“New educational approach of innovative technologies and eco-advances in the marble industry”

<< Background >>The MarbleTech project addressed these needs by creating innovative educational tools, including a Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) integrated by a Book of lectures, and developing new qualification profiles aligned with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Along with a Decalogue, which has identified the main principles, the project aimed to foster a closer constructive connection between vocational training, industry requirements, and sustainability goals, thus supporting learners and educators, as well as contributing to greater competitiveness and environmental responsibility in the European marble sector.<< Objectives >>The project aimed mainly at improving vocational education and training (VET) quality and relevance by developing innovative educational methodologies and tools. Specifically, our objectives included enhancing teachers' and trainers' digital competencies, fostering the integration of digital technologies into teaching practices, and providing current and future managers with practical skills aligned with emerging labor market needs, such as environment, sustainability, quality and innovation.The project aimed to support innovation in the natural stone sector through strategic outputs beyond training, including an EQF-based professional profile for the “New Marble Manager”, an international survey on the current state of the sector, an Innovation Decalogue, and a stakeholder platform (VCC). These results promote the green and digital transition and foster dialogue between education and industry.<< Implementation >>The implementation of MarbleTech followed a coherent and structured sequence of activities connecting objectives, methods, and results:1. Project Management and Coordination:Established a governance framework and held regular meetings to coordinate nine partners from six countries, ensuring alignment and timely delivery.2. Research Activities:Conducted desk and field research with 200+ stakeholders to identify skills gaps and inform the development of training tools.3. Stakeholder Engagement and Community Building:Launched the Virtual Challenge Community to connect stakeholders and host the business idea competition.4. Educational Design and Testing:Developed and piloted a MOOC and Book of Lectures based on research, refined through feedback.5. Training and Capacity Building:Held workshops to train VET educators in digital tools and innovative teaching methods.6. Dissemination and Communication:Implemented a multilingual strategy with website, LinkedIn, newsletters, and events to share outputs.7. Sustainability and Exploitation:Ensured open access to outputs and their integration into institutions for long-term use.<< Results >>Collaborative design, piloting, and iterative refinement of:1. e-Guideline on the Marble Sector (Result 1):Multilingual guide on industry structure, innovation, and training needs, based on desk and field research.2. EQF-based Profile of the “New Marble Manager” (Result 2):European profile defining key competences for innovative, sustainable marble management.3. MOOC – Manager for an Efficient and Innovative Marble Industry (Result 3):Online course to support upskilling in digital tools, sustainability, and leadership.4. Virtual Challenge Community (VCC) and Innovative Business Idea Competition (IMBIC) (Result 4):Community platform for idea sharing and a business competition to promote innovation.5. Book of Lectures (Result 5):Collection of expert materials on management and product development, complementing the MOOC.6. Decalogue of Innovation (Result 6):Ten key principles for collaboration among industry, training, and research.7. Presentations and workshops:Training and validation sessions. 8. Scientific publications:Research through articles and conference papers.9. Cross-cutting impacts and legacy tools:Open-access, multilingual outputs designed for long-term reuse and adaptability.