SkillsBridge – Cross-border Academy for Smart Industry Competencies and Future Excellence

Project Objectives:

• Establishing a Cross-Border Smart Industry Academy to offer innovative and accessible training in areas with high growth potential.
• Improving the skills and employability of young people, employees, NEETs and people from remote regions in the Romania-Bulgaria cross-border region and increasing employment and competitiveness by improving the qualifications of the workforce.
• Promoting long-term collaboration between education, industry and the public sector.
• Stimulating digitalization, automation and the green transition in the Romania-Bulgaria region

Main activities:

• Development of a joint training program in the field of Industry 4.0 with 6 thematic modules;
• Organizing 6 virtual workshops;
• Construction of Smart Industry Laboratories in Ruse and Craiova for pneumatics and electropneumatics, mechatronics, industrial controllers and robotics, hydraulics and electrohydraulics, and electric motors;
• Conducting hybrid language courses in Bulgarian and Romanian;
• Implementation of cross-border exchange visits within the framework of the "Experience Multiplicator" program;
• Development and implementation of a digital training platform for distance and hybrid learning SkillsBridge.
• Promotion, communication and engagement activities for target groups in the cross-border region

Main tasks and responsibilities of the partners

Lead partner: Ruse Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI), Bulgaria

• Overall coordination, management and financial reporting of the project;
• Development of the joint training program and digital training platform;
• Establishment of the Bulgarian Academy in Ruse and construction of 3 laboratories for intelligent industry (pneumatics and electropneumatics, mechatronics, industrial controllers and robotics);
• Development of training content tailored to the purchased specialized equipment;
• Organization of trainings, workshops and cross-border exchange visits;
• Support and participation in communication and dissemination activities.

Partner 2: Association for Research, Technology Transfer and Innovation (ARoTT), Romania

• Responsibility for quality assurance and project risk management;
• Active participation in the establishment of the Academy, including the construction of its physical training facility in Romania, along with equipped laboratories;
• Support in the development of training modules related to the equipment in the Romanian laboratory (hydraulics, electricity and controllers) and participation in the development of the joint curriculum and methodology;
• Conducting training: face-to-face, virtual workshops and Bulgarian language courses;
• Cooperation with industrial partners and organization of exchange visits to Romania;
• Implementing mobility initiatives, including the SkillsBridge Roadshow Demos and the Experience Multiplicator Program;
• Ensuring long-term sustainability by integrating the joint program and tools into ARoTT's regular activities and its partnerships with universities and industry.

Partner 3: Bulgarian-Romanian Chamber of Commerce (BRCC), Bulgaria

• Main partner responsible for communication, dissemination and promotional activities;
• Organizing information events and engaging target groups in the cross-border region;
• Support in the development and implementation of the digital platform and training program;
• Organizing the "Experience Multiplicator Program" and coordinating cross-border mobilities;
• Promoting SkillsBridge training programs among businesses, SMEs and educational institutions in Romania and Bulgaria;
• Responsibility for Roadshow Demos – 8 pilot events (one in each of the regions in the Bulgarian part of the cross-border region);
• Participation in cross-border exchange activities and cooperation with stakeholders;
• Ensuring broad implementation of the project results through the BRTC network;
• Supporting cooperation between education and business in the cross-border region.

Associated partners: University of Ruse "Angel Kanchev" and University of Craiova

• Dissemination and Popularization: Supports the dissemination of information about the project's goals, activities, and results among its students and faculty.
• Participation in the Steering Committee – through their representatives, they participate in the management of the project in an advisory role.
• Reaching a wider audience. Through their affiliates and networks, universities will help attract more participants to the events.
• Sharing experience: University representatives will participate in project events and share their academic experience, creating a "bridge" between project approaches and university methods.
• Access to networks – support the dissemination and popularization of results through their contacts with academia, business and other stakeholders.
• Long-term sustainability – contribute to the integration of project results into real educational and business practices after its completion.

Partners