Summary

The proposed project aims to address the growing demand for skilled professionals in the biotechnology sector, with a particular focus on food and pharmaceutical industries. The rationale behind the project lies in the need to bridge the skills gap between educational systems and industry requirements in Croatian region of Slavonia and Baranya and Hungarian region of Baranya. By leveraging the complementary strengths of UNIOS PTFOS and PTE GYTK, the project intends to create an innovative and integrated educational framework that aligns with labor market demands. This cross-border initiative is designed to enhance biotechnology education by developing hybrid curricula that combine online learning with hands-on, onsite training, thus ensuring accessibility, flexibility, and practical skill acquisition. The target groups include students, recent graduates, and professionals from the biotechnology sector, with a focus on addressing the needs of underrepresented groups, including women and financialy disadvantaged students. The project’s specific objectives (SOs) align directly with the RSO 4.2. of the Program. The SOs of creating industry-relevant curricula, offering innovative learning methodologies, and ensuring the long-term sustainability of educational outcomes supports the Program’s goal of improving education and training systems to meet future labor market needs. By providing both theoretical knowledge and practical competencies, the project contributes to increasing employability in a high-demand sector and encourages the development of sustainable educational practices that align with the EU’s digital and green transitions. The project will last for a set period of 24 months and will deliver key outputs such as industry-aligned training materials, a scalable Biotechnology Primer MOOC platform, and two focused online/onsite short-course curricula in food and pharmaceutical biotechnology. Additionally, it will establish a foundation for micro-credentialing at the national levels, enabling long-term sustainability and recognition of the training provided. The expected results include the development of a model for cross-border collaboration in biotechnology education, increased employability of trained individuals, and the integration of green and digital transitions into biotechnology curricula. This collaboration will benefit local economies by addressing the skills gap in biotechnology, while also fostering stronger academic and industrial ties across borders. The hybrid learning model ensures that the project reaches a wide audience, including those from remote areas, thus maximizing its impact across the Baranya region. The project’s cross-border nature will strengthen cultural ties and enhance long-lasting cooperation between institutions, industry partners, and local communities, while contributing to the development of a more inclusive, sustainable, and innovative biotechnology education system.