Politehnica University of Bucharest is the largest Politechnical University from Romania, with great expertise and bearing an essential role in the development of Higher Education in the country. As a promoter, PUB can fulfil all the requirements derived from this quality and can ensure the running of the project under optimal conditions. The Materials Technoloy and Welding Engineering Department (TMS) has a vast experience with European projects. These include FP5 projects, Tempus, Socrates and Leonardo da Vinci projects.

As a promoter and coordinator, PUB will fulfil its obligations regarding the management of the project and the ongoing monitoring of the project running in close collaboration with its partners. During the scheduled visits, all necessary steps will be taken to ensure the access of the visitors to audio-visual equipments and to modern facilities at European standards.

There is a vast experience and expertise in the CAD/CAM domain at the promoter level (PUB), these concepts being taught to our students for several years. CAD training bears an important role in the education in all of the technical faculties. Software packages like Autodesk AutoCAD, Dassault Systems CATIA and SolidWorks have constituted an integral part in the training process of a technical engineer (e.g. technologies engineering from PUB). At the Technology Materials and Welding Department (TMS) there is already an allocated surface floor for such a centre for training. There is already an infrastructure in place consisting of performant computers, sockets and power outlets, high-speed Internet access (100 Mbs), desks, chairs, etc. At software level, 13 licenses for Dassault Systems CATIA were acquisitioned and 30 licenses for Autodesk AutoCAD and Inventor 2007 were purchased. The academic and technical staff of TMS department has experience in teaching CAD/CAM concepts and software packages. Furthermore, two CAD/CAM manuals written entirely by TMS academic staff are already printed (with ISBN) covering 2D CAD only.  PUB along with two other partners from this consortium were involved in another Leonardo da Vinci pilot project called CECA - implementation of an innovative model and self-sustainable system of ECDL CAD training/testing center (project no. RO/05/B/F/PP175005) that completed successfully in 2007. The euCAD project is viewed as a strong continuation of the results and deliverables of the CECA project.

PUB will be actively involved in the valorisation, dissemination and implementation of the intermediary and final project results.  Being the largest University from Romania, Politehnica University of Bucharest (PUB) has quite an extensive experience with dissemination activities. Dissemination process is treated here as normal and day-to-day procedures and tackled with high level of professionalism. PUB benefits from a good dissemination infrastructure such as Internet, Intranet, local publications, and local TV station and access to public publications. TMS department was involved in other Leonardo da Vinci projects with highly appreciated results by the target audiences and end-users. European Commission has expressed their interest in the past Leonardo da Vinci project number 83554/1998 as a good example of obtaining a good dissemination strategy across Europe (with partners from Romania, France, Portugal and United Kingdom). Furthermore, TMS department was involved in two FP5 projects gaining an appreciable amount of experience in the dissemination process. During the last 5 years, TMS has ongoing close links and contacts with partners from France, United Kingdom, Portugal, Greece, Finland, Lithuania, Belgium, Germany. In addition, previous and ongoing cooperation between PUB and partner P2 and P4 in successful European projects demonstrates the dissemination capacity of P1.

The management and coordination of the euCAD project lays in the duty of PUB. In this role, PUB will facilitate de cooperation and communication between partners. PUB will coordinate the Steering Committee, a committee that will evaluate the ongoing progress of the project and that will take corrective measures where deemed necessary.  PUB will be strongly involved in devising the curricula for CAD training/testing, in developing the innovative methodology for ECDL CAD training/testing for SMEs, in the development of the euCAD Vocational Training System Framework, innovation technology courseware.

PUB will be actively involved in the valorisation, dissemination and implementation of the intermediary and final project results.  Being the largest University from Romania, Politehnica University of Bucharest (PUB) has quite an extensive experience with dissemination activities. Dissemination process is treated here as normal and day-to-day procedures and tackled with high level of professionalism. PUB benefits from a good dissemination infrastructure such as Internet, Intranet, local publications, and local TV station and access to public publications.

INOVAFOR was created by INOVA+ (www.inovamais.pt), a Portuguese company connected to the largest private network of innovation services in Europe, that employs approximately 150 workers, with associates in Rome (Innova Spa - Italy), Luxembourg (Innova Europe Sarl - Luxembourg), Prague (Inova Pro, S.r.o. - Czech Republic), S. Jose and Boston (Innova Consulting Group - USA) and Warsaw (TechIn Sp. Zoo - Poland). INOVA+ has participated in over 20 European projects from the Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Framework Programmes, including more than 10 projects as coordinators in the programmes IST (“Star-Net�, “Get-IN�), Innovation and SME participation (�Boost-IT�), eContent (“Innovatrix�) and eTen (“Innovall�), amongst others.

The mission of INOVAFOR is to promote innovation, training and the supply of advisory services in the field of innovation, mainly for SMEs and higher education institutions. The main goals of the company are:

â–ª         To develop updating and further training;

â–ª         To create awareness on the advantages that innovation brings;

â–ª         To make others know about the legal framework suitable for Innovation;

â–ª         To encourage companies to innovate, especially SME, and reinforce innovation’s regional dimension;

â–ª         To develop the organizational perspective concerning technological innovation.

