In this project, 5 Flemish and Dutch partners, together with many stakeholders from the construction sector, worked on this future-proof, innovative educational method until the end of 2022. To this end, gaps between supply and demand were identified and cross-border pilots were set up in which new methods were tested. Both bachelor students and professionals participated in the pilots. The result is a roadmap along which relevant courses can further develop their existing curricula.
Climate objectives
The corona crisis made the vulnerability of global production chains and the importance of maintaining or rebuilding sufficient local production capacity visible. The transition to a bio-circular economy that uses local, renewable raw materials and creates new local jobs can make a strong contribution to expanding local production capacity.
One of the sectors that can have a significant impact is the construction sector. The climate emission of Dutch construction and demolition activities, including chain effects, has been calculated at 9.6 Mton CO2, which is 5% of the climate emission (Measuring is knowing in Dutch construction, CE Delft 2014). A large part of this is due to the use of materials: the production of raw materials, their transport and the processing of construction and demolition waste.
By implementing ecological construction and design, timber construction and new materials (such as biocomposites), as well as energy-efficient technologies, the sector can make a major contribution to the climate objectives and at the same time stimulate the local economy. To achieve this, this new knowledge must first be transferred to both bachelor students and professionals.
Methodology
The crisis also caused an abrupt switch to largely online education. Despite all the challenges that had to be overcome, such as declining motivation and poorer performance of students, this switch also revealed opportunities. By designing an efficient methodology and tools for a combination of online and contact education, students can learn together, stimulate social skills and certain physical barriers disappear.
The Interreg VL-NL project “Borderless Biobased Education” (GBO) has already shown that the relevant knowledge of current employees in the industry is still insufficient to fully utilise the growth potential of the region. This concerns knowledge in both technical and business economics, but also skills such as problem-solving thinking, leadership, research skills and teamwork.
Consortium
The consortium consisted of Avans University of Applied Sciences, Bouwmensen Zuidwest BV, HOGENT, HZ University of Applied Sciences and Gent University. In addition, industry associations in the sounding board group (BouwendNL (NL), Woodwize (VL), De VHC (Vereniging houtconstructeurs; NL) and Bouwunie (VL), as well as interested stakeholders (Holland Houtland (NL), Innovawood (VL;EU), KampC (VL) and Stichting Probos (NL), were closely involved in the project. With their networks and platforms, companies are actively involved in the retraining and further training of existing staff.
The ‘Learning Network Biobouwers’ project is financed within the Interreg V Flanders-Netherlands programme, the cross-border cooperation programme with financial support from the European Regional Development Fund and the province of Noord-Brabant. More information: www.grensregio.eu
Partners involved
