📣 Workshop Announcement 🌍 Skillman International Forum 2023 🎉

Join us for an engaging workshop at the Skillman International Forum 2023, where we will delve into the fascinating world of crafts and present the innovative Tracks4Crafts project. This workshop will shed light on a future-oriented heritage approach in Europe, addressing the challenges faced by craftspeople in integrating their traditional craft knowledge (TCK) into high-tech environments and product development. 

The annual forum is organised in Latvia in partnership with the Latvian Ministry of Education and Science - as part of the European Year of Skills, in collaboration with Europea Latvia, the European Training Foundation and the Asian Development Bank.

The Forum of 2023 will pay particular attention to the potential of global networking as a resource for co-creating our common knowledge. It aims at addressing the emerging megatrends for a future society in which any qualification has a role, and where microcredentials may have a crucial role in response to the new emerging skills demands. The local responses to the global trends will be considered by an additional emphasis on green and digital transition and innovative approaches from various perspectives, and with the needs of active citizenship in mind.

Problem Definition: Crafts are highly valued as heritage, but unfortunately, they often struggle to find their place in technologically advanced environments, partly due to cultural and emotional barriers among craftspeople. Moreover, the potential of TCK for inclusive labor markets and sustainable development remains largely untapped.

Central Question: How can we safeguard and strengthen crafts while simultaneously enhancing their economic and societal value?

Workshop Output: During the workshop, we will explore various training practices and learning formats where TCK can be made public and codified through digitization, making it compatible with new technologies and future-oriented societal values. We will also discuss the types of certification or credentials that can effectively valorize TCK while meeting the needs of craftspeople and broader society. Additionally, we will examine business models and legal protection tools, such as intellectual property (IP) and professional classification, both for individual practitioners and TCK developed and transmitted within open-source and commons contexts. Lastly, we will focus on creating networks that link the interests and experiences of individual practitioners to broader economic and societal challenges, resulting in valuable policy recommendations.

Focus and Goal: Our ultimate aim is to achieve an enhanced economic and societal valuation of crafts, aligning with a future-oriented approach to heritage in Europe. We will specifically concentrate on reviving, valorizing, and validating TCK, as well as exploring how TCK can be effectively transmitted in high-tech environments and with the assistance of digital technologies.

Methods: To address these objectives, we will employ an interdisciplinary research approach, integrating various disciplines using the "convention theories" framework. We will also embrace multi-stakeholder co-creation, actively involving researchers, practitioners, and stakeholders, with a focus on "research through design." Additionally, we will conduct experimentation in different contexts, incorporating "action research" to gain valuable insights.

The Final Aim: Through our experiments, we aim to analyze the barriers that hinder the transmission of TCK in new ways. We will develop new shared "repertoires of evaluation" and devise formats, tools, and instruments to overcome these barriers.

Don't miss this exciting workshop where we explore the future of crafts and its integration into a technology-driven world. Together, we can unlock the full potential of traditional craft knowledge, promote inclusivity, and foster sustainable development.

See you at the Skillman International Forum 2023!

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