News DREAM

DREAM Project Releases Post-Piloting Document: A Roadmap for Enhancing Digital Resilience in Micro-Businesses Across Europe

"The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn." - Alvin Toffler Europe 2023-2025 – The DREAM project, an initiative aimed at strengthening digital resilience among European micro-businesses, has released its post-piloting document, which provides valuable insights and recommendations for policymakers and VET providers to enhance digital skills development and support entrepreneurship. The piloting phase of the DREAM project involved 138 participants across multiple regions in Europe, who engaged with various training modules on the Digital DREAM Lab platform (https://www.digital-dream-lab.eu/). The platform is designed to enhance digital resilience and entrepreneurship skills among micro and small to medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). Feedback was collected from participants, trainers, and partners to assess the platform's usability, the relevance of the training content, and the overall learning experience. In addition to the in-person pilot program, the DREAM Digital Lab has also been tested online by 565 users. Analysis of platform usage patterns revealed valuable data on user preferences and areas for improvement. This data, combined with feedback from the in-person pilot program participants, has allowed the DREAM project to create a comprehensive roadmap for future development and implementation of digital skills training. The post-piloting document highlights the need to: Build digital literacy as a foundational skill. Support flexible and inclusive training formats. Incentivize digital transformation for MSMEs. Integrate emerging technologies in training programs. Provide ongoing support and follow-up. It also offers guidelines for integrating digital resilience training into VET programs, ensuring that the training meets the practical needs of MSMEs and contributes to economic development. These guidelines include: Designing training programs with core content available online, supplemented by in-person sessions. Incorporating real-world case studies and practical applications to provide hands-on experience. Developing continuous learning pathways that allow participants to progress from foundational to advanced digital skills training. The DREAM project is committed to working with policymakers, VET providers, and other stakeholders to implement these recommendations and ensure that the Digital DREAM Lab remains a valuable resource for building digital skills across Europe.

DREAM Project Concludes with Final Meeting in Málaga

Málaga, Spain - 15 October 2024: The DREAM project, an ambitious initiative designed to tackle the challenges of COVID-19 and digitalization in the two worlds of VET and SMEs across Europe, officially concluded with a closing meeting held on 15 October 2024 in Málaga, Spain. Representatives from all project partners gathered to review the project’s achievements, reflect on the lessons learned, and discuss the future impact of the project’s outcomes on digital education and innovation. The meeting marked the culmination of a multi-year collaboration between educational institutions, technology companies, and research organizations from across Europe. Together, these partners worked towards the project’s mission to advance digital competencies and resilience and foster innovation in learning environments through cutting-edge digital tools and methodologies. Celebrating the Achievements of the Digital Dream Lab During the final meeting, the partners reviewed the key milestones of the project, including the successful development and implementation of the project platform, Digital DREAM Lab, aimed at enhancing educational experiences for students and educators. One of the highlights of the project was the creation of a user-friendly platform for interactive, immersive learning experiences. The DREAM training, designed with both educators and learners in mind, have been piloted in several settings, with positive feedback and promising results. The project also produced valuable research on the future of digital learning and the importance of fostering digital literacy skills across all levels of education. The results were disseminated through different means, ensuring that the insights gained from the DREAM project will have a lasting impact on education policy and practice across Europe. A Collaborative Journey The closing meeting in Málaga provided an opportunity for the project partners to reflect on their collective efforts and the significance of their collaboration. "The DREAM project has been a transformative journey for all of us. We have not only developed innovative resources but also built a strong network of collaborators who are passionate about the future of digital education," said a representative from IT Solutions for All. "As the project concludes, we are confident that its legacy will continue to shape the future of education in Europe and beyond." Looking Ahead While the DREAM project officially ends, its impact will continue through the dissemination of the project’s findings and the ongoing use of the developed tools. Several partners have already expressed interest in expanding on the work initiated by DREAM, exploring future projects that build on the project’s success. The project has also established a foundation for long-term collaborations between educators, technology developers, and policymakers aimed at driving innovation in digital education. Final Deliverables and Future Impact In addition to the training and research outputs, the project produced the Policy Paper, a comprehensive set of lessons learned for policy makers and guidelines for future training in VET ecosystem, aimed at integrating digital innovation into mainstream education systems. These recommendations will be available in the Digital Dream Lab, www.digital-dream-lab.eu. For more information on the DREAM project and its final results, please visit www.digital-dream-lab.eu.

