Strengthening the Capabilities and Training Curricula for Conflict Prevention and Peace Building Personnel with ICT-based Collaboration and Knowledge Approaches

Project Information

PeaceTraining.eu

Grant agreement ID: 700583

DOI

10.3030/700583

Project closed

EC signature date 19 April 2016

Start date 1 September 2016

End date 31 October 2018

Funded under

• Secure societies - Protecting freedom and security of Europe and its citizens

Total cost

€ 1 499 920,00

EU contribution

€ 1 499 920,00

Coordinated by

SYNYO GmbH
Austria

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - PeaceTraining.eu (Strengthening the Capabilities and Training Curricula for Conflict Prevention and Peace Building Personnel with ICT-based Collaboration and Knowledge Approaches)

Reporting period: 2017-10-01 to 2018-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

PeaceTraining.eu’s mission was to aggregate a comprehensive collection and analysis on the state-of-the-art in conflict prevention and peace building (CPPB) training in Europe and of the EU. Over the period of two years, the project assessed practices, efforts and training needs of European actors. The goal to map out and connect stakeholders, to provide recommendations on best practices as well as ICT approaches to training involving relevant stakeholders at every stage of the process has been finally achieved. More specifically, the objectives of PeaceTraining.eu were:
(O1) REVIEW current understanding and training related to CPPB, outline potential divergences and outsourcing effects, and investigate essential requirements based on the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) including ethical and legal issues.
(O2) ANALYSE existing CPPB training curricula across Europe running a multi-perspective exploration on its contents, methods, didactics, stakeholder groups, interaction levels, practices, approaches etc. including a special view on already existing digital solutions and e-learning appliances.
(O3) INVOLVE CPPB experts and actors along all project phases via surveys, interviews, and focus groups to gather first-hand experiences and knowledge and to identify practices, requirements, specific challenges, and needs including the installation of a strong expert and advisory board.
(O4) DEVELOP novel training methods in the field of civilian CPPB with e-approaches and create a multidimensional PeaceTraining.eu Curricula Model establishing efficient and effective CPPB training in Europe including a systematic layer structure, target-group-specific elements and expert levels.
(O5) PROVIDE an interactive PeaceTraining.eu Web Platform including a knowledge base, expert navigators, training centres directories, best practice libraries, interactive curricula guides etc. to strengthen the information transfer of all project developments and future implementations.
(O6) LEVERAGE the collaboration between the training recipients, public agencies, training, experts, practitioners and training organisations, and industry (especially SMEs) providing an intelligent PeaceTraining.eu Catalogue matching actors and services on pan-European and international level.
(O7) INCREASE awareness on CPPB Channels and media promoting the PeaceTraining.eu outcomes across Europe to especially attract public and civil CPPB agencies by creating a sustainable strategy, run mobilisation and engagement activities and provide digital contents and modern infographics.
The ultimate goal of the PeaceTraining.eu project to enhance the preparedness and skills of personnel for conflict prevention and peacekeeping missions especially in conflict-prone countries is addressed by implementing the findings in day-to-day CPPB training.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The findings from the research process, conducted in the beginning of the project, under objectives REVIEW and ANALYSE have been applied to develop an extensive CPPB Training Handbook, including description of several curricula, methods, trainer profiles, approaches and relevant materials and literature. Besides being used in the Handbook, the research results have also been advanced as scientific publications in CPPB Journals. The handbook has been created within the tasks under objective DEVELOP, using feedback and inputs also collected during stakeholder integration, conducted under objective INVOLVE. All the content conceived has been finally integrated on the PeaceTraining.eu online platform, designed and developed under objective PROVIDE. The platform has been enriched with a database-triggered module, covered within the tasks of objective LEVERAGE, where the relevant actors in CPPB can register as individual trainer or as a training provider institution and can showcase their training courses for aspirants to learn more and even sign up. Finally, all the outcomes have been presented and extensively applied in the main event, the “Shaping the Future of PeaceTraining in Europe and Beyond” Conference. The interactive event was run in collaboration with established organizations in the CPPB training field and synergy initiatives, who acted as promotion partners and also shared their acknowledgement of the PeaceTraining.eu outcomes.
The online platform is open and free to CPPB academics and practitioners, individuals and organizations, to register accounts and advertise their training offers, but also to contribute content in the form of events, news, training materials and any other CPPB training-related works, including handbooks, ICT tools, case studies, guides, innovative training methods and concepts and others, in any language, especially English, French, Spanish and German.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

PeaceTraining.eu seeks constant dissemination of outcomes and transparency to ultimately raise awareness about CPPB training as well as inspiration to review and improve CPPB training amongst stakeholders. The consortium is positive that the findings will influence European training centres, such as ESDC or ENTRi-related organisations as well as NGO-based, to improve practices.
However, before having an impact on external stakeholders and practices, the PeaceTraining.eu project has positively influenced the consortium partners, who are organizations active in the CPPB training field, academics, practitioners or training institutions. The partner universities, and not only, have jointly recognized the increase in external collaboration opportunities, through building new connections with international actors in the CPPB training field and especially with practitioners, thus bridging the gap between research and practice. Furthermore, internal impacts are adaptations to the teaching approaches, which will be done based on the PeaceTraining.eu curricula framework and tested in the upcoming semesters. Training providers, partners in the PeaceTraining.eu consortium were also positively impacted by the work in the project and have adapted their training programmes based on the findings, but also promote and support others in implementing the novel practices. Other impacts on the PeaceTraining.eu partner organizations are extended ICT knowledge and expertise, as well as broadened capacities in the CPPB training field.

Factsheet page 1

Factsheet page 2