Project Name: Ruralskills - empowering rural communities through vocational training, digital innovation and sustainable development (RURALSKILLS) ERASMUS+ 2025-1-IT01-KA220-VET-000364404

Project goal: To support the priorities of European vocational education and training by promoting inclusive education, facilitating the green and digital transitions, and enhancing employability through innovative methods. By using a comprehensive needs assessment, modern educational tools, and collaborative digital platforms, the project aims to empower rural communities, reduce unemployment, and foster local economic development, thereby contributing to the strategic objectives of the European Union.

Project description: The project is aimed at strengthening skills, education, and employability in rural areas through innovative and inclusive approaches aligned with EU strategies on digitalization, the green transition, and lifelong learning.

Project objectives:

• Analyzing skills gaps, training barriers and labor demands in rural areas and aligning them with the European Skills Agenda and CEDEFOP's projections.

• Creating inclusive and practical vocational training programs on digital skills, green skills and entrepreneurship through XRbased gamified training tools.

• Overcoming geographical and social barriers by creating digital learning platforms for youth, women and low-skilled individuals in rural areas.

• Increase green and digital skills by developing sustainable education programs focused on smart agriculture, renewable energy and circular economy.

• Contributing to regional development and reducing rural-urban migration by increasing the employability of rural women and low-skilled individuals.

• Increase cooperation between VET providers, rural stakeholders and policy makers to disseminate innovative methods.

• Promote continuous learning of individuals through interactive and participatory learning approaches and provide mentoring and networking opportunities through digital platforms.

Project duration: 01.11.2025 – 31.10.2027

Total grant amount: 250 000,00 EUR

Grant amount for UzhNU: 28 120,00 EUR

Project team of UzhNU: 

1. Bulyna A.M. – Deputy Head of the Department of International Relations, Assoc. Prof. of Applied Linguistics – Exper
2. Haivovych Y.F. – Head of E-Learning Department – Expert
3. Kichera N.M. – Assoc. Prof. of Political Science and State Administration – Project Coordinator
4. Kolodiy M.M. – Senior Lecturer of Political Science and State Administration – Expert
5. Lendiel M.O. – Prof. of Political Science and State Administration, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs – Expert
6. Sviezhentseva O.I. – Head of the Department of International Relations – Expert
   
   

Main partner:

Fondazione Fenice Onlus (Italy) www.feniceonlus.it

Partners:

1. Asociación Cultural Grio (Spain) www.culturalgrio.org
2. Balkan Institute Of Innovative Development (Bulgaria) www.balkan.institute
3. Sual Yönetim Ve Danismanlik Sanayi Ve Ticaret Limited Sirketi (Turkey) www.sualdanismanlik.com
4. Univerzita Mateja Bela V Banskej Bystrici (Slovakia) www.umb.sk
5. Uzhhorod National University www.uzhnu.edu.ua