SMARTEN (Serious gaMes for digitAl Readiness of waTer EducatioN) aims to support and enhance digital transitions in our fast-evolving education and water resource sectors to better adapt to pandemic and post-pandemic working conditions. The project highlights innovative practices based on serious games in education, to address present and emerging needs of the water sector, while also supporting European goals on environment and climate. Internationalization is a key element of the project — for building responsiveness, adaptability and flexibility of education, in alignment with the European Skills Agenda.
The project is designed to benefit students of water-related programs, young water professionals, water educators in academia and industry, water society and the European community at large.
1. Six digital gamified workshops on three water-related serious games
2. Guidelines and tools for facilitators
3. ICT tools for learning paths
4. Instruments of augmented collaboration
5. Case-studies for project-based learning
6. Support for training in digital content
7. Tools for the involvement of regional stakeholders in serious games
8. Six universal e-learning modules.
SMARTEN will also organise three transnational project meetings, two training activities and four multiplier events.
This Covid-19 crisis opens an opportunity for SMARTEN to facilitate digital skills in serious games and social innovation, together with knowledge on the Water-Climate-Land-Energy-Ecosystems-Food NEXUS. SMARTEN is designed for a rapidly changing (NEW) world in which its outcomes will have are positioned to make an even larger impact.
The overall goal of SMARTEN is to build digital readiness of water-related European higher education and lifelong learning, while reducing negative impacts of the Covid-19 crisis on educational activities of partners.
1. Develop 6 digital gamified workshops; guide and assist educators in virtual facilitation of serious games; support learning path and experience of learners with ICT tools; engage them with external stakeholders in serious games.
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2. Increase share of active digital teaching and lifelong training in the partners’ water-related educational programs
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3. Support lifelong learning instructors, and teachers of partner universities in the development of their digital competences and skills
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4. Upgrade water-related curricula of partner universities with teaching and learning modules that include water-oriented serious games
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5. Facilitate the transfer of developed curricula to various Learning Management Systems within and outside the consortium.
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6. Establish a network-of-networks of European institutions working with water-related digital education for exchange of resources and experience with serious games.
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Four main results are planned from SMARTEN. These results will be enabled through tangible project outputs.
1. An increase in the share of digital teaching and lifelong training in the partners’ water-related educational programs: from 10-30%.
2. Establishment of digital competences and skills for lifelong learning instructors and teachers involved in SMARTEN.
3. Three serious games implemented in water education and lifelong learning, including upgraded water-related curricula of the partner universities with teaching and learning modules that include water-oriented serious games.
4. Enable transferable curricula between various Learning Management Systems curricula upgrades.
 NMBU
The NMBU team brings to SMARTEN expertise in facilitation of digital workshops; knowledge of environmental and industrial process analytics; strategic development of internationalization projects, mentorship and guidance of engineering students; and management experience in complex cross-national and multi-stakeholder projects.
NMBU is the project leader, and is responsible for the WP1/O1 (Digital Gamified Workshops) and WP6 (Management of the project, quality, risks, communication and dissemination).
UNIVERSITY OF THESSALY
The UTH team is experienced in serious games development and implementation; Water-Energy-Food-Land Use-Climate Nexus; and the facilitation of multi-stakeholder dialogues in serious games.
The UTH team is responsible for the WP3/O3 (Case studies for research-based learning with serious games).
 H2O-PEOPLE
The H2OPeople team offers skills in augmented collaboration tools; water-sector human capital and talent development; social innovation, personal development and leadership practices.
The H2O People team is responsible for the WP2/O2 (Augmented Collaboration Toolkit) and coordination of WP5 (Training and multiplier events).
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UNIVERZITET U NISU
The UNI team is specializing in curriculum development and creation of lifelong learning programs; water resource management; transferring best practices between universities; and disseminating teaching and learning content.
The UNI team is responsible for WP4/O4 (eLearning modules for serious games).
