For some time I have had in mind to write a blog to reflect on my departure from Bremen and return to Finland. Somehow I have had difficulties in finding the time and in getting the right message to be spelled out. Now, many things have come together and I have got the idea to write three successive blog post. Let us start with my departure from Bremen (as an outgoing ITB researcher) and return to Finland (as a retired researcher).

Abschied in Raten - Departure with several phases

In the beginning of the year I already was transferred to retirement. Yet, since my last project had not come to an end, I got a minor contract (on top of my pension) for eight months to finish up my contributions. I had planned to finish most of my work by the middle of February, then make some family trips abroad and then to return in May to organise a multiplier event with vocational teachers and trainers.

BUT this all was messed up because of the corona-crisis. Instead of returning to Bremen I had to return to Finland and to stay at my Finnish home for several months and to wait until I could return to Bremen. This was then possible in October. I was lucky with my timing - the corona situation had eased for a while and I could make a final visit and get the multiplier event organised. No question - the restrictions at the University of Bremen were there and only a few people at a time had access to their offices at ITB. But I had the chance to work there during my visit and get the multiplier event organised.

The highlights: Multiplier event at Bau-ABC Rostrup and the farewell evening in Viertel

The absolute highlight of this visit was the chance to organise a real multiplier event at the training centre Bau-ABC Rostrup with which I had been working since 2012 in the projects Learning Layers and TACCLE4 CPD. In a brief afternoon session attended by some twenty colleagues from Bau-ABC and ITB I had a chance to wrap up the results of the Learning Layers project (the development of the Learning Toolbox (LTB) into a viable product) and the follow-up phase (insights into new uses of LTB as support for training, learning and online conferences). I could also demonstrate the LTB showcase with which I had presented the achievements of the Learning Layers project and of the follow-up in the TACCLE4 CPD).

Then, in an open discussion the trainers of Bau-ABC shared their experiences on the use of LTB and on the prospects to develop their internal staff training based on the Theme Room approach (as developed in the projects).

All this gave me a good feeling of having completed my work for the projects and having shared this with our partners in Bau-ABC. This feeling was then topped up with the farewell evening with my colleagues from the ITB team of the Learning Layers project. And the venue was the restaurant Viva in our favourite neighbourhood Viertel in Bremen.  So, I was ready to go back home to Finland.

One year after

During this final visit I had managed to prpare my final final contributions to the project. Then, from Finland I had managed to upload the reports to the project website and to ResearchGate. So, my part was there. Then I had to wait until the final review by the British National Agency (as this project was an EU-funded project and the British NA was in charge as the funding body). It took almost a year - since everything had been slowed down due to the corona crisis. But the main thing was that the contributions of the project had been approved. It took even longer to get news of the financial part of the review - but it turned out to be equally positive. So, the mission had been completed.

So, all this has been going on during the last two years and all this has prepared me to conclude my work as a researcher and to get used of being a retired citizen. This is a new chapter in lifelong learning.

More blogs to come (but on different topic) ...