Description

The project aims to equip the sector with updated high-level skills required to meet the increasing consumer demand for personalised, differentiated and sustainable products, and at the same time, to make the related job openings more attractive to young people with modern curricula and innovative learning methods. Through specific training modules and innovative methodologies, workers will be upskilled and will develop the necessary competences for the current and new occupations required by the labour market. The SciLED project is a project co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union and coordinated by the Romanian University TUIASI. SciLED counts with many partners (check them all HERE) across Europe.

Objectives

The SciLED knowledge Alliance will approach footwear comfort, which is a complex subject that has only started to be studied by several researchers and research and technology institutes in the last two decades. The project will approach footwear comfort according to dimensional fitting, plantar mechanical comfort and sustainability.

Incorporation of comfort and sustainability in product life-cycle
Product life-cycle is a subject well documented in academic textbooks. The available documentation will be studied and revised and comfort and sustainability parameters will be included during the design process. Training material will be developed that will reflect the new life-cycle paradigm and the associated technologies.

Analysis of the parameters that affect footwear quality with respect to sustainability, comfort and performance
Both dimensional fitting and plantar comfort parameters will be analysed. Material properties, design processes and technologies and manufacturing techniques will be considered in terms of functionality, performance and final product sustainability. This study will provide the necessary scientific background for the establishment of new qualifications for the designers and product managers of the footwear sector.

To stimulate the collaboration of higher education and research institutes
With companies in order to jointly develop new learning and teaching methods centred on learners and real problem-based scenarios, as well as solutions for challenges and problems affecting the footwear sector.

Utilization of existing state-of-the-art technologies and computer-based tools for the determination of footwear comfort parameters using human bio models and simulation scenarios
Outcomes of previous projects and state-of-the-art design, 3D scanning and prototyping technologies will be utilized to provide practical training material to current and future footwear designers and product managers.

Refining and improving the curricula for the professions of Footwear Designer and Product Manager
The future shoe designer should be able to creatively use computer-based tools and technologies for the design of high-quality sustainable footwear, with increased comfort properties and aesthetics. Similarly, a product manager should be familiar with all the main aspects that influence shoe quality including the role of materials and manufacturing technologies in product performance. The new qualifications will be proposed to national institutions for accreditation.

Provision of the produced accredited “educational package” to the allied Universities as complementary material for the enrichment of their current undergraduate or graduate programmes
The produced modules will be accredited according to the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS), which is widely adopted by EU countries and Universities. The modules will provide a minimum of 2 credits to the participating students (after evaluation) as part of their diploma supplements.

Organization of 5 joint seminars/workshops on five partner countries with 100 trainees/participants coming from the industry and/or universities
The effort associated to these seminars for students is estimated to at least 2 ECTS. During these joint seminars/workshops training courses will be implemented and followed by practical workshops where shoe designers will develop new product concepts based on the new qualifications. These concepts will be reviewed by industry participants. The last (ninth) seminar will take place in Greece that will also demonstrate the results of all previous seminars.

Organizing a Mobility Action with 12 students and 8 mentors/ staff from partners.

Expected Outcomes

- A new profile in line with European Qualifications Framework (EQF) and corresponding educational material to produce an improved high-performant product;
- Improved and modernised training modules to support the new profile for current and future employees working as Footwear Product Managers;
- Incorporation of new knowledge into the design process in order to provide a scientific basis for drastically improved sustainable and comfortable products;
- A more comfortable, personalised and sustainable footwear in line with a decarbonised economy, which will ameliorate the consumers’ living standards as well as contribute to fight climate change;
- Enhanced attractiveness of the footwear sector among young workers and innovative learning methods.

The promotors of the project also aim to identify common goals and initiate joint initiatives in the following areas of interest:
- Enrolment of staff/students in the SciLED Academy. The e-learning platform developed by the consortium offers cutting-edge, and business grounded training curricula and training content for the next generation of Footwear Designers and Product Managers to address comfort and sustainability in footwear design. The training content is divided into modules and each module focuses on a specific topic: (1) Performance and Comfort, (2) Sustainability, and (3) Design Engineering;
- Attendance in events organised by SciLED Project (eg. Workshops and Seminars) and/or networks/clusters/ meetings;
- Knowledge-sharing on skills needs, new curricula, teaching methods and tools for a further digitalised, sustainable and resilient Footwear Sector worldwide.

Information about SciLED can be found on the project's website.

If you are interested in becoming a member of the SciLED Knowledge Alliance, contact CEC using the email address: info@cec-footwearindustry.eu.