TWIN TRANSFORMATION PROJECT
Project No: 2024-1-TR01-KA220-VET-000255722

TWIN TRANSFORMATION PROJECT
NEWSLETTER 1

Dear Reader,
The main purpose of this newsletter is to inform you about the activities of our project. We will be
sharing our newsletters with you every four months throughout the project duration.

Our project application, submitted in March 2024 under the Erasmus+ Programme's Cooperation
Partnerships in Vocational Education and Training (KA220-VET), was approved by the Turkish National
Agency. A grant agreement was signed between TESK and the National Agency in November 2024.

The project will be implemented between December 1, 2024, and November 30, 2026, with a total
budget of €250,000. The project leader is the Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen
(TESK). The Turkish partners are the General Directorate of Tradesmen, Craftsmen and Cooperatives
under the Ministry of Trade, the Turkish Footwear Manufacturers Federation, the Association for
Climate Change Research and Policy, and the Siteler Vocational Training Center. The EU partners
include CNA Federazione Regionale Delle Marche from Italy, Asociación Valenciana De Empresarios
De Calzado (AVECAL) from Spain, and Centro Tecnológico De Calçado De Portugal (CTCP) from
Portugal.

1st Transnational Project Meeting:
The first meeting of the project working group, consisting of representatives from the partner
organizations, was held on February 26–27, 2025, at the TESK meeting hall in Ankara.
Representatives from all partner organizations attended, and the meeting was highly productive.

The meeting began with an opening speech by TESK President Bendevi Palandöken. Following this,
the representatives of the partner organizations introduced themselves and shared their good wishes
for the project. In the second agenda item, each organization briefly presented itself.

Then, TESK Project Coordinator Nuran Senar and Project Expert Serdar Dalmaz delivered detailed
presentations on the project proposal and financial matters.

The meeting continued with a review of the work packages. This session ensured that all partners had
a shared understanding of the work packages. Yüksel Kaya, the representative of Ministry of Trade,
the organization responsible for Work Package 2 (Current Situation Report), and Julia Villaplana from
AVECAL, responsible for Work Package 5 (Dissemination), presented their activities.

After 1.5 days of meetings, our international guests returned to their home countries.

To promote the project, a project website (http://twintransformation.org.tr/) and social media accounts (Instagram:
twin_transformation https://www.instagram.com/twin_transformation/ and X - formally Twitter -:

@Twin_Transform https://x.com/twin_transform/ ) have been launched. Project updates will be
regularly shared with the public through these platforms, as well as via the websites and other
publications of the partner organizations.

ABOUT THE PROJECT
Project Objective:
The aim of the project is to support the competitiveness of SMEs (specifically tradesmen and
craftsmen) operating in the footwear manufacturing and leather sector by increasing their
knowledge, skills, and awareness regarding digital and green transformation (twin transition)
through a joint training program, related training materials, and innovative training methods. The
project also aims to contribute to addressing environmental and climate change issues.

Specific Objectives of the Project:

1. To investigate the impact of green and digital transformation specifically on SMEs in the footwear and leather sector and to identify best practices.
2. To increase the institutional capacities of the partner organizations by establishing a network that includes other countries, thereby fostering inter-organizational and international cooperation and joint working culture.
3. To enhance the knowledge, skills, and awareness of SME owners and employees through a jointly developed training program, materials, and innovative training methods on twin transition, thereby supporting their competitiveness.
4. To ensure that SMEs can access knowledge without the limitations of time and place through the creation of an e-platform and e learning materials.
5. To enhance the training capacities of partner organizations through new training topics, modules, and techniques.

Expected Project Results: 

• A report on the current status and best practices related to green topics in the footwear-leather sector will be prepared.
• 9 staff members from project partners will receive training of trainers on ISO standards.
• 120 employees will gain qualifications in gas emission, carbon footprint, and water footprint measurement.
• 200 employees/apprentices will be informed about environmental protection, climate change, and its effects on the sector.
• The project will be promoted and disseminated at local, national, and international levels.