Let’s kick-off SMART – the Erasmus+ project on strategic mentoring in AI for European SMEs!
The Happening
On February, 4th and 5th the Kick-off Meeting (KoM) of the SMART European Project took place, at the premises of Project Leader SGS in Madrid. The two-day gathering was the occasion to present the project objectives and validate the Consortium members’ responsibilities, as much as for the representatives of each organization to introduce themselves and familiarize in person. In fact, the partners already met during a previous pre-KoM, held online the month before, which allowed them to start advancing with tasks and avoid delays.
The Meeting Agenda
Under the supervision of Project leader SGS spokespersons Ms Elena Tylko Ausias and Ms Sara Amador Martin, the various WPs were covered with details, starting from WP1 on Project Management and Coordination, including tasks timeline and distribution, monitoring & evaluation processes, as well as administrative and financial management.
To follow, WP2 leader NTNU delivered on their actions, aiming at the development of a curricular manual for training in AI for managers of strategic areas of European SMEs. Their representative, Mr Patrick Mikalef prospected an overview of their ongoing research addressing both current and future AI training needs for SMEs in the various EU Countries and on the degree of technology take-up in European enterprises. To follow, a first draft of the skills gap analysis identifying the skills needed for Industry 5.0 was presented by E-School in the person of Mrs Maria Malliora.
Consequently, Ms Dovile Radvilaviciute and Ms Neringa Zebrauskiene, project managers for Tech Park Kaunas – WP3 leader, briefly summarized their upcoming tasks, foreseen to start by January 2026 to provide content to the “Train the Trainers” (ToT) course.
The second part of the day was dedicated to WP4: Workshop & Pilot Testing of the Platform, presented by E_School, focusing on how to deliver effective AI-driven training for SMEs through the “Train the Trainers” (ToT) program. This 3-day workshop will also represent the opportunity to validate the e-learning platform to be developed in the meanwhile. the objectives, key results, and target groups of the project.
To conclude the presentations of the WPs, SIAV representatives Ms Martina Panzolato and Ms Sara Vanacore presented WP5: Communication, Dissemination of Results, and Sustainability of the Project. After the Communication Plan Content and Communication Strategy were outlined, visual identity was presented, and a final logo selected.
The project couldn’t be launched in a more positive and welcoming way. Looking forward to reaching its objectives, subscribe to the Project newsletter and follow SMART LinkedIn page to remain in the loop!
The Partnership
A consortium of partners from Spain, Lithuania, Norway, Italy and Greece collaborating for 36 months to empower VET and SMEs workforce with AI-enabling knowledge.
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