Hellenic Regional Development Centre, Greece

Name of the institution (in native language) ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΟΠΕΡΙΦΕΡΕΙΑΚΟΑΝΑΠΤΥΞΙΑΚΟΚΕΝΤΡΟ Name in English HELLENIC REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER

Acronym (if any ) HRDC

Address 138, Agiou Andreou str., GR 26 222, Patras

Country GREECE

Phone (include international prefix) 0030 2610 362 058

Fax number 0030 2610 362 059

e-mail [email protected]

website http://www.hrdc.org.gr

Type of an institution Non – profit making organization, Non Governmental

Year of Foundation 1992

President/Chairperson (full name, titles) Mr. Dr. Panagiotis Gatomatis

Is your organization a member of

international/national/regional/local networks of institutions? List them, please.

− European Governance Network

− Modular Education Network (ModENet)

Staff

Every member is assigned to separate groups (sectors) for the organisation structure of of HRDC. Every group offers its expertise and abilities in subjects of technological training relative to its sector.

The organisational structure of HRDC is as follows:

− The supreme body is its general assembly that assembles once a year decides on the strategy of HRDC and elects the Board of Directors.

− The executive body of HRDC is its Board of Directors. The Board of Directors consists of the HRDC President, the Vice- President, the Financial Director and one member, which have the overall responsibility of HRDC’s management. The president of the association is Dr. Panagiotis Gatomatis

HRDC’ s personnel consists of experienced Executives who all are in constant contact with a team of specialised Consultants so that the main policy areas should reflect the widest range of views, opinions and needs within the local and business communities.

All members of staff have worked together in various combinations. As far as HRDC’s activities are concerned, they have come together to form a knowledgeable, motivated and powerful team capable of accomplishing the expected goals. In response to the complex requirements of the various E.U. programmes, in which HRDC has been actively involved, its personnel is further supported by External Consultants, specialised in certain domains of science.

Mission statement and aims of your organisation

HRDC strives to create effective channels of communication between all the actors involved in training and technology transfer. Up to nowadays, HRDC has achieved the following goals:

− Development of many cooperation axes between universities and industry.

− Facilitation of the integration of the Greek regions into the European Union’s programmes involving all society actors.

− Provision of feedback for the educational systems, thereby improving the existing methods and approaches in the fields of training and education as these have been developed at European level. HRDC has the opportunity to improve continuously the current training methods.

− Contribution to the transfer of knowledge and skills from higher to lower developed regions.

History (describe main stages of the development of your organisation)

Hellenic Regional Development Center was established in 1992 with headquarters in Patras, Greece and its former naming was Western Greece & Epirus University Enterprise Training Partnership. Hellenic Regional Development Center (HRDC), a non-profit making association, is located in Athens, Greece and has branches in Patras and Thessaloniki. HRDC is a national joint venture of regional development centers and it is dedicated to promoting and enhancing the cooperation between individuals, regional bodies, universities and enterprises in vocational training end education into the European environment.

In order to meet the challenges of European tomorrow, HRDC has identified the following main areas of activity: Preparation & development of programmes for initial and continuous technological and vocational training. Contribution to the regional development of Greek territories through technology transfer and innovation.

Creation of stable co-operation bonds between the world of industry and the university sector, including technology transfer between Greece and the other European Union’s members.

HRDC relies on the membership of various significant enterprises of the Greek regions, as well as on the participation of universities and other social partners from Greece. Its members share long – term technological goals and closely co- ordinate their activities for research, training and information dissemination in order to reach the above objectives.

Main activities, regular events (conferences, seminars, trainings…) Regional Development

HRDC aims to facilitate growth and expand opportunities in the local region. Our vision is a dynamic, sustainable economy which competes on the basis of knowledge, advanced technology and an excellent quality of life for all. HRDC has helps businesses compete, revitalises urban and rural areas, promotes sustainability, improves regional infrastructure and facilitates innovation as well as the professional adaptation of young people and adults to the labor market by providing vocational training. Besides, it contributes to the social integration of disadvantaged social groups through advising and provision of information.

Vocational and continuing training activities

To ensure economic and social development it is essential that vocational education and training meets the needs of the citizen, the labour market and society. HRDC is supporting the development of Vocational Education and Training (VET) by providing advice, research, analysis, information and by stimulating European cooperation and mutual learning. HRDC is closely linked to the employment services and is contributing to the implementation of the European employment strategy through the dialogue with social partners at European level and through its participation in the promotion of European policies and actions for the development of lifelong learning. Continuous improvement, adaptation of professional qualifications, skills and competences to any change of the technological and productive environment is one of HRDC’s main priorities.

