European Partnership in Hydroponics

<< Background >>We are currently being affected by climate change that affects all of us and our way of life. Pollution, temperature increase, melting ice in the Arctic and deforestation is some of the challenges we face. This project would address the United nations global goals of starvation and building sustainable cities. Hydroponics will safe-guarding the production of food of tomorrow and give us greener cities and space for tree and forest but still supply vegetables in a smaller growing areal​. Working with hydroponics we all saw the opportunity to learn more about green tech, to get VET students within the green sector more competent in technical and digital skills and to get students from theoretical education more interested in environmental questions and how green tech can solve many of the environmental questions. With the focus on Environment and climate change we wanted to improve Innovation in vocational education and training and promoting interest and excellence in STEM for all students and strengthening digital skills and competences. << Objectives >>The overall objective of this project was focusing on green and digital transition. The aim of the smal scale project was to establish a long term European partnership in hydroponics​, increasing knowledge in digital technology to use for teaching hydroponic cultivation. In the partnership we also wanted so show how cooperative projects in hydroponics can be a smart way of remote working​.The more precise objectives were:Increase experience of & readiness for transnational, Erasmus partnership cooperation ​Increase the knowledge of how to create a hydroponic lab at the basic level among our staffIncrease knowledge of what digital technology to use for teaching hydroponic cultivation, cooperative projects in hydroponics & smart remote workingEstablish a long term European partnership in hydroponicsIncrease experience of & readiness for transnational, Erasmus partnership cooperation Dissemination of project results at local, regional, national & European levelIncrease the knowledge of how to create a hydroponic lab at the basic level among our staff​Dissemination of project results at local, regional, national & European level​<< Implementation >>We had several digital meetings in the partner group. In this project School leaders and teachers were the main participants but we have also arranged activities to engage our students and to show them what is going on and to make them ready for a deeper partnership and work with hydroponics in the future. During the learning events in the Netherlands and in Sweden the students made presentations of their work and in Sweden the students had a workshop in simple programming. Early in the spring of 2022 we had a digital workshop where staff from TKNIKA went trough how a aquaponic system work and student from all partner Schools was invited. After Learning event 4 TKNIKA made a film with an assignment for the students that resulted in short films from each partner (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuy3P_QIt8asv14fT1WwtXdW7KlutKhem) and both students and associated partners participate in our final dissemination conference. Learning events: - Hydroponic gardening in The Netherlands - Scientific & digital components in hydroponics in Sweden - Hydroponic farming & entrepreneurship in Danemark - Building a hydroponic lab in SpainThere have been articles and films about the project in several webbsites including EfVET.<< Results >>We were aiming to look into different examples of how to build a basic hydroponics lab including digital tools and systems and in each country this has been thoroughly investigated and teachers have been inspired in how to laborate out of their opportunities. Our knowhow about the Global goals have in a very practical way been focused on hydroponics, digital tools for teaching hydroponics and for remote working and collaboration. We have also seen that there are challenges both connected to each region but also more global. We now see challenges that we did not have in the same way when the project started. The pandemic and the need to work digital was very obvious but the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis are new challenges. It is even more clear that we need to continue to emphasise on international and european collaboration to strengthen relations and focus on mutal cooperation instead of differences and disagreements. At the same time it is important to see how each and every country can be self sufficient. In hydroponics water and energy supply is crucial. We have had a focus on increasing readiness to conduct KA1 and KA2 Erasmus mobility and partnerships and established long term European partnership in hydroponic.