Tampere University of Applied Sciences (TAMK) is a partner in the Erasmus+ project AEQUALIS4TCLF, which addresses skills gaps in the Textile, Clothing, Leather and Footwear (TCLF) industries across the European Union. Since February 2024, the consortium has been working to develop upskilling and reskilling training programmes to support a more sustainable and innovative TCLF sector with skilled professionals.
The TAMK team is led by Marja Rissanen. Katariina Hakala has contributed as a pedagogical expert since the beginning of the project, and Kamil Wojcik joined the team in January 2025.
Through TAMK’s Erasmus+ staff exchange opportunity, Katariina Hakala and Kamil Wojcik visited the University of Zagreb, Faculty of Textile Technology, to strengthen cooperation with Croatian project partners. The aim of the visit was to meet partners face to face and support TAMK’s role in coordinating and leading the piloting process (WP6) of the training programmes developed within the project.
At the University of Zagreb, Professor Sanja Ercegović Ražić and her team, who lead Work Package 4, presented their work on the development of eight microcredentials to be piloted starting in September 2026. Piloting (WP6) is a demanding phase, as the project brings together 19 organisations from eight countries, including higher education institutions, vocational education and training providers, adult education centres, and industry representatives.
The visit included discussions, campus tours and exchanges of experience. We also visited Zagreb Craft College, an adult education institution with extensive experience in vocational upskilling and reskilling. As a co-responsible partner in WP6, the meeting provided a solid foundation for closer operational collaboration. In addition, we travelled to Šolski Center Celje in Slovenia, another WP6 partner representing vocational secondary education. These visits strengthened coordination and mutual understanding among the organisations responsible for piloting activities.
During the visit, Martina Glogar (on the left), Katariina Hakala, Sanja Ercegović Ražić and Ivana Čorak discussed the progress of the project and upcoming activities.
An especially inspiring visit, organised by Professor Martina Glogar, was to URIHO – the Institution for Professional Rehabilitation and Employment of Persons with Disabilities. URIHO is dedicated to professional rehabilitation, training and employment of people with disabilities and other hard-to-employ groups. Professor Glogar has collaborated with URIHO in the fields of inclusive fashion design and colouring technologies. Katariina Hakala’s research on disability studies and employment opportunities for people with disabilities made the visit particularly meaningful. We toured several production units and gained valuable insight into inclusive employment practices that closely align with the values and objectives of the AEQUALIS4TCLF project.