Fashion & Food synergy for sustainability. New courses and innovative digital tools in higher education

The key background elements highlighted in the proposal about the value and trends of the Fashion & Food sectors remain pressing challenges, that served as guiding references throughout its durati...

By addressing the above needs, we aimed to explore synergies between fashion and food that could foster innovation, reduce environmental footprints, and promote sustainable consumption patterns. This project provided an opportunity to bridge the knowledge and practices of two seemingly distinct industries, demonstrating that their convergence could drive new, impactful solutions for sustainability. We wanted to develop an interdisciplinary and international joint work on cutting edge knowledge to be conveyed in flexible and digital learning materials, focusing on each sector (Fashion & Food) and their intersections. Our objectives, in short, were: -Updating the communication and management competencies of BA and MA students to meet the current needs of the fashion and food sectors, addressing their growing convergence. We developed six comprehensive online learning modules to enhance critical knowledge and skills on sustainability challenges, -Introducing in the university courses and teachers' practices a renewed attention to future trends of fashion&food synergies, through the development of specific learning materials, -Developing community competencies in the same fields, by transferring contents in an easily accessible way.

WP1 - Definition of course module contents. Collection and preparation of contents on sustainability, focused on fashion&food sectors. The activity was carried out in team. Each partner had a relevant role, collecting documentation, individuating relevant experience and cases (enterprises, association, local initiatives, ecc.), describing the contest where the cases were situated, deep study of some cases. WP1 offered a wide and rich material as base of the following activities, the main original ones are the Glossary on sustainability for Fashion & Food (62 entries) and 11 case studies WP2 - Course modules design. The partners shared their ideas to select 6 topics around which design learning modules. The work started with a deep analysis of the expected learning outcomes and with a comparison between the University of the respective didactic regulation and constraints. WP3 - International testing of the course modules taught in English (first phase). Two training modules for students were designed with contributions from all the partners; they were intended to be delivered live online, featuring teachers and tutors: 1. The challenge of sustainability 2. Leading and Communicating sustainability. The modules were aimed at a diverse group of international students studying at partners' universities in Spain, the Netherlands, and Italy but originally coming from various countries around the world. The Polish partner tested the module during an international course held in Poland. WP4 – Testing of course modules (second phase) and fine-tuning. Feedback of the students and of teachers were collected and contributed to the revision of the first two modules and to the design of the following four. The six modules were delivered in the different countries for a second test (see results for the compete list). An international class test was added too. 442 students enrolled in the testing, 376 completed the modules. All the participants who completed the modules received an attendance certificate, and a badge if positively assessed. WP5 - Training the community. 5 webinars were designed, organized, recorded. The webinars were designed on the base of the learning modules content developed in the previous WP. Since the webinars were planned during the entire 2024, a continuous validation and fine tuning was carried out. A LinkedIn group was opened to start a community interested in sustainability in the F&F sectors and their intersections. The entire project was accompanied step by step by the project manager and the administrative officers of the coordinator, with planned tasks & deadlines periodically checked during the TPMs and other ad hoc online meetings. The project management allowed to strengthen and lead the team, taking advantage of the different expertise of the partners, trying to enhance their involvement and contribution as much as possible. Other transversal activities were carried out regularly. Regular monitoring was carried out with 4 periodic questionnaires to the partners; feedback questionnaires for learning activity, webinars and multiplier events. A final evaluation focus was held during the last TPM. Dissemination: production of dissemination materials (logo and visual identity; templates; video presentation); partners webpage dedicated to the project; organisation of the ME E1-E10; regular posts on social media and other actions.

