GHLOBO

GHLOBO simply stands for Cross-Border Hybrid Learning Environments in Vocational Education. Specifically, GHLOBO aims to design, support and sustain strong hybrid learning environments in order to increase the learning potential of young people.

Context

In the Flemish-Dutch border region, matching labour supply and demand is a major challenge. Bottlenecks on the labour market manifest themselves not least in the sectors linked to activity in logistics, the growing demand for care and sustainability in the construction sector. On the one hand, companies in these sectors often find it difficult to attract qualified professionals. On the other hand, a large group of young people leave education unqualified. By starting from the idea of 'hybrid learning environments', GHLOBO wants to strengthen this alignment between education and professional practice in order to offer young people more learning opportunities.

Hybrid learning environments?

The GHLOBO project starts from the design model of 'hybrid learning environments'. Design models of learning environments at the boundary between education and professional practice offer a lens to analyse existing learning environments in education and professional practice (workplace learning) and to further develop them through co-creation. The model consists of 4 quadrants that align education and professional practice in different ways. This animation tells you in 4 minutes exactly what hybrid learning environments are:

A strong hybrid learning environment interweaves the different quadrants in the learning process of learners to provide optimal translation into learning opportunities. In the development of hybrid learning environments, it is therefore essential that education providers and enterprises find each other sufficiently. It is on this challenge that the design model of hybrid learning environments provides an evidence-informed framework within the GHLOBO project.

How will we get started in concrete terms?

GHLOBO is committed to strengthening the exchange between education and professional practice, further harmonising existing learning environments and investing in additional hybrid learning environments. Concretely, we do this through the following approach in cooperation with various partners in the Flemish-Dutch border region:

1. Learning networks (strategic considerations)

Sectors: care, logistics and energy transition

GHLOBO_learning network care_one pager.pdf

GHLOBO_learning network logistics_one pager.pdf

GHLOBO_learning network energy transition_one pager_20210824.pdf

With the development and support of learning networks, GHLOBO is committed to the exchange of practical experiences and scientific knowledge and from the Netherlands and Flanders. With the learning networks, GHLOBO thus wants to strengthen the support base and identify existing learning environments, needs and opportunities around hybrid learning environments. We do this by organising peer learning activities and workshops in cooperation with knowledge and expertise centres.

2. Learning communities (operational considerations)

Sectors: care and logistics
Via learning communities for care and logistics, GHLOBO is launching two pilot projects to set up genuine hybrid learning environments. For each pilot project, we are setting up a learning community with a select group of professionals and students from education and professional practice. In co-creation, this learning community develops, tests and consolidates real hybrid learning environments.

- In the province of Antwerp, a pilot project for healthcare is running in this way. Kwartier Z of the Gouverneur Kinsbergen Centre (expertise centre for the care economy) supports this pilot project.
- In the province of North Brabant (NL), a pilot project for logistics is running. This pilot project is supported by Curio (vocational trainer region West-Brabant, NL). From the province of Antwerp, the Port Centre is also involved.

3. Needs analysis

Sector : energy transition
With a needs analysis, we examine what emerging competence and training needs the European Green Deal sets for construction, electrical, cooling and heat technologies. We translate these needs into opportunities for new hybrid learning environments around energy transition in our border region. Kamp C (centre for sustainability and innovation in construction) of the Province of Antwerp is heavily involved in this needs analysis.

Our target groups

The GHLOBO project broadly targets the following groups:

1. Educational institutions with vocationally oriented offerings focused on the healthcare, logistics, energy transition sectors (especially construction, electrical, refrigeration and heat technologies) in the provinces of Antwerp and North Brabant (NL). The focus is on secondary or high school courses but there is also room for providers of higher education courses.

2. Companies, sector organisations and social partners from the healthcare, logistics and sectors linked to the energy transition (especially construction, electrical, refrigeration and heat technologies).

3. Policy actors in flanking education and labour market policy and the Flemish/Dutch public authorities responsible for job placement, vocational training and education.

4. Learners in the relevant vocational courses in secondary (VL) or intermediate (NL) education as final end-users.

Contact

Are you interested in joining our learning networks? Would you like to be kept informed about initiatives on hybrid learning environments? We would love to hear from you!

Do you have any questions? Do not hesitate to contact Sara or Ward from the GHLOBO team. They will be happy to help you!

Sara Van Waes

Advisor Flanking Labour Market Policy

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T 03 240 58 62

Ward Nouwen

Advisor Flanking Labour Market Policy

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T 032405251

Cooperation and funding

GHLOBO is a partnership between the Province of Antwerp, Curio and Karel de Grote Hogeschool. The GHLOBO project is co-funded by the provinces of North Brabant (NL) and Antwerp (VL); and Interreg Flanders-Netherlands, the cross-border cooperation programme with financial support from the European Regional Development Fund. More info: www.grensregio.eu.

More info: GHLOBO - Province of Antwerp