Considering its acquired know-how and its wide network of contacts with SMEs, business associations, R&D Centres and Higher Education Institutions INOVAFOR will participate in the following work packages:

- WP2: Amplifying Creativity & Innovation Learning with SMEs

- WP7: euCAD Quality Assurance

- WP8: Testing of euCAD Vocational Training System Framework

- WP9: SME on-site Mentoring

- WP10: euCAD Dissemination

- WP11: euCAD Exploitation

Eurico Neves has a Degree in electronic engineering with a specialization in computing systems and a Master in Management and International Markets. He is specialized in European policies on research & development, innovation and information technologies. For several years worked as an Expert intra-muros at the European Commission in Luxembourg, DG XIII, assisting the European Commission in the conception and implementation of programmes and actions within the scope of the research and development policy, innovation and regional development, and participating in the deployment and promotion of the “Green Book on Innovation�. Currently he is the Manager of INOVAFOR and the CEO of other SMEs in the field of innovation.

Diana Oliveira works since June 2006 as Project Manager in the field of Vocational Training at Inovaformação and is the project coordinator of SME2 project. She holds a degree in Education Sciences and a post-graduation in Strategic Management of Human Resources. Prior to working at Inovaformação, Diana Oliveira worked as Vocational Training Consultant in a higher education institution, being responsible for the management of training plans and the organisation of VET activities. She has also participated in the Portuguese project “Social Charter 2005� coordinated by the Ministry of Labour and Social Solidarity.

Pedro Soutinho holds a degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering and works as a Consultant in the field of Vocational Training at Inovafor. Prior to working at Inovaformação he worked as free-lancer business consultant and, from 1990 to 2004, he worked at a Wire & Cable manufacturer where he has been at the head of the Innovation and Information Systems Department. He has participated in several European Projects as Project Manager and has coordinated several VET actions on the field of Innovation Management. 

The public institution Information Technologies Institute (ITI) was established in 1997. ITI can be described as an organisation which creates temporary working groups for projects to design Information Systems in a professional manner. ITI has experience in corporative information systems design and computerization of administrative activities (Lotus Domino infrastructures). From year 2000 Information Technologies Institute started with activities in ECDL (European Computer Driving License) Programme implementation in Lithuania. Information Technologies Institute is the official ECDL Foundation Licensee for Lithuania and Belarus. Currently the development and dissemination of ECDL related testing activities have the major importance for the Institute. ITI has developed the automated ECDL test system which was approved by the ECDL Foundation for automated testing.

During the Leonardo CECA project ECDL CAD tests were developed in Lithuanian language and implemented into the Lithuanian ECDL test system. In the proposed project main concentration for ITI will be development of tests in English for 2D/3D ECDL CAD for both manual and automated testing. ITI will be responsible for the test bases authorization on the ECDL Foundation level. Participation in 2D/3D CAD courseware creation, case studies preparation, local SMEs mentoring, quality assurance and dissemination activities are also foreseen.

The drive for great ideas, or putting the product first, is still the starting point for successful innovative companies. But today you also need to develop, in parallel, the right enabling culture. We help companies do both of these things: create great ideas and build sustainable innovative cultures.

Computer Aided Design, Computer Aided Industrial Design and Visualisation of products using specialist software tools.

PJohn Boult has considerable experience and reputation within the design industry. He is a founding director of Product first - A Product, Brand and Corporate Innovation Consultancy and is a director of Michael Peters (Asia-Pacific) Limited – A Brand Design consultancy specialising in the Japanese market. John is an Associate Professor of Design Strategy at Brunel University, where he also lectures on Innovation, Brand & Design Strategy, for what is considered by many to be the first Masters Course dealing with this subject area in the UK and Europe. He is a member of the editorial board and also a contributor to newdesign magazine, his series of articles based on face-to-face interviews with some of the world’s foremost practitioners of the management of design, including Alessi, Philips, Jaguar, and Brother, provide a unique snapshot of the rich and varied world of design management. John has broadcast on radio and TV both in the UK and overseas; he is a regular speaker at industry and other events, appearing on the same programmes as speakers such as Edward de Bono and Gary Hamel. Through Product First he consults widely on design management and strategy issues and is currently engaged in projects including the investigation of the role of design and design management within Regional Enterprise Network Initiatives; determining ways of explaining design thinking within Higher Education courses, particularly engineering and related subjects; mentoring in-house design teams on emerging design tools and their application. He holds an Honours Degree in Special Physics from Reading University; a Diploma in Marketing and is a past member of the Marketing Society. His experience in UK design business includes working with Ben Fether at Fether & Partners (now FM Design), Michael Peters & Company, when the company was located in Olaf Street, and now Productfirst Professionally he is a past board member of the Design Council, the first external examiner to the groundbreaking Design Management Masters Course at the Royal College of Art, external examiner at Somerset College Art & Design, former chair of Brunel University Industry Liaison Group. He has also validated number of courses at UK design universities combining design and business related activities.

Usesoft is an Estonian IT company which focuses on two main markets - CAD solutions mainly for the building market and business software for the manufacturing market. The company's office is situated in Tallinn and services are provided to customers from Estonia and its neighboring countries Russia, Latvia and Lithuania. The company was founded in 1991 and currently employs 20 people.

Usesoft has 15 years of experience in implementing CAD systems and training CAD users for customers active in the following segments: Architects and Building Engineers, Constructors & Real Estate Developers, Construction Infrastructure Builders and Media/Entertainment. From the beginning of year 2008 Usesoft is also MSD certified and authorized to provide Digital Prototyping solutions (e.g. Inventor) for manufacturing.

The company has been Autodesk’s Authorized Dealer from 1992 and Autodesk Training Center since 1998. Usesoft is a member of BSA Estonia and helped to establish it in 1995, as a representative of Autodesk.

Design of CAD courseware and tests for CAD professionals