The highlights report from the Good Practice Webinar on “strengthening digital skills in rural areas” is now available
On 8 June 2023, the Rural Pact Support Office hosted a Good Practice webinar entitled “Strengthening digital skills of rural people to benefit from the digital era”, which brought together around 60 practitioners from 20 EU and 4 non-EU Member States to share experiences and initiatives aimed at enhancing digital skills development in rural areas.
The webinar started with an introduction by Alexia Rouby (DG AGRI) on the Rural Pact. Then Ana Carrero (DG EMPL) highlighted key EU initiatives related to digital skills, emphasising the European Year of Skills and the role of digital skills within the European skills agenda. Furthermore, Anusca Ferrari (DG EAC) discussed the Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027, which aims to promote inclusive and high-quality digital education and training across Europe.
The highlights report features presentations on several inspiring projects including:
- Regional strategy for digital skills in Tuscany, Italy, focusing on four axes: digital citizenship, digital skills for the economy, digital education, and advanced digital skills.
- "No one behind" project, supported by Erasmus+, addressing digital skills for adults in rural areas, particularly in Eastern European countries.
- "Digital Communities" project, an Erasmus+ initiative supporting the inclusion of seniors in rural digital communities, emphasizing the need for cooperation between service providers and social services.
- "Learning from extremes" preparatory action co-funded from the Pilot Projects and Preparatory Actions (PPPA) Programme of the European Commission, aims to address digital education inequalities in remote rural schools and transform them into learning and innovation hubs.
The report also summarises the valuable insights shared by a panel of experts, including Luka Orehar (Agrinext, Erasmus+), Maria Rita Palattella (COMMECT, Horizon Europe), Jose Manuel San Emeterio (ERNACT, Donegal Digital, Ireland), and Brigita Dane (Symbioza, Slovenia). Their discussions revolved around key success factors, challenges, and lessons learned from implementing digital skills initiatives.
The group discussions highlighted important messages, including the need for synergy between digital connectivity, skills, and equipment; the importance of inclusive, locally adapted initiatives, the value of showcasing the benefits of digitalization to foster engagement, the power of simplified communication, the ongoing support and formal recognition of digital skills acquisition, the role of service providers in supporting vulnerable groups; the necessity for policies and funding to align with rural areas' needs and the importance of governance structures that facilitate cross-departmental collaboration.
The highlights report provides an excellent opportunity for all Rural Pact Community members to gain valuable insights and guidance from these remarkable projects and discussions. You can read the full highlight report here.