DIEM project
DIEM – Developing Inclusive Education in the Mediterranean
Capacity Building, Social Inclusion, and Cultural Heritage Valorization in the Mediterranean
DIEM is a Mediterranean project aimed at improving access to inclusive and quality education in the field of cultural heritage, directly aligned with labor market needs. Implemented across six Mediterranean countries, the project leverages cultural heritage as a driver of territorial development, social inclusion, and educational innovation. DIEM primarily targets youth, women, local communities, and vulnerable groups through innovative, transnational, and replicable training pathways.
Context
Mediterranean countries share an exceptional cultural heritage but face common challenges: mismatch between education and employment, high unemployment among graduates, exclusion of local communities from the benefits of heritage, and limited access to appropriate training for vulnerable populations.
DIEM addresses these challenges by strengthening education and training systems, promoting their harmonization at the Mediterranean level, and using cultural heritage as a catalyst for social inclusion, skills development, and sustainable economic growth.
Objectives
- Strengthen access to inclusive and quality education and training in the field of cultural heritage.
- Reduce the skills gap between education and labor market needs.
- Promote social inclusion and employability of youth, women, and vulnerable groups.
- Develop sustainable and replicable transnational training models across the Mediterranean.
Approach and Methodology
DIEM adopts an integrated and participatory approach based on the quadruple helix model (public institutions, universities, private sector, and local communities).
The project implements cascade training pathways (Training of Trainers), combining academic instruction, practical training, digital tools, and experimentation on pilot cultural heritage sites. Special attention is given to training accessibility (social, economic, digital, and linguistic barriers) to ensure effective inclusion of target groups.
Main Activities
- Development of a common education and training system in the field of cultural heritage.
- Harmonization and recognition of university credits among partner universities.
- Establishment of a digital platform for training and content sharing.
- Organization of Training of Trainers programs (Group A – site leaders and managers).
- Development of inclusive training programs for graduates, local communities, and vulnerable groups.
- Testing management and communication plans on pilot cultural heritage sites.
- Mobile training and awareness-raising actions through traveling hubs (DIEM Van).
Impact
- Improvement of skills for more than 600 direct and indirect beneficiaries in partner countries.
- Reduction of the education-to-employment gap in the cultural heritage sector.
- Strengthening of capacities of public institutions, universities, and local stakeholders.
- Increased inclusion of youth, women, and vulnerable groups in heritage and sustainable tourism sectors.
- Provision of tools, guidelines, and replicable training models at the Mediterranean level.
Project Partners
- Sapienza University of Rome (Italy) – Lead Partner
- Fondazione MeNO ETS (Italy)
- Universitat Politècnica de València (Spain)
- ANIMED (Tunisia)
- Tarmeem Center (Jordanie)
- Ain Shams University (Egypt)
- An-Najah National University (Palestine)
Within the DIEM project, Animed actively contributes to the implementation of activities related to social inclusion, training of local communities, and the sustainable valorization of cultural heritage, particularly in Tunisia.
Drawing on its expertise in the social and solidarity economy and Euro-Mediterranean projects, Animed participates in the design and delivery of inclusive training programs, the capitalization of best practices, and the dissemination of project results to local stakeholders, youth, and women from vulnerable territories.