VUC part of prestigious Erasmus+ project aimed at strengthening IT competence in Europe

The Erasmus+ project titled T-Talent TECH, will include collaboration with universities in Portugal, Italy, and Turkey. Sunnmøre Kulturnæringshage is the project coordinator and has been awarded NOK 5.2 million by the Norwegian National Agency for Erasmus+ (HK-Dir). The project period starts in October 2025 and will run for two and a half years.

“This is absolutely fantastic! It gives us a unique opportunity to collaborate with and learn from our international partners, and together develop new solutions and perspectives within this field,” say Professor Nathalie Homlong and Senior Advisor Bjørn Gunnar Tafjord at VUC about the grant.

Collaboration between education and industry

The two will lead the project team at VUC and be supported by assistant professors Torbjørn Frantsen and Joakim Olsson, who bring extensive experience in digital competence development.

The project will include training for employees, professional development for vocational teachers, and the creation of strategies for talent management in companies. Pilot courses, business forums, and a European network – the T-Talent TECH Network – will be established to support long-term workforce development and policy integration.

“The project focuses on preparing people to work with technology and increase digital competencies – both those already working in the industry and the educators who teach in IT. Many companies need employees with digital skills, but there’s often a gap between what people know and what the job market actually requires. T-Talent TECH aims to help close that gap,” explains the VUC team, adding:

“The goal is for more people to receive relevant training, for companies to hire staff with the right skills, and for education and industry to collaborate more effectively – both locally and across European borders.”

Valuable experience

Torbjørn Frantsen and Joakim Olsson will play key roles in developing the training programs offered through the Erasmus+ project. They two represent VUC’s Department of Digital Competence and have previously designed educational programs for a wide range of target groups.

“We bring experience from numerous digital competence projects – from small-scale development initiatives in companies to larger professional development courses in everything from kindergartens to higher education. Especially valuable to this project is our experience in developing models for competence development across contexts, where actors from different fields collaborate toward common goals,” the duo explains.

International projects at VUC

T-Talent TECH is an Erasmus+ project that supports strategic partnerships between organizations working in vocational education and training. The aim is to develop, transfer, and implement innovative practices and strengthen cross-border collaboration.

VUC has extensive experience working on similar international projects. For example, VUC's Faculty of Social Science and History is involved in a Norwegian-Italian partnership aimed at helping more vocational students complete their education.

Professor Homlong and Senior Advisor Tafjord have also previously led the EASIP COMP project, another Erasmus+ initiative that aimed to strengthen students’ entrepreneurial skills through workplace learning.

“Receiving funding for T-Talent TECH means we can continue our international project work, which we’re very proud of. It’s especially gratifying that this project involves collaboration across faculties and departments at VUC. By bringing together expertise and engagement from different academic environments, we enhance both the quality and relevance of our work – and demonstrate that VUC is an institution that thinks holistically and forward. We’re excited to get started,” smile Homlong and Tafjord.