The HUCO Lab project is making significant progress in enhancing higher vocational training pathways through international cooperation. The Italian partner, ITS Academy Cuccovillo (LP), and the French partner, Campus des Métiers et des Qualifications Microtechniques et Systèmes Intelligents, responsible for developing the new Level 5 and Level 6 curricula, met in Besançon, France, together with the WP2 Leader, Baden-Württemberg Cooperative State University (DHBW). The team reviewed the initial drafts of the curricula, aimed at training Higher Technicians in the field of product development and innovation, collaborating to refine and optimize the programs and ensure seamless integration across national frameworks. Special attention was given to designing the two pathways within a supply-chain/continuum perspective, allowing Italian students enrolled in the Level 5 program to continue their studies in France and complete the sixth year there.
During the visit, participants toured the technological laboratories of SUPMICROTECH at the École nationale supérieure de mécanique et des microtechniques (ENSMM), which hosts the Campus des Métiers and will provide facilities for some HUCO ecosystem activities.
Following Besançon, the group traveled to Dijon to meet with the team from Saint-Joseph-la-Salle School, where a dedicated laboratory space was allocated for HUCO Lab activities, concretely advancing the vision of a European laboratory ecosystem promoted by the project. Partners began discussions on mobility activities in France, planned as part of the pilot for the Level 5 pathway. They also scheduled steps to evaluate the recognition of the Italian Level 5 pathway in France, ensuring permeability with the French Level 6 pathway. Moreover, partners explored the possibility of establishing an equivalent supply chain in Italy, a topic currently under discussion with the Ministry of Education and Merit and associated partners.
This meeting marked a key milestone in promoting innovation in higher vocational education, focusing on new skills (TRIComp) in Innovation, Management, Green, and Digital Skills, fostering an integrated system between HVET, universities, and industry, and strengthening collaboration among European education and training systems in the field of Higher Vocational and Educational Training.
The next Technical Project Meeting is scheduled for Valencia, Spain, at the end of January 2026, where the project results will be further analyzed, including discussions on the HVET/university/industry cooperation model for the implementation of the two training programs and the important topic of training the trainers.