“Innovation Management Agents in SMEs” (INMA) is based on 2 priorities of Europe 2020 Strategy about delivering growth that is smart, through more effective investments in education, research and innovation; and inclusive, with a strong emphasis on job creation. In line with the achievement of the above challenges, arises INMA project aiming to import and transfer to Turkey and to other European countries INMA training program, awarded for its quality by Spanish Ministry of Education and Science 2007, featuring: - Adequate product methodology - Up-to-date content targeting current innovation needs of SMES -Quality tool approaching defined competences from a double perspective- beneficiaries/ companies - A training program focused on innovation globally. INMA proposes the update, enhancement, and transference to Turkey, Italy, Portugal, and Romania of the following “Innovation Manager” training products-materials-tools, to address identified needs in above countries regarding employment, education and innovation: • INMA Occupational Profile including areas of knowledge, competences, responsibilities and functions within the enterprise. • INMA Training PACK (training modules and materials, ICT training tool, Virtual Community) focused on 5 knowledge areas: New Technologies, Strategic Management, Knowledge Management, People Management and Corporate Social Responsibility. To ensure effective implementation of INMA training tools and materials, these will be translated and adapted to the national contexts of recipient countries and tested through the INMA blended learning training course. INMA training program will be adjusted, so that it responds to recipient countries labour market demands. The project includes the development of a work-based INMA internship program, to allow students apply INMA learned knowledge in real business environments. INMA curriculum will be formalized and aligned with ECVET system to facilitate its incorporation to national VET systems in recipient countries. INMA project addresses following needs identified in recipient countries: -SMEs represent the 90% of the European enterprises, with low capacity to maintain an innovation and development internal department, so that innovation gets slowly into these organizations, making their competitiveness difficult. INMA profile is meant to work externally –integrated in a network of other innovation managers- for several SMEs (reducing the cost of a Knowledge Europe for each enterprise), being a link between university and enterprises. -Innovation and ICT sector is mostly occupied by men, being women representation very low. With the present profile update, adjustment to new European national contexts, and its transference, we expect to turn it around, placing Innovation at the same level as the knowledge and exchange and not only to ICTs. EXPECTED RESULTS: -Create employment for qualified unemployed, especially women. -Increase women participation in ICT sector. - Provide affordable solutions to European SMES innovation needs/challenges, increasing SMEs innovation implementation. -Equip greater number of VET providers, at European level, with effective and updated comprehensive training materials and tools. - Provide recipient countries with a training program for the development of Innovation Management competences matching the requirements of the future labour market. TARGET GROUP -Unemployed with academic qualification -Unemployed women with academic qualification returning to labour market -People holding job positions below their qualification level seeking a professional promotion. -SMEs -Training organizations/ VET centers -Business associations and entrepreneurs networks within the innovation sector. -Policy makers and Government bodies with competences in labor, training and innovation areas (Local administrations, local development agencies, guidance organizations). ACTIVITIES -Transfer Workshop to deliver INMA profile, training pack and materials to experts/ VET providers from partner countries. -Synthesis and analysis of the innovation needs/challenges of European SMEs. -Adjustment and update of the INMA occupational profile and training pack to partner countries’ national contexts and languages. -ICT Training tool upgrade/ transfer supported by the 2.0 Social Community -Creation of national/European network of universities, businesses, SMEs, government employment and education representatives, VET providers, etc. fostering their participation in INMA Virtual Community. -Training pack testing through blended learning pilot in recipient countries. -INMA internship program development -Design and promotion of Innovation manager ECVET Curriculum -Evaluation, Dissemination and exploitation of the project and its results PARTNERSHIP: Promoter Cankiri Karatekin University (TR), Partners-Cankiri Civil Society Association (TR), Documenta (ES), ISQ (PT), E.RI.FO. (IT), Agentia Pentru Dezvoltare Regionalasud-Muntenia (RO).