ASTRAL

The main objective of the ASTRAL (Anticipating STRAtegic Long-term challenges) project is to enable the European high-tech industry

particularly SMEs to identify relevant futurologic high-level trends (or megatrends), capitalise on the business opportunities these offer and

translate them into executable and sustainable long-term strategies for competitive advantages and for coping with upcoming

uncertainties in a future more than 10-20 years ahead. It therefore co-creates, co-designs and co-develops a holistic approach to the

challenge of long-term future forecasting (LTFF) from both the side of education, training and research as well as from the business side.

ASTRAL develops (C-)VET trainings that equips current and a HEI education programme that teaches future professionals with the skills and

competencies to meet the growing demand for long-term future forecasting and strategic planning. In addition, ASTRAL establishes

cooperation partnerships between high-tech sector industry and HEI research to work together on the development and use of LTFF and on

practical topics that arise in the meanwhile.

ASTRAL consists of 5 research and development work packages co-led by partners from industry and academia. The 1st starts with an AI

supported systematic inventory of existing knowledge, training offerings and opinion leaders and field experts, who are invited to

participate in the project. It then co-creates success factors and approaches for the next steps. The second and third co-design and codevelop

the HEI curriculum and(C-)VET training on LTFF. The 4th co-designs the cooperation approach and framework sets up specific

formats. The 5th co-develops an online platform to provide the learning and cooperation experiences to the target audience. All results are

thoroughly tested and piloted with target groups and stakeholders.

The resulting ASTRAL Online Learning and Cooperation Platform offers two targeted learning experiences and pioneering cooperation

approach