Page 123 - A Handbook for Academia, Industry and Policymakers: Reinforcing the Innovation-Employability Nexus in the Mediterranean

122 REINFORCING THE INNOVATION-EMPLOYABILITY NEXUS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN REINFORCING THE INNOVATION-EMPLOYABILITY NEXUS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN 123

Link to skills and the future This is a dangerous strategy to adopt in a and environmental goals. E-learning, whether in
rapidly changing technological landscape where the form of a MOOC, a virtual class, or blended
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Any discussion of digital innovation assumes participants either disrupt or are disrupted . learning, combining in person and remote
an underlying skill set in digital technology. This Innovative new ideas can be transformed into learning, has been on the rise. Covid-19 changed
requires up-skilling of the existing labour force successful applications faster, better, and everything and almost overnight campuses
and updating of existing curriculum to prepare cheaper thanks to digital technology. around the world moved to partial and then, in
graduates to participate actively in a world that many cases, full remote learning. This shift was
relies on digital technology. Another factor is job The influence of policy on creating fertile territory so sudden, the ramifications are yet to be seen.
creation. Labour markets struggle to provide for innovation is crucial. As the Start-up Act in
enough work for the increasing population. Tunisia (see Chapter 9: Knowledge Exchange) Tools and resources
This is pronounced in the Mediterranean region demonstrates, favourable work conditions
where the youth population is growing faster made possible by governmental support frees
than the economy. The International Centre for entrepreneurs to use their creativity and cooperate
Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies across sectors to generate innovative approaches.
(CIHEAM) promotes digital innovation that is
socially ‘intensive’ in the framework of the Provisions and approaches
These types of dispersed initiatives are important technological and digital growth in agriculture.
because without them, talented graduates from Details about CIHEAM can be found at the end of
the Southern Mediterranean region could be Chapter 3: Skills. Another actor in this area is the In terms of higher education (HE), an example
recruited away from the area by European firms Partnership for Research and Innovation in the of digital innovation is the massive open online
looking for specialists in IT and other technologies. Mediterranean Area (PRIMA) which aims to make course (MOOC) which started innocuously
To stem this ‘brain drain’, cross border or South- food systems sustainable and integrated with with professors making course material freely
South cooperation is decisive. A tool such as water management in the Mediterranean area. available online and finding themselves on
SEMED, the digital platform that connects This opens up an alternative path for youth and the receiving end of hundreds of thousands of
innovation ecosystems of the Mediterranean, can addresses the prospect of agriculture without students. MOOCs have evolved dramatically since
help to find potential partners for collaboration farmers and potentially attracts a new generation their introduction in 2011 and illustrate the fallacy
and investment. Details about SEMED can be interested in a form of competitiveness not only of the argument that innovation cannibalises Building online employability: a guide for
found at the end of Chapter 10: Partnerships measured by financial performance, instead by its own business model as new products and academic departments – University of Derby
for Innovation. Creation commonalities across social change and human development. 110 services displace its own older products and This guide will help academic departments to
regulatory, institutional and operational services. Instead of lowering enrolment in support students to think about their careers and
frameworks can facilitate innovation and, in turn, tradition courses, it expanded access to HE for to use the online environment wisely. Numerous
trigger investment which can eventually create atypical students ranging from underserved reports demonstrate that the array of social
jobs. Digital solutions can be a powerful tool to populations to established professionals looking media and online technologies can seriously
accelerate growth in the Mediterranean, however to gain skills. disadvantage a students’ career development,
it needs to be based on fundamental reforms to but if used well they can support students to find
stimulate cross-sectoral cooperation111. A more recent example of digital innovation in HE out about and transition into their future career.
Trends is using technology to conduct a single course
across multiple universities, in multiple countries, https://derby.openrepository.com/
connecting virtually through multiple portals and handle/10545/294311
Digital innovation is not restricted to technology devices. In a way, this example took the technology
firms. Digital innovation for non-tech that enabled the MOOC and moved away from the
organisations is one of the most salient trends in individual learning of the MOOC framework and
the global sphere . It can help an organisation returned to the collective learning environment
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rethink its internal processes to keep up with the of the classroom — a modern, virtual classroom,
increasing pace in the knowledge economy and but a highly interactive one with students, group
the increasing expectation to provide a seamless work, activities, guest lectures and presentations.
experience for their customers and constituents.
Emphasis on employee experiences inside an A regional example is the MOOC ‘Sustainable
organisation is also key to ensuring quality Food Systems: a Mediterranean Perspective’
reception outside the organisation.
offered by the United Nations Sustainable
Development Solutions Network (SDSN) which
Organisations that are already well established explores how to produce more, better quality, and
in their field sometimes fail to innovate because safer food while simultaneously achieving social
they fear they will damage their core activities.