The Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education project SMILE – Supporting Mobility and Internationalization for Learning and Engagement in Somali HEIs has successfully completed its first practical training visit under Work Package 2 (WP2): Capacity Building through Training and Infrastructure Development.
The four-day training took place from 1 to 4 September 2026 at Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, bringing together representatives from the Somali partner higher education institutions with experts from METU and the European Association of Erasmus Coordinators (EAEC).
The activity formed part of Task 2.3 – Practical Training Visits to European Partner Institutions, which aims to strengthen the internationalisation capacity of Somali higher education institutions through hands-on training, practical exchange, and exposure to international cooperation practices.
Across the four days, participants engaged in a comprehensive programme covering key areas of higher education internationalisation. The sessions addressed international academic partnerships, research collaboration and networking, Erasmus+ cooperation opportunities, proposal development and consortium building, virtual mobility, staff mobility, financial and administrative aspects of mobility, intercultural communication, and global networking skills.
The training also explored emerging approaches to internationalisation, including the role of artificial intelligence, MOOCs, micro-credentials, and virtual internationalisation in expanding access to international learning and cooperation opportunities.
A key objective of the training was to ensure that knowledge acquired during the week could be translated into concrete institutional actions. On the final day, representatives of the Somali HEIs presented their Institutional Action Plans and commitments for the development of academic collaboration, staff mobility, and virtual mobility within their institutions.
The Ankara training represents an important step in the implementation of SMILE’s wider objective to enhance the internationalisation of Somali higher education institutions. Through WP2, the project seeks to equip academic and administrative staff with the skills, knowledge, and practical tools required to engage more effectively in Erasmus+ mobility, international partnerships, virtual exchange, and other forms of academic cooperation.
The training was hosted by METU, the leader of WP2, with contributions from EAEC, and active participation from representatives of the Somali partner institutions.
The SMILE consortium thanks all trainers, speakers, organisers, and participants for their contribution to four days of intensive learning, exchange of experience, networking, and joint planning.
The project will continue its WP2 activities with further capacity-building and training actions aimed at supporting Somali HEIs in developing sustainable international cooperation and mobility structures.
About SMILE
SMILE – Supporting Mobility and Internationalization for Learning and Engagement in Somali HEIs – is an Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education project designed to strengthen the international dimension of Somali higher education institutions.
The project focuses on capacity building, academic mobility, international partnerships, virtual mobility, inclusion, and the development of sustainable institutional internationalisation strategies.
The consortium brings together organisations and higher education institutions from Somalia, Türkiye, Greece, Belgium, and Cyprus.
Partners from Europe, Vietnam, and the Maldives gathered in Mladá Boleslav for the first in-person SUSTAIN project meeting and intensive training sessions hosted by Škoda Auto University.
Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic — Marking a major milestone in their three-year collaborative journey, partners of the international SUSTAIN (Sustainable Universities for Society Through Action, Innovation, and Knowledge Networks) project successfully gathered for their first in-person project meeting and intensive training sessions. The multi-day event was hosted by the project coordinator, Škoda Auto University (ŠAVŠ), in Mladá Boleslav.
Bringing together representatives from Europe, Vietnam, and the Maldives, the onsite meeting allowed the consortium to transition from virtual coordination to deep, face-to-face collaboration, solidifying plans for enhancing the “third mission” of higher education.
A Look Inside the Meeting Agenda
The comprehensive four-day itinerary combined rigorous strategic planning, institutional knowledge sharing, and experiential learning.
Day 1: Arrival & Alignment (Wednesday, 22 April)
The meeting commenced swiftly following the arrival of international partners in Mladá Boleslav. Representatives gathered at Škoda Auto University for an initial project meeting to review early milestones, followed by an official welcome dinner hosted by ŠAVŠ at the local eMBe restaurant to foster closer cross-cultural connections.
Day 2: Strategic Roadmapping (Thursday, 23 April)
An intensive, full-day session was dedicated entirely to project management and strategic alignment. Meeting in both morning and afternoon blocks at the university, partners mapped out operational timelines, discussed stakeholder engagement methodologies, and ironed out the framework for implementing corporate social responsibility (CSR) and green solutions across partner campuses.
