IÐAN is a party to a collaborative project of thirteen countries on innovation and good practices in the painting trade.
The project is called Painting Skills Academy, where the emphasis is on cooperation on innovation and sharing good practices in the painting industry. There are 23 partners from 13 countries. Among the partners are UNIEP, the International Union of Painting Contractors; SBG, an education centre that offers master's level studies in the painting trade in Germany; and OZS, the Chamber of Craft and Small Business of Slovenia. Other larger schools and organisations are also participating, including EPP from Belgium (European Painting Partners), EUROMASC from Norway, and WIAB from Austria.
Rakel Steinvör Hallgrímsdóttir, a study and career counsellor; Ólafur Ástgeirsson, head of construction and civil engineering subjects; and Ásgeir Valur Einarsson, project manager in the construction and civil engineering department, are the project representatives on behalf of Iðan.
They believe the project is important for many reasons. One is to map the differences in education and qualifications required to work as a painter in Europe. Another is to build a common foundation for an electronic database of study paths and courses in the painting trade. This would revolutionise opportunities for continuing and further education for painters and hopefully increase the flow of labour between countries in Europe. For example, a painter in Slovenia could take a course taught in Denmark and thus acquire additional knowledge and skills.