Greetings Project EAGLE Community,
As we move into the next chapter of our journey together, we take a moment to express our heartfelt thanks to each and every one of you. Your dedication and participation have been fundamental to our progress. As we have entered the second year of our project, it’s a moment of reflection and anticipation for what lies ahead.
Spreading the word about EAGLE – our awareness campaign
In order to create awareness about what project EAGLE has to offer, one of the few main activities during first year focused on reaching out to SMEs and relevant stakeholders. During this time, we had several opportunities to disseminate information about EAGLE. Our consortium partners hosted quite few events and presented EAGLE at various events and gatherings organized by 3rd parties, showcasing the project’s goals and objectives to a wider audience. Among the many activities, we are highlighting the following events:
Project EAGLE was showcased at the CRITIS2023 Conference, a crucial forum for discussing contemporary challenges. L3CE’s presentation underscored the critical need to bridge the digital skills gap, emphasizing the project’s importance in the current landscape.
A promotional event for the EAGLE project by FAE in collaboration with DIHBU and UBU, took place at the Palacio de Congresos del Fórum Evolución in Burgos. This event was part of The Industrial Track 4.0 Technical Conference’s fourth edition, within the Industry 4.0 2023 Technology Meeting. The conference aimed at spreading knowledge about Industry 4.0 technologies and innovative solutions for industrial settings, featuring contributions from research centres, advanced engineering firms, and the industry.
FAE Burgo, DIHBU, and UBU organized three online webinars, effectively sharing details about EAGLE with our target audience.
The University of Limerick partners participated in the Building Better Business Event, where they had the chance to meet Minister Simon Coveney. This event provided a fantastic platform to highlight project EAGLE further.
While we’ve highlighted some key moments above, it’s important to acknowledge that our partners have participated in numerous other events and presentations, each significantly contributing to spreading the word about EAGLE. Due to space constraints in this newsletter, we cannot detail every event, but we deeply value and appreciate the efforts of all involved in these vital outreach activities. All these moments were crucial for spreading the word and getting others excited about what we’re doing.
In addition to the presentations, every partner made a strong commitment to network with other EU projects and initiatives. During the first year of the project, we managed to reach out to 45 other initiatives. This effort was aimed at creating collaborations and finding synergies that can enhance our work. By connecting with others, we’ve been able to learn, share knowledge, and strengthen our project through these valuable partnerships.
Reflecting on our course designing journey – achievements and milestones
The path we’ve traversed together over the past year has been marked by shared goals, challenges overcome, and milestones achieved. One of the first steps in our project was hosting focus groups by partners who are designing courses. These sessions brought together industry experts and representatives from various institutions and associations and industrial entrepreneurs from different sectors of activity, creating a platform for in-depth discussions and feedback collection. This early engagement was essential for understanding the specific needs and challenges faced by SMEs in the digital landscape. The insights gathered from these focus groups laid a solid foundation for our course design work, ensuring that our educational materials would be both relevant and impactful. This proactive approach of involving key stakeholders from the outset not only enriched our course content but also aligned our objectives with the real-world demands of SMEs.
Further, an important milestone in our journey was the peer review of our course designs by experts. This important step confirmed the quality and usefulness of our work for the EAGLE project. It also prepared us for the next important part: the pilot courses.
After the peer review, our course designing partners started running pilot courses. These pilots were essential to test if our courses really meet the needs of SMEs. They also allowed us to get feedback directly from the users. Incorporating this invaluable feedback received from participants was crucial to refine our courses and make them even better.
The pilots were a big success and showed the hard work and cooperation of everyone involved. After these pilots, we’re now using the feedback we got to improve our courses. This process of getting feedback directly from the SMEs and making improvements is key to making sure our courses stay top-notch and relevant.
Moving forward, our goal is to offer three editions of each course. This is part of our commitment to providing the best learning experiences and to improving digital skills in SMEs. This plan shows our careful approach to meeting the project’s objectives and enhancing digital skills within SMEs.
EAGLE Conference – a milestone event
The EAGLE Conference in Banská Bystrica on January 25, 2024 marked a key moment in our calendar, focusing on “Digital Skills in SMEs.” It brought together industry experts, academics, and project partners for a discussion on the digital challenges and opportunities small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) face today. The conference covered a wide range of important topics, highlighting the constantly changing digital environment. With more than 200 participants joining both in person and online, the event showcased the wide interest and critical need to improve digital skills in SMEs.
Here’s a snapshot of the conference by the numbers:
- More than 200 engaged participants,
- 115 live viewers on YouTube,
- 32 attendees via MS Teams,
- 16 international speakers, bringing diverse perspectives
- Representation from 15 countries: SK, CZ, FR, ES, IE, FIN, LT, CY, IT, BG, DE, PT, RO, PL, and CO,
- 3 compelling opening speeches,
- 2 thought-provoking panel discussions,
- 1 inspiring keynote address,
- A reach extending to over 1000 individuals on LinkedIn.
Panel discussions explored topics from “Data Analytics and Cybersecurity” to “Blockchain, Emerging Tech, Industrial Robotics, and Energy Systems.” These weren’t just talks but a push for action to tackle today’s digital needs. The conference also became a great place for networking and starting new partnerships, highlighting our belief that working together is essential for progress.
The EAGLE Conference story is one of community, innovation, and forward momentum. It is a testament to the power of collective expertise in shaping the future of SMEs in the digital age. The overwhelming positive feedback and the dynamic exchanges at the conference have set the stage for future initiatives. We are committed to continuing this dialogue and fostering the digital skills ecosystem in SMEs.
The conference moments can be revisited here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0-cMZZZnn0.
Forward together
As we look to the future, our resolve to bridge the digital skills gap in SMEs remains unwavering. The challenges ahead are significant, but our collective efforts have already shown that we are more than capable of meeting them head-on. Your ongoing support and active participation are crucial as we continue to enrich, educate, and empower companies with the essential digital skills needed in today’s landscape.
We are deeply grateful for your dedication to Project EAGLE. Your insights and engagement are invaluable as we strive to fulfill our shared objectives and impact the digital landscape positively.
Thank you for your continued trust and collaboration. Together, we are setting the foundations for a digitally empowered future.
Warmest regards,
