FLORNET history

FLORNET is founded in May 2000 by 5 colleges. Soon it developed into a continuously growing association of institutions (colleges and companies) of floristry, landscape architecture and design. All these institutions are dealing with nature and design. At this moment FLORNET is a network of almost 30 partner institutions in the whole of Europe.

The first applications for joined projects for students’ mobility and teachers’ exchange were written in November 2000. By mobility of apprentices/students and the exchange of teachers, professional goals and in particular the exchange of professional knowledge of culture-specific design is disseminated between students, teachers and experts from all floristic areas of professional training and visual arts are reached.  Since 2000 every year joined proposals for students’ mobility (IVT), people on the labour market (PLM) and teachers’ exchange (VETPRO) are written; every year several FLORNET partners are granted to perform these projects.

Within this mobility network since 2000 every year there are organised several seminars, workshops and exhibitions, e.g. FAL in Finland, Advent in Budapest and the floral exhibition at the BuGa in Munich. FLORNET arranged and arranges at least one open gathering a year. This gathering is open for all interested in the exchange of professional knowledge within floristry.

In the year 2002 partners of the network developed the international dictionary for florists; a dictionary with over 500 terms in floristry translated in 12 different EU languages and an explaining dictionary of these terms in the English and German language.

In the year 2003 nine of these associated partners within FLORNET were granted for the pilot project to establish the FLORNET transnational network. Each of these 9 partners then selected regional / national partners in order to organize a further network of regional partners for floristry and an adjacent subject in their own country. A Europe of cultural diversity in floristry is the main topic with which FLORNET transnational network is concerned. In international courses, workshops or long distance training courses, the different cultural and specific floristic designs are compared. The 9 FLORNET developed centres of excellence in the area of floristry and introduced new developments in the branch of floristry in Europe. All 9 centres of excellence developed an international module for floristry and an adjacent subject. In 2005 and 2006 these modules were tested out by 3 different target groups: certificated florists, teachers in floristry and florists in training (apprentices/students). In total over 120 participants followed one of these modules. Some of them followed more modules.

In April 2009 representatives of 9 colleges / companies within FLORNET established an EEIG (European Economic Interest Grouping) called FLORNET transnational network. It is registered at the Chamber of Commerce in the Netherlands. In March 2010 the other colleges / companies within FLORNET will become a member of FLORNET transnational network as EEIG.

FLORNET transnational network is organized as a European platform for professional training and further college education.

Since 2006 FLORNET is co-operating on a strategic level with FLORINT (the international branch origination for florists).

For several years now, together they compare education in floristry all over Europe. Through this cross-border exchange of information and knowledge they want to develop the education in floristry in all European countries to a transparent European level in order to influence floristry in a profound and positive way.
The organization and implementation of all Floristry activities at the Euro Skills 2008 was the mutual responsibility of the European branch organisation FLORINT and of FLORNET.

In 2010 FLORNET and FLORINT started the establishment of the European Platform of Education and Industry.

In 2010 this platform started the development of an international education for certificated florists to become a European Master in Floral Art. This education will be developed as a competence based training. It will be executed in the centres of excellence of FLORNET transnational network. Assessment will be done by certified judges, both teachers of colleges and representatives of Industry in floristry from all over Europe in the so called “proof of ability”. The education European Master in Floral Art will be recognized and accredited by all florist associations within the EU.

This Platform started the preparations to develop the international University College education in Vegetative Design, too.