Day 3: Experience Sharing & Industrial Insight (Friday, 24 April)
Morning Training Session: The focus shifted heavily toward institutional capacity building. European and Indo-Pacific partners participated in a collaborative workshop titled “Third mission at your institution – share your experience.” Host institution ŠAVŠ and the University of Dubrovnik (Croatia) led the way, followed by insightful localized presentations from the Vietnamese (VN) and Maldivian (MD) delegations detailing their current community engagement landscapes.
Afternoon Factory Tour: To see sustainable corporate practices in action, partners spent the afternoon visiting the world-renowned Škoda Auto Museum and Factory, gaining practical insights into industrial sustainability and corporate social responsibility on a global scale.
Day 4: Future Blueprints (Saturday, 25 April)
The onsite gathering concluded with a vital training block led by the University of Dubrovnik (UNIDU). This session focused entirely on developing the “Blueprint” — a core project deliverable that will serve as the foundation for the participating universities to build long-term, inclusive, and sustainable third-mission strategies.
Moving Forward
With the foundational blueprints established and stronger institutional bonds formed, the SUSTAIN consortium leaves Czechia fully equipped to roll out the next phase of capacity building. The outcomes of this week will directly feed into the creation of sustainability learning materials and toolkits designed to empower regional higher education institutions across Vietnam and the Maldives.
Stay tuned to our channels for upcoming updates on the implementation of these third-mission strategies.
Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic — Marking a major milestone in their three-year collaborative journey, partners of the international SUSTAIN (Sustainable Universities for Society Through Action, Innovation, and Knowledge Networks) project successfully gathered for their first in-person project meeting and intensive training sessions. The multi-day event was hosted by the project coordinator, Škoda Auto University (ŠAVŠ), in Mladá Boleslav.
Bringing together representatives from Europe, Vietnam, and the Maldives, the onsite meeting allowed the consortium to transition from virtual coordination to deep, face-to-face collaboration, solidifying plans for enhancing the “third mission” of higher education.
A Look Inside the Meeting Agenda
The comprehensive four-day itinerary combined rigorous strategic planning, institutional knowledge sharing, and experiential learning.
Day 1: Arrival & Alignment (Wednesday, 22 April)
The meeting commenced swiftly following the arrival of international partners in Mladá Boleslav. Representatives gathered at Škoda Auto University for an initial project meeting to review early milestones, followed by an official welcome dinner hosted by ŠAVŠ at the local eMBe restaurant to foster closer cross-cultural connections.
Day 2: Strategic Roadmapping (Thursday, 23 April)
An intensive, full-day session was dedicated entirely to project management and strategic alignment. Meeting in both morning and afternoon blocks at the university, partners mapped out operational timelines, discussed stakeholder engagement methodologies, and ironed out the framework for implementing corporate social responsibility (CSR) and green solutions across partner campuses.
Day 3: Experience Sharing & Industrial Insight (Friday, 24 April)
Morning Training Session: The focus shifted heavily toward institutional capacity building. European and Indo-Pacific partners participated in a collaborative workshop titled “Third mission at your institution – share your experience.” Host institution ŠAVŠ and the University of Dubrovnik (Croatia) led the way, followed by insightful localized presentations from the Vietnamese (VN) and Maldivian (MD) delegations detailing their current community engagement landscapes.
Afternoon Factory Tour: To see sustainable corporate practices in action, partners spent the afternoon visiting the world-renowned Škoda Auto Museum and Factory, gaining practical insights into industrial sustainability and corporate social responsibility on a global scale.
Day 4: Future Blueprints (Saturday, 25 April)
The onsite gathering concluded with a vital training block led by the University of Dubrovnik (UNIDU). This session focused entirely on developing the “Blueprint” — a core project deliverable that will serve as the foundation for the participating universities to build long-term, inclusive, and sustainable third-mission strategies.
