PRESS RELEASE
Excellence-in-ReSTI: International pilot training kick-off for 25 project managers from the Danube Region

• Interreg Danube Transnational Programme (DTP) project team develops innovative Blended Learning curriculum
• One year pilot training packed with skills for project management in Research, Social and Technological Innovation (ReSTI)

Eisenstadt, Vienna, 02.10.2018 – Two days full of learning, networking, and gaining skills for innovative project management: University of Applied Sciences (UAS) Burgenland’s Campus Eisenstadt turned into a networking hub for 25 young project managers from all over Europe on October 1-2. The event kicked off a one-year pilot blended learning programme, the “ReSTI.academy”, in which students and trainers will work together on testing and improving a five-module curriculum on Excellence in Research, Social and Technological Innovation Project Management (Excellence-in-ReSTI). Project manager Gábor Szüdi (Lead Partner, Centre for Social Innovation – ZSI) and UAS Burgenland’s deputy project manager Irena Zavrl hosted the kick-off meeting, bringing together 25 international students with a team of 11 content-developing partners from 9 countries in the Danube Region (Austria, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia, Bulgaria, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Hungary). The quality-assured course modules will become part of the academic partners’ curricula as the project ends in fall 2019.

Online Learning Modules of ReSTI.academy

The Interreg DTP project “Excellence in Research, Social and Technological Innovation (ReSTI) Project Management“ aims at developing project management skills of first-time applicants for EU funded projects in the Danube Region. From a pool of 161 candidates, the consortium selected 25 funded participants for participating in three face-to-face meetings. Participants will be working on five online modules covering 20 courses: EU Policies, Project Design, Project Management, Social Innovation, and Innovation in the Business Context. The second meeting will take place in Budapest in March 2019 aiming to review experiences with the first semester and adjust the road for the second half of the study year.

The Five Doors to project management – and to an international career

The kick-off event in Eisenstadt (Austria) culminated in an open-to-public presentation of the unique ReSTI “Five Door” Blended Learning Approach developed exclusively for this project. UAS Burgenland’s innovation expert Regina Rowland explains: “The five doors provide opportunity to self-direct the learning process and adapt it to one’s own learning preferences”. The five doors are: The library, which refers to a location where resources are gathered and organized for easy access. The café facilitates social learning by creating relevant content together with others. The playground is addressing hands-on learners who need to engage with the content directly. The forest offers opportunities to digest and reflect upon the content and observe self or others during certain processes. Last but not least, the level of learning gained can be tested behind the assessment door.

Find more voices of the ReSTI.academy Pilot Training participants as well as further updates online: http://dtp.interreg-danube.eu/approved-projects/excellence-in-resti/news.

About the project

The aim of this project is to remove gaps in knowledge and skills in managing social and technological innovation projects. The general goal is to create an environment in which interested stakeholders can find easy-to-use checklists, learning modules and advice with a specifically tailored content regarding the management of ReSTI projects. The final output of the project is to establish an innovative learning system aimed at increasing employability and quality of ReSTI projects. The project is primarily oriented towards young ReSTI project managers, as well as administrators in public and private organizations engaged in ReSTI projects, within the Danube Region. Additionally, available know-how within partner institutions regarding ReSTI project management is to be shared with the civil society and small businesses, as well as young graduates as first-time applicants to transnational and multicultural projects. Excellence-in-ReSTI is implemented within Interreg Danube Transnational Programme with the financial support of the European Union ERDF and IPA funds.   

Learn more about the project Excellence-in-ReSTI or subscribe for the newsletter dtp.interreg-danube.eu/approved-projects/excellence-in-resti

Open source knowledge base: ReSTI Infodesk

In addition, the project offers a free online tool - ReSTI Infodesk - that will allow you to ask specific questions related to the preparation and management of your innovative international project: https://desk.zoho.eu/portal/excellenceinresti/newticket

Stay in touch and follow us on social media

Facebook: ExcellenceinReSTI/      Twitter: @ReSTI_project   LinkedIn (member group)

Further inquiry note
Univ.-Prof. Dr. Sc. Dr. h.c. Irena Zavrl, Ph.D. (Project Manager, UAS Burgenland)
Email: irena.zavrl@fh-burgenland.at

International press contact
Dr. Sc. Mladen Stamenković (Vice Communication Manager, University of Belgrade - Faculty of Economics)
Email: communication@excellence-in-resti.eu

Photos are available for free for press and media partners (reference to the copyright is kindly requested): http://www.fh-burgenland.at/fileadmin/user_upload/Bilder/Pressebilder/Pressebilder_2018_2019/Pressefoto_ReSTI.jpg