What is an innovation and what can transfer of innovation (TOI) and a good work-based learning (WBL) practice mean?

The goal of innovation is to achieve positive change, to facilitate processes for those working on planning work-based learning or to try to improve work-based learning. An innovation therefore does not have to be new to everyone – it is enough that an individual or another unit or organization (a school, a VET-provider, an enterprise) experiences it as being new. In this case, the innovative good practices (see section Planning the transfer) will be transferred The transfer of a good WBL practice means implementing and applying the practice in other organizations or units where it is developed. It is not the practice itself but rather knowledge about it that can be transferred. If a practice is to be applied elsewhere, this should take place in a context that is sufficiently similar to the context where the practice originally proved to be functional and effective. Implementation and application of a practice form a process where the practice and its context are co-produced.

Transfer of good practice is always a learning process. Transfer of a WBL practice is always a mutual learning process for everyone involved in the process and tacit knowledge also plays an important role in the process. It tends to be more successful, if it is done systematically and if all the phases of the innovation-decision process have been taken into account. The latest innovation research shows that a user-oriented transfer of innovation process is based on interaction between those involved in the transfer process and the beneficiaries. It is important to identify the end-users of the transferred work-based learning practice and involve them in different phases of the transfer process. Transfer of innovation is a whole “service package”, which contains not only transfer of good practice but support services and marketing for those in charge of assuring the success of the transfer process too (See also Service Process of the Project).

• An innovation is a new idea, its adaptation for practical situations and the added value as a result of both.
• Transfer of innovation means implementing and applying a new idea into practice in other organizations, where it is developed to create added value. The TOI process is a mutual learning process for everyone involved and tacit knowledge also plays an
  important role in the process.
• The customer-oriented transfer of innovation process presumes involvement of the beneficiaries in the process from the beginning and the planning of support services needed for the successful transfer of WBL practices. The user-oriented transfer of
  innovation arises in cooperation between partnerships and beneficiaries.