DREAM Project Releases Post-Piloting Report and Training to Empower MSMEs in the Digital Age

The DREAM project, an initiative funded by the European Union, is pleased to announce the release of its Post-Piloting Report, detailing the success of the Digital DREAM Lab and outlining a roadmap for empowering micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) with essential digital skills. The Digital DREAM Lab, an online platform designed to enhance digital resilience and entrepreneurship, has undergone a comprehensive pilot phase involving 138 participants and more than 800 online users. The results, as documented in the Post-Piloting Report, highlight the platform's effectiveness in equipping MSMEs with practical skills and knowledge to navigate the digital landscape. The report underscores the importance of building foundational digital literacy, embracing flexible training formats, and tailoring content to local contexts. It also emphasizes the need for continuous learning pathways and certifications to ensure ongoing skill development. “We are thrilled with the positive feedback received during the pilot phase,” says the coordinator at DREAM Project. “The Digital DREAM Lab is proving to be an invaluable resource for MSMEs seeking to enhance their digital capabilities. We are committed to continuously improving the platform and expanding its reach to support businesses across Europe.” Policymakers are encouraged to review the report's recommendations, which include supporting digital literacy programs, promoting flexible training formats, and incentivizing digital transformation. By fostering a supportive ecosystem, MSMEs can leverage digital skills for growth and resilience, contributing to broader economic development goals. The DREAM project invites all MSMEs and stakeholders to explore the Digital DREAM Lab and take advantage of the comprehensive training resources available. Access the training: https://www.digital-dream-lab.eu/ And share your thoughts!

Unlocking Digital Potential: the DREAM Project Successfully Concludes Mapping and Stocktaking of Digital Challenges and Opportunities for MSMEs

The DREAM project is thrilled to announce the successful conclusion of Work Package 2 (WP2) – “Mapping and stocktaking of digital entrepreneurship challenges for MSMEs”. This collaborative effort, involving partners from Belgium, France, Greece, Italy, Slovenia and Spain, has conducted an extensive analysis of the digitalisation needs of Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) in the post-pandemic landscape. Co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the EU Commission, the DREAM project takes a pioneering approach to address the challenges brought by COVID-19 and digitalization, specifically focusing on the realms of Vocational Education & Training (VET) and MSMEs, with an emphasis on microenterprises. DREAM aims to bolster digital readiness, resilience, and capacity, empowering VET providers to deliver high-quality training. This project endeavours to enhance the flexibility of opportunities in MSMEs and VET by developing digital content that can be delivered through custom-made Open Educational Resources (OER). The first phase of DREAM’s implementation witnessed the consortium laying the groundwork for the entire project through WP2, a mapping and stocktaking of digital entrepreneurship challenges for MSMEs. In essence, the partners conducted a thorough analysis and identification of national trends and dynamics to transition from the research phase to the production of educational content. Comprising seven organisations from six different European countries, the project consortium diligently conducted WP2 activities to analyse trends, identify digital skill gaps, and uncover opportunities within the MSME ecosystem. This in-depth research serves as the bedrock for developing innovative training courses tailored to address the identified training needs. With a shared methodology and meticulous analysis, the project partners have produced five country-level reports, accompanied by an overarching EU report. These reports provide a comprehensive snapshot of the current state of digital entrepreneurship and digital resilience among MSMEs within their respective contexts. By revealing quali-quantitative data, challenges, opportunities, and strategies for promoting digital competences, these insights empower owners, managers, policymakers, educators, and stakeholders to navigate the digital landscape effectively. Within DREAM’s WP2, several final deliverables have been developed, including: A Composite Report, which combines all country snapshots and the pan-EU report, providing a brief introduction to the context An Executive Summary, available in multiple languages (English, French, Greek, Italian, Slovenian, and Spanish), summarising key findings from all reports and the entire analysis. This document is available both as a separate deliverable (in multiple languages) and in the composite report (in EN) as a supplement representing the key findings A Bibliographical Knowledge Bank, serving as a comprehensive compilation of sources used for research and analysis, amalgamating literature reviews from each report, providing a consolidated resource 7 Case Studies and Good Practices, with each report featuring one, offering practical illustrations of MSMEs’ digitalization initiatives For any further information on the DREAM project, please visit: https://www.digital-dream-lab.eu/