Outputs; R1 - GLOSSARY OF SUSTAINABILITY FOR FASHION AND FOOD. The Glossary of Sustainability is a digital, open and participatory resource. Through key words, it describes the dimensions of sustainability in the fashion and food industries and brings together case studies, research practices, and exemplary European-level information sources that are freely accessible and useful for education, research and a wider audience. R2 - New training guidelines for teachers. (EN, ES, GR, PL, IT, NL) The guidelines present educational materials developed through the "Fashion & Food Synergy for Sustainability Project" and provide practical tips for classroom organization, strategies to foster collaborative learning, and guidance on certification, attendance, and group management, ensuring seamless adaptation for both in-person and online settings. Built on sustainability studies in the fashion and food sectors, these digital resources aim to deepen knowledge for educators and enhance teaching practices. Flexible guidelines help teachers effectively utilize the materials, with module formats, instructional activities, and assessment tools designed to streamline grading. Downloadable from: https://centridiricerca.unicatt.it/modacult-risorse-a-disposizione-fashion-food-materiali-per-docenti R3 - New course modules for University degrees: #1. The challenges of sustainability #2. Circularity - Circular Economy Application in the Fashion and Food Industries #3. Footprint in everyday consumption. Mainstream and alternatives #4. The ecosystem of Responsibility. Corporate Social Responsibility, Collective Actions & Citizenship #5. Leading and Communicating sustainability #6. The Challenge of Greenwashing and Consumer Protection Two versions: • e-learning modules accessible from EduOpen platform – open access and self-directed: https://learn.eduopen.org/?lang=en • Teaching materials: content structure outline (available from the project webpage), multimedia materials (available on request) R4 - Training modules for the community- Webinars A series of 5 online webinars that, in about one hour, present cases studies, host experts and discuss hot topics in Fashion and Food Sustainability. 1 - Navigating Fashion and Food Sustainability: insights and best practices. (EN) 2 - Sustainable Fashion: Branding Strategies to Avoid Greenwashing (ES) 3 - Closing the Loop: Embracing Circularity for a Sustainable Future (EN) 4 – From thread to food - stories of sustainability and innovation in Italy (IT) 5 - Between the wardrobe and the wastebin: fashion for a sustainable future (EN) The series is completed by the recording of the round table held during the Polish final event. 6 - Will it work? Sustainability in the fashion and food sectors (PL) All the recordings are available in the webpage https://centridiricerca.unicatt.it/modacult-fashionfood-for-sustainability-risultati?rdeLocaleAttr=en Additional outputs. - Glossary in pdf collecting all the entries – internal result. It will be updated with some entries developed during the testing and published. - 11 case studies. - Case studies guidelines. - Scientific papers: . Noia E., Pérez Bou S., Mazzucotelli Salice S., Carini L., Burguera Pérez M.A. (2025) Digital, international, interdisciplinary learning: enhancing competences and changing mindset about sustainability in fashion and food. In “Nuevos aprendizajes tecnologizados con aplicaciones culturales y didácticas”, Ciencias sociales en abierto, ISBN 978-3-631-91604-9 . Pérez-Bou, S., Burguera, M. Á., Mazzucotelli Salice, S., & Carini, L. (2024). Education for sustainability: The link between food and fashion industries, case-based learning. in I. Cantista et al. (Eds.): GFC 2023, Fashion for the Common Good, pp. 175–190, 2024. Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-50252-1_10 . Eleonora Noia, Silvia Pérez Bou, Silvia Mazzucotelli Salice, Ludovica Carini, María Ángeles Burguera Pérez, 2024 EDUCATING FOR SUSTAINABILITY: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF AN INTEGRATED APPROACH, in Atti del Convegno CUICIID, International University Congress on Communication, Innovation, research and teaching - 3 Undergraduate theses including case studies; 2 Glossary entries developed by students: As part of the project’s extended impact, three undergraduate students from the Comunicazione e Società (Communication and Society) program developed their theses using the analytical case study tool created within the project framework. By applying this tool, they systematically examined specific challenges related to sustainability in the fashion and food sectors. Their work contributed three new case studies to the project, enriching its repository with practical, evidence-based insights into topics such as corporate social responsibility, circular economy practices, and sustainable communication strategies. These theses not only showcased the versatility and effectiveness of the case study tool but also reinforced the project’s capacity to drive meaningful academic and industry-relevant outcomes. Similarly, students of the Master in Fashion Management (ISEM) developed 2 new entries for the Glossary (Recycling and Life Cycle Assessment), revised by the professor. They are going to be uploaded in the online tool. Results/outcome Considering the first Objective (Updating the communication and management competencies of BA and MA students to meet the current needs of the fashion and food sectors, addressing their growing convergence), the outputs (R1 and R3) will continue to be used in the partner Universities and by some teachers/professor of the University network, contributing to enhance students competencies. During the LMs testing, the results of the learning assessment of the students that completed the modules is very positive: 375 students completed the modules (out of 443 enrolled), 363 (97%) had a positive final assessment and 321 received a badge. We can affirm that 363 students improved their competences in sustainability with focus on fashion and food. The increased competencies (and interest) of the students are showed in the assignment developed and in the results of the feedback questionnaire (participation in the learning modules led to a theoretical shift in students' approach to sustainability (34.1%) and a change in their attitudes toward sustainability (24.4%). This, notwithstanding the 26.8% of students who reported already having a strong knowledge of sustainability topics prior to the course, and 7.3% who claimed to already follow a sustainable lifestyle regardless of the course. Please refer to the M&E report and scientific papers for a wider reporting). With reference to the goal of introducing in the university courses and teachers' practices a renewed attention to future trends of F&F synergies, the project created an international team, composed by university professors, university researchers, professionals of the other partners (AM, AL, SFG, EE), that will continue to cooperate in various combination. The entire team experienced a different approach to the study and teaching of sustainability, with exchange of approaches and methods. The development of e-learning modules allowed to increase the skills in this specific teaching mode, with an interdisciplinary approach and multimedia materials creation/selection and use. 20 people among the partnership team were directly involved in the use the new contents and training materials, both on site and online. 35 people selected within partnership staff participated to the content creation/collection/selection and technically and were methodologically trained to produce learning materials, with attention to multimedia. Please refer to the M&E report and scientific paper for a wider reporting. For the last objective (developing community competencies in the same fields), the entire project activity and the webinars design and implementation (WP5) were oriented to improve the connection with public and private organisations interested in the convergent development of the two sectors. 126 participants to the online live webinar and 148 views of the recordings (so far). 29 members of the partnership attended too. A wide public was involved in the ME: about 300 people attended and 13 relevant speakers were involved. AM organized an additional online presentation to its associates, with 100 participants. The LinkedIn group, dedicated to a network of public and private organisations interested in the convergent development of the two sectors, have 44 members (so far).