The European Platform for Urban Greening, funded by the European Commission, aims to increase the knowledge and skills required to address biodiversity, climate adaptation and well-being in the urban, green living environment, and to broaden the expertise among Urban Greening professionals in Europe.

The European Platform for Urban Greening (EPLUG) aims to intensify the collaboration within the knowledge triangle (VET – Research & Development – Business) to facilitate these exchanges and to develop high quality curricula and qualifications focused on these urban greening skills needs and society challenges. The network aims to increase the quality and adaptability of the skills ecosystem (VET, Companies, Policy setting, Individuals) for urban green landscaping.

As driver of excellence and innovation, each European CoVE (Centre of Vocational Excellence) on Urban Greening promotes the proactive role for VET in local/regional development. While centres for collaboration in various countries will be established, a knowledge exchange between the centres will be organised. Staff in VET schools will be trained to create innovative online and offline educational programmes for students and employees. Through this, EPLUG aims to positively contribute to the biodiversity, climate adaptation and well-being in the urban green environment. The project consortium wants to anchor their strong partnership into frameworks of regional development, innovation and smart specialisation (Centres of Vocational Excellence), while combining their activities at the European level.

15 partners from 6 different countries take part in this Erasmus+ KA-3 project. As representatives of Spain, the Spanish team has two partners: EFA La Malvesia school from Llombai (Valencia) and Paimed, a company from the green sector, part of Projar Group. Other associated partners will also collaborate in the project.

The other participant countries are The Netherlands, Finland, Denmark, Czech Republic and Romania. With the main objectives in mind, all six countries will work together to identify the current needs of Urban Greening and green infrastructure within urban environments. Each country will be represented by a VET school and a company with proven experience in this field. Together they will create a meeting place to collaborate and provide expertise and learning possibilities and skills to face the challenges of adaptation to climate change, to attract more biodiversity in urban areas to improve people’s living surroundings in a more environmentally respectful approach.

La Malvesia school has over 50 years of experience in providing education and transforming the rural/agricultural world in the Comunidad Valenciana, by generating student projects that improve their technical skills for their professional future. The school also has a wide network of collaborating companies and entities to carry out training internships, while participating in European Erasmus mobility programs for students who wish to study part of their studies in other European centres or companies.

Paimed is a consolidated company specialized in the landscape and environment sector, applying urban naturalization solutions both nationally and internationally. Its extensive experience in the Urban Greening sector offering gardening and landscaping services, including the design and creation of green areas, as well as the execution of environmental restoration and bioengineering projects. Paimed belongs to the green sector company Projar Group, a group of companies with more than 40 years of experience in the manufacture of substrates and in the supply of product in the horticulture, landscape and environment sector. The group has subsidiaries in Portugal, Sri Lanka and India.

The Key Action 3 COVEs proposal was a pilot project, and at the 2021 Erasmus + Call for proposals the COVEs development is a reality, as you can find an specific KA2 Partnerships for Excellence COVE action that has a deadline the next 7th of september. The project webpage is https://www.platformurbangreening.eu/