Research

HRDC has developed a rigorous research strategy. Our research themes examine core areas of vocational training that combine and compliment topics of national interest, social and economic policy and EU integration and harmonisation. Through the implementation of EU projects funded by the European Commission, the organisation has undertaken research and development programmes that contribute to continuous vocational training and life-long learning.

Information Technology Applications for Education and Training

HRDC gives particular attention to designing, planning and implementing user specific tailor-made on-line training courses on various technical, management or pedagogical topics. Training can take place at home, office or in fully-equipped training rooms. HRDC has developed learning platforms helping to create, deliver and manage blended learning programs and also support collaboration with opportunities for learners to interact with their peers, receive mentoring and share best practices. HRDC can develop specific courseware, product demonstrations and software simulations to meet the user’s unique training and development needs.

Consultancy on Information Technology Issues

HRDC provides consulting services and technical assistance on information technology projects. This includes identification and analysis of user’s needs, preparation of the technical specifications for the implementation of information technology projects and technical assistance on project management issues.

Inter-regional cooperation

Interregional cooperation initiatives and partnership promotion actions aim not only to improve the effectiveness of regional development policies but also the definition of a common strategy based on partnership planning through large-scale information exchange and sharing of experiences. For achieving those goals HRDC has created a network of member organisations aiming to strengthen economic, social and cultural cohesion.

Intercultural society

HRDC aims to meet the needs of the newly emerging intercultural society in Europe and at national level. The organization provides analyses on the status of immigration in Greece, makes proposals and collaborates on the design and development of programmes and tools for intercultural education aimed to meet the needs both of the educational and labor sector. HRDC participates in many projects related to the integration of immigrants in the country that aims to raise their language competences and to develop knowledge and skills that will contribute for their full participation in the labor market.

HRDC provides the following services:

− Equal opportunities advice

− Access to an international network

− Help with recruitment of students and graduates

− Help with recruitment of staff

− Advice on women in technology issues

− Advice on minority groups integration into the labour market.

− Intercultural training programs.

− Encouragement of foreign language learning.

− Research.

− Provision of support and advice to disabled people.

− Organisation of cultural and educational activities (short time seminars).

Publications

Special field of interest for transnational (international) projects

Regional Development

− Confrontation of the regional de-industrialization and unemployment

− Enhancement of the quality of the regional labour force

− Deployment of novel vocational training methods. Vocational and continuing training activities

− Network for Professional training in South Europe.

− European Training programmes.

− Distance Training programmes

Information Technology Applications for Education and Training

− Open and Distance Learning Applications

− On-line Multimedia Applications

Consultancy on Information Technology Issues

− Technical Assistance for technology transfer

− Identify end-users by using European networks, member-organisations and SMEs

− Supply information and examine user needs Inter-regional cooperation

− Creation of stable co-operation bonds between the world of industry and the university sector, including technology transfer between Greece and the other European Union members.

− Deployment of inter-regional cooperating networks amongst SMEs all over Europe.

Ongoing and past (last 2–3 years) transnational or international projects and initiatives

Leonardo da Vinci Project 2003–2006: Sign Languages and European Written Languages in Virtual Vocational Education for the Deaf. The project aims to develop language teaching (sign languages and written languages: Finnish, German, Greek) for the deaf in vocational training. There is the need to create curriculums and study material for teaching sign languages and European spoken and written languages also in Greece and the project will give the opportunity to try new methods (a web based teaching material bank will be created) to train both deaf students and teachers to use teaching materials.

Leonardo da Vinci program 2003–2005:Integration of Minority Students Higher Education and Labour Market. The aim of this project is the integration of immigrants or minority students into higher education such as universities and university colleges. Within this wider aim there are three e main ideas

Leonardo da Vinci Program 2003–2005: Friendly Organizational Strategies and training for employment relations.

This pilot project aims to install in organisations, large and small, in the public sector and the private sector, a philosophy that equality applies to everybody.. The FOSTER project focuses on enterprise partnership with a particular emphasis on Broader Social Inclusion (BSI) in the SME sector across Europe. The methodological focus of this project will be to identify good and effective human resource strategies in Ireland, Spain, Greece, Poland and Romania and develop educational and training material. The primary objectives of the project are firstly, to identify the problems of access to employment in a range of categories.

E-Learning Program 2003–2005: e-QUALITY: Virtual Spaces of democratic dialogue among cultures, about the