TIMS project — Training in Innovation Management System for Sustainable SMEs

Project is funded by ERASMUS+ programme, under the action KA220-VET - Cooperation partnerships in vocational education and training.   TIMS project presents itself as a possible answer to successively manage labour market transitions (unemployment, digitalization, economic cycles/uncertainties – COVID19), by designing an innovative, digital and open access VET programme – suitable for distance learning - that will approach the work between VET providers (and other educational institutions such as NGOs) and businesses (SMEs), along the project cycle and beyond.  TIMS COURSE, developed within TIMS project, is “a flexible and learner-centred VET programme” with a practical “Handbook for Innovation Agents” and “TIMS Self-Assessment Tool for Innovation” will provide a holistic view for leadership and innovation by comprising managerial, interpersonal and reflective skills which will then be applied into building innovative modus operandi in European SMEs; based on the ISO 56000 series standards for IM.   An innovation management system becomes increasingly more important every day for the survivability and the development of modern companies. However, the know-how regarding the innovation management is almost non – existed in most companies, regardless their sector. For this reason, TIMS project aims to: 

  • Assist the organizations in need to scale up the existing quality management system to innovation management system for launching the competitive strategy
  • Promote innovation in European SMEs and Nigerian SMEs as the main tool to facilitate sustainability, learning throughout life, and adjusting to the changes
  • Promote transnational networking and exchange between enterprises and VET providers at the European level, applying theory to the European business scene 
TIMS target groups and main stakeholders will be VET and Adult Education providers, SMEs and, associated partners, in particular: 
  • Employees on executive and management level and intrinsic leaders inside the company; 
  • Skilled or qualified adults who want to upskill into Innovation Management based on ISO 56000 and become themselves "Innovation Agents"; 
  • Unemployed qualified people in need to start a reskilling path; 
  • SMEs and Entrepreneurs (people who are running a business or have an intrapreneur attitude inside an organisation);
  • Innovation hubs, accelerators, and incubators;
  • Entrepreneurship education networks;
  • VET and Adult Education providers who wish to deliver training in Innovation Management System 

Project results

  1. a Tailored Sell-Assessment Tool for Innovation Management (IM), dedicated to ISO 56000 series; 
  2. a Competence Matrix based on Innovation Management ISO series, using the EQF approach and a EU micro-credentials approach; 
  3. a Training in Innovation Management System - TIMS COURSE - composed of a set of innovative learning-centred materials and methodologies, adapted to f2f and online modalities; 
  4. a conceptual Handbook for "Innovation Managers" with:

  • State Analysis Assessment regarding the ability of companies to adapt Innovation Processes; 
  • inspirational case studies and "to-be solved- case-studies";
  • Risk and Change theories (ISO 31000); 
  • a collection of existent Innovation Assessment tools;
  • an "Innovation Strategy" to help "Innovation Agents" in SMEs & micro-enterprises.



Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.