Digital DREAM Lab is already online in English

We are happy to announce that the Digital DREAM Lab is now online in English on www.digital-dream-lab.eu! Digital DREAM Lab is the open educational resource (OER) platform that will host the main results of the project and will be available for the duration of the project and even 3 years after its completion. The platform is fully open and free of charge, user-friendly and responsive, and soon will also be available in French, Italian, Spanish, Slovenian and Greek in order to reach a wider audience. DREAM is an innovative and timely project that tackles the challenges of COVID-19 and digitalization in the two worlds of Vocational Education & Training (VET) and Small and Medium Enterprises, with a focus on microenterprises with less than 10 staff (MSMEs). DREAM is also a co-funded project in the framework of Erasmus+ Programme, developed by a consortium of 7 partners from 6 countries (France, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Slovenia and Greece), with the objectives of provide up-to-date training to MSMEs to help them cope with digital transformation, adapt VET to market needs and increase its flexibility, and enrich the provision of formal and non-formal VET across EU. You can find more information about DREAM project on Digital DREAM Lab

DREAM Kick-Off Meeting held online

On December 6th, 2022, the consortium joined the Kick-Off Meeting of DREAM – Digital Resilience for European Microenterprises, a project co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission, which brings together 7 partners from 6 countries (France, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Slovenia and Greece), led by Coopérative d’Initiative Jeunes (FR). The meeting was held online via Google Meet. DREAM is an innovative and timely project that tackles the challenges of COVID-19 and digitalization in the two worlds of Vocational Education & Training (VET) and Small and Medium Enterprises, with a focus on microenterprises with less than 10 staff (MSMEs), with the objectives of support micro and small business by providing up-to-date training to help them cope with digital transformation, adapt VET to market needs via mapping and increase its flexibility via Digital DREAM Lab (OER Platform) and enrich the provision of formal/non-formal VET across EU. DREAM project, which is fully aligned with the horizontal priority of the Erasmus+ programme of “addressing digital transformation through development of digital readiness, resilience and capacity”, will contribute to addressing the digital transformation of microenterprises, as well as increasing the flexibility of opportunities in Vocational Education & Training. The consortium formed by Coopérative d’Initiative Jeunes (FR), Sud Concept (FR), IDP European Consultants (IT), Institut de Haute Formation aux Politiques Communautaires (BE), IT Solutions for All (ES), Regional Development Agency of Northern Primorska Ltd Nova Gorica (SI) and Found.ation (GR) will work over the next 24 months to fulfil development and implementation of the project.

DREAM project approved: Digital Resilience for European Microenterprises

We are pleased to announce that the DREAM project “Digital Resilience for European Microenterprises” has been approved in the framework of the Erasmus+ programme, within the field of Vocational Education & Training. DREAM is an innovative and timely project that tackles the challenges of COVID-19 and digitalization in the two worlds of Vocational Education & Training (VET) and Small and Medium Enterprises, with a focus on microenterprises with less than 10 staff (MSMEs), with the objectives of: Support micro and small business by providing up-to-date training to help them cope with digital transformation and adapt to post-pandemic context. Adapt VET to market needs via mapping and increase its flexibility via Digital DREAM Lab [Open Educational Resources (OER) Platform]. Enrich the provision of formal/non-formal VET across EU. The co-funded project, which will be developed from November 2022 to October 2024, will involve a consortium of 7 partners from 6 different countries (France, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Slovenia and Greece), who will combine their expertise to create synergies and bring the project’s implementation to a successful conclusion.