Abstract:

VIREG is a Project that corresponds to the Lifelong Learning Program (LLP), coordinated by the University of La Laguna and with the presence of other 7 Universities and research and entrepreneurship centers from main EU islands (Canary, Balearic, Madeira, Sicily, Cyprus, Crete, UK).

VIREG will develop a virtual platform and learning courses related with the management and efficient use of resources: Natural resources: land, water & commodities; Energy-related resources: renewables vs. non-renewables; Physical capital (machineries) and infrastructures (mainly public and related with the transport sector: road, maritime, air or alternative use to road); Human resources: labor force, human capital (knowledge, skills, abilities, etc.); Services provided by stakeholders (mainly partners), with special emphasis on: EU isolated regions and islands; Preferably oriented to: Postgraduates of about 22-45 years old, with maybe some experience in the labor market (i.e. returnee youth, excluded from jobs, transition from academic to market, etc.), With the need and interest to adapt their curricula to new situation (new jobs, new markets to be attend, new legal regulation, new customers of our services, etc.).

The first stage of the project is to identify education and skills needed to improve the efficiency in the use of resources; skill gaps in the target population. In partnership with stakeholders, the second stage is to offer a continuing education program of postgraduate modules through a virtual platform that will support not only training´s needs but also industry enterprises´ needs when there is an identifiable skill gap. The integrated platform will also support customers on aspects related to: the promotion of internships and other methods of applied learning (via the partners and stakeholders in each region); intellectual and industrial properties with the intention to promote entrepreneurship, business start-ups and innovation skills. The platform will be a place where partners’ services and expertise can be shown and promoted to attract customers with concreted needs, technological demands from other stakeholders (with the desire of trans-border cooperation), a window for future projects, panel of good regional practices, etc. The final stage is to consolidate VIREG. All partners will participate in the development of the virtual platform and ensure to award 5 ETCs per postgraduate module with the intention of creating a certification award as source for funding for the virtual portal beyond the project life (MOOC, on-line course, joint post-graduated diploma, etc.).

The set of modules included in VIREG are:
1. Introduction to Resources Efficiency;
2. Resource efficiency and Sustainable Green Growth;
3. Development and deployment of resources efficiency solutions technologies;
4. Environmental impacts of resource efficiency changes;
5. Resources Efficiency policies and initiatives;
6. Resources efficiency- entrepreneurship concepts;
7. Geographical Information Systems (GIS) for resources efficiency;
8. The efficient allocation of human resources in the labour market.