatives, the meeting was also attended by members of the monitoring committee, which included representatives from the Tuscany region, the Italian Ministry of Education (MIM), the BMBF, the INAPP (National Institute for the Analysis of Public Policies), the Unioncamere, the DLR – a project agency that supports the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) in its activities in the field of international vocational training cooperation – the German Confederation of Skilled Crafts and the Italian trade unions CISL (Confederazione italiana sindacati lavoratori) and UIL (Unione Italiana del Lavoro).
The ConnActions project aims to promote dialogue and the exchange of experiences between Italian and German stakeholders in dual vocational education and training in order to test successful models of bilateral public-private partnerships.
