[Press Release]
Nieuwegein, 16 June 2014 - The Dutch agency responsible for projects subsidized under the Leonardo da Vinci program has definitely approved the Twowheel Innovation Network (TWIN) project. TWIN is a Transfer of Innovation project (TOI) aimed at developing European training on electric bicycles for dealers and their mechanics.
Partnership
Following the go-ahead, the partners can now start up the real work. TWIN is a direct result of the completed E-Bike partnership project. The E-Bike partnership project finished in 2013 and yielded a completed competence profile in the field of electric bicycles for dealers and mechanics. In the new TWIN project, the partners will develop actual courses on the basis of this profile. The TWIN partners are the national training institutes Innovam (NL), CELF (DK) and Syntra West (B), the Dutch foundation and knowledge centre Pro Work and former ETRA Secretary General Annick Roetynck. The training institutes will be mainly responsible for the actual development of the training. Pro Work will supply logistical support, while Annick Roetynck will take care of communication and dissemination.
E-Bike assessment tool and training package
In a first phase, the partners will work on a tool that will allow any training institute in Europe to assess the existing knowledge on electric bicycles of dealers and mechanics. That assessment will enable the training institute to detect any gaps in their knowledge and offer, with the support of a training package, a tailor-made training to bridge those gaps. Towards the end of the project end 2015, a workshop for all European training institutes will be organised with a view to demonstrating the assessment tool and presenting the electric bicycle courses that should be developed by then.
European certification system
The TWIN partners consider this project as only one next step in a long-term process. Their final objective is to create a European Twowheel Academy, a platform that develops European harmonised training for all the segments in the two-wheel business. This should considerably facilitate and encourage the development of two-wheel courses in those member states where there is no training available yet, where training is incomplete or needs updating. It will allow training institutes to easily implement existing knowledge and best practice, instead of having to “reinvent the wheel”. As for the dealers and their mechanics, the introduction or improvement of training will enhance their competences and will allow them to market their professionalism. The system will be officialised and strengthened by means of a European certification system. Finally, it will also be embedded in the European Qualification Framework. This Framework provides for a harmonised qualification structure so that a two-wheel mechanic diploma obtained in, say Croatia, is equal to the same diploma obtained in Sweden. The concept of the European Twowheel Academy and the certification system will be laid out in the TOI project.
Database
The consortium is currently developing a database of all training institutes in the European Union, which either already provide for electric bicycle training or have an interest in offering such training in the future. Also, the consortium is making an inventory of all existing competence profiles for such training. All relevant information on the above can be sent to Annick Roetynck (a.roetynck@pandora.be - +32 9 233 60 05).
Coordination
Innovam carries out the coordination of the TWIN project. Please contact Ramon Salceda (r.salceda@innovam.nl - +31 30 60 87 952) for any further details you may need on TWIN.