Moving Forward
With the foundational blueprints established and stronger institutional bonds formed, the SUSTAIN consortium leaves Czechia fully equipped to roll out the next phase of capacity building. The outcomes of this week will directly feed into the creation of sustainability learning materials and toolkits designed to empower regional higher education institutions across Vietnam and the Maldives.
Stay tuned to our channels for upcoming updates on the implementation of these third-mission strategies.
Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic — Marking a major milestone in their three-year collaborative journey, partners of the international SUSTAIN (Sustainable Universities for Society Through Action, Innovation, and Knowledge Networks) project successfully gathered for their first in-person project meeting and intensive training sessions. The multi-day event was hosted by the project coordinator, Škoda Auto University (ŠAVŠ), in Mladá Boleslav.
Bringing together representatives from Europe, Vietnam, and the Maldives, the onsite meeting allowed the consortium to transition from virtual coordination to deep, face-to-face collaboration, solidifying plans for enhancing the “third mission” of higher education.
A Look Inside the Meeting Agenda
The comprehensive four-day itinerary combined rigorous strategic planning, institutional knowledge sharing, and experiential learning.
Day 1: Arrival & Alignment (Wednesday, 22 April)
The meeting commenced swiftly following the arrival of international partners in Mladá Boleslav. Representatives gathered at Škoda Auto University for an initial project meeting to review early milestones, followed by an official welcome dinner hosted by ŠAVŠ at the local eMBe restaurant to foster closer cross-cultural connections.
Day 2: Strategic Roadmapping (Thursday, 23 April)
An intensive, full-day session was dedicated entirely to project management and strategic alignment. Meeting in both morning and afternoon blocks at the university, partners mapped out operational timelines, discussed stakeholder engagement methodologies, and ironed out the framework for implementing corporate social responsibility (CSR) and green solutions across partner campuses.
Day 3: Experience Sharing & Industrial Insight (Friday, 24 April)
Morning Training Session: The focus shifted heavily toward institutional capacity building. European and Indo-Pacific partners participated in a collaborative workshop titled “Third mission at your institution – share your experience.” Host institution ŠAVŠ and the University of Dubrovnik (Croatia) led the way, followed by insightful localized presentations from the Vietnamese (VN) and Maldivian (MD) delegations detailing their current community engagement landscapes.
Afternoon Factory Tour: To see sustainable corporate practices in action, partners spent the afternoon visiting the world-renowned Škoda Auto Museum and Factory, gaining practical insights into industrial sustainability and corporate social responsibility on a global scale.
Day 4: Future Blueprints (Saturday, 25 April)
The onsite gathering concluded with a vital training block led by the University of Dubrovnik (UNIDU). This session focused entirely on developing the “Blueprint” — a core project deliverable that will serve as the foundation for the participating universities to build long-term, inclusive, and sustainable third-mission strategies.
Moving Forward
With the foundational blueprints established and stronger institutional bonds formed, the SUSTAIN consortium leaves Czechia fully equipped to roll out the next phase of capacity building. The outcomes of this week will directly feed into the creation of sustainability learning materials and toolkits designed to empower regional higher education institutions across Vietnam and the Maldives.
Stay tuned to our channels for upcoming updates on the implementation of these third-mission strategies.
The European Society for Socio-Economic Integration (ESSEI) is proud to announce its participation in SUSTAIN – Sustainable Universities for Society Through Action, Innovation and Knowledge Networks, a new Erasmus+ Capacity Building in Higher Education (CBHE) project co-funded by the European Union and coordinated by Škoda Auto University (Czech Republic).
Bringing together eight partner institutions from Europe, Vietnam, and the Maldives, SUSTAIN aims to strengthen the capacity of higher education institutions to become active drivers of sustainable development, community engagement, and societal transformation. The project places particular emphasis on supporting universities in Vietnam and the Maldives in developing their Third Mission—the role of higher education institutions beyond teaching and research, contributing directly to social, economic, and environmental progress.
Building More Sustainable and Inclusive Universities
Higher education institutions are increasingly expected to address complex societal challenges, ranging from climate change and environmental sustainability to social inclusion and community development. SUSTAIN responds to this need by supporting universities in embedding sustainability and stakeholder engagement into their governance, teaching, and outreach activities.
Over the next three years, the project will focus on:
strengthening institutional capacities for Third Mission activities;
promoting sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), and green practices within higher education;
advancing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) principles;
reinforcing cooperation between universities, civil society organisations, public authorities, and the private sector;
developing practical tools, methodologies, and capacity-building resources that can be integrated into institutional practices and policies.
Through these actions, SUSTAIN seeks to position universities as key actors in achieving sustainable and inclusive development within their communities.
ESSEI’s Role in the Project
As a European partner, ESSEI contributes its expertise in European cooperation, stakeholder engagement, dissemination, and capacity building. Within the project, ESSEI co-leads dissemination activities, supporting the consortium in ensuring that project results reach relevant audiences at local, national, regional, and international levels.
In particular, ESSEI will:
contribute to the development and implementation of the project’s dissemination strategy;
ensure alignment with Erasmus+ and European Commission requirements regarding communication, visibility, and exploitation of results;
support the transfer of European good practices related to sustainability, stakeholder engagement, and university-society cooperation;
provide methodological guidance to partner institutions in Vietnam and the Maldives in line with the capacity-building spirit of the Erasmus+ programme.
Through this role, ESSEI will help maximise the visibility, impact, and long-term sustainability of the project’s outcomes.
An International Partnership
SUSTAIN brings together a diverse consortium of higher education institutions and education stakeholders committed to strengthening sustainable and inclusive higher education:
Škoda Auto University (Czech Republic) – Coordinator
University of Dubrovnik (Croatia)
The European Society for Socio-Economic Integration – ESSEI (Italy)
Banking Academy of Vietnam (Vietnam)
Phu Yen University (Vietnam)
Bac Giang Agriculture and Forestry University (Vietnam)
Islamic University of Maldives (Maldives)
Zikura International College (Maldives)
This transnational partnership creates a unique platform for exchanging knowledge, sharing experiences, and jointly developing innovative approaches that strengthen the contribution of higher education to sustainable development.
The SMILE project is pleased to announce the successful submission of Deliverable D2.1 – Report on the Co-Creation Workshop under WP2 (Capacity Building through Training and Infrastructure Development) to the European Commission through the SYGMA platform.
This first technical deliverable represents an important milestone in the project’s capacity-building journey. Led by Middle East Technical University (METU), the report documents the outcomes of the co-creation workshop organised with all project partners in Ankara to jointly identify the training priorities and define the structure of the capacity-building programme for Somali Higher Education Institutions.
The report captures the needs identified during collaborative discussions and translates them into a structured training framework covering the project’s key internationalisation themes, including:
Academic collaboration
Staff mobility
Inclusion strategies
Private sector engagement
Virtual mobility
By adopting a participatory co-creation approach, the consortium ensured that the future training activities directly respond to the institutional realities and priorities of Somali universities, laying a strong foundation for the implementation of the project’s objectives.
What comes next?
Following the completion of D2.1, the project now enters the implementation phase of WP2. Partners will begin developing the training materials and learning resources that will be used during the capacity-building programme.
The upcoming activities will include online and in-person training sessions delivered by the European partners, providing academic and administrative staff from Somali Higher Education Institutions with practical knowledge, tools, and methodologies to strengthen their internationalisation strategies, foster international partnerships, promote inclusive higher education, and enhance cooperation with the private sector.
The successful completion of this first WP2 deliverable marks another significant step towards achieving SMILE’s overall mission: supporting the internationalisation of Somali Higher Education Institutions and strengthening their integration into global academic networks.
The consortium of the SMILE project – Supporting Mobility and Internationalization for Learning and Engagement in Somali HEIs (Project Ref. No. 101237721) successfully held its first in-person Kick-Off Meeting and Co-Creation Workshop in Ankara, Türkiye, from 7 to 10 April 2026, hosted by Middle East Technical University (METU).
Co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Programme, action Capacity Building in the Field of Higher Education (CBHE), SMILE is a 36-month project aimed at strengthening the internationalization capacities of Somali higher education institutions through mobility, institutional cooperation, inclusion, and digital approaches to international learning.
The Ankara meeting marked an important milestone in the project lifecycle. Following the Virtual Kick-Off Meeting held in January 2026, the in-person event enabled Somali and European partners to meet face to face for the first time, review progress achieved during the first months of implementation, and move from project launch to the first operational phase of activities.
The first day of the meeting was dedicated to consortium coordination and project management. Partners reviewed the status of project implementation after the first three months, including coordination activities, signed partnership agreements, first financial transfers, communication arrangements, and preparation of upcoming deliverables. Discussions also addressed key implementation priorities for the first year, dissemination planning, quality assurance, and reporting procedures.
The following three days were dedicated to the Work Package 2 Co-Creation Workshop, a central activity of the project’s capacity-building component. The workshop brought together Somali and European partners in a highly interactive format designed to refine the training priorities and methodologies that will guide WP2 implementation.
The workshop focused on the five core training areas of the project:
Staff mobility
Virtual mobility
Private sector engagement
Inclusion strategies
Academic collaboration
During the co-creation sessions, Somali partner institutions actively shared their institutional realities, priorities, and challenges, while European partners contributed examples of practices, facilitation, and technical expertise. Through plenary exchanges, thematic discussions, and World Café group work, the workshop helped confirm and update the needs analysis carried out during the project preparation phase and provided a shared basis for the further design of training activities.
The active involvement of the Somali organizations was particularly important throughout the event. Their contributions ensured that the discussions remained grounded in institutional realities and that the future training activities under WP2 will respond to actual needs and opportunities within Somali higher education. At the same time, the European partners played a key facilitation role by supporting reflection, sharing practical experience, and helping structure the outcomes of the workshop into a coherent framework for implementation.
The SMILE consortium brings together eight partners from Somalia and Europe:
Horseed International University (Somalia) – Coordinator
Baidoa International University (Somalia)
Plasma University (Somalia)
Somali Education and Youth Development Action – SOEYDA (Somalia)
Middle East Technical University – METU (Türkiye)
University of Piraeus / University of Piraeus Research Center (Greece)
European Society for Socio Economic Integration – ESSEI (Belgium)
European Association of Erasmus Coordinators – EAEC (Cyprus)
The meeting in Ankara reinforced the collaborative spirit of the consortium and created strong momentum for the next phase of the project. The outcomes of the workshop will feed directly into the Co-Creation Workshop Report and support the preparation of subsequent WP2 training activities, practical training visits, and the broader internationalization work to be developed under the SMILE project.
Through its work plan, SMILE seeks to support Somali higher education institutions in building stronger international partnerships, developing more inclusive and innovative internationalization strategies, and expanding opportunities for academic mobility and global engagement.
A YEAR BETTER consortium is pleased to announce the launch of the Work Package 4 activity: Piloting the AYB Training with 120 target group representatives. Piloting activity involves real-world testing with target audiences to assess usability, effectiveness, and impact. It aims to gather feedback, refine training materials, and monitor user satisfaction and preferences through anonymous usage statistics to monitor performance, usability, as well as user satisfaction and training preferences.
Project partners will deliver AYB trainings, channeling through as many participants as possible, according to their internal schedule to ensure the maximum exposure. AYB training material includes a set of 10 training modules, available on the AYB OER Platform, each aligned with the 21 competencies outlined in the DigComp framework. A minimum of 120 seniors will be trained.
Feedback from the particicipants will be collected from interested parties involved in training (participants, trainers, staff members, etc.,) at the end of each training course.
Thanks to the results obtained by the piloting activity, project partners will further fine-tune AYB Training accordingly, in its final version. Guidelines for future training will be based on the piloting activity insights.
The consortium of the SMILE project – Supporting Mobility and Internationalization for Learning and Engagement in Somali HEIs – officially launched project implementation today with a Virtual Kick-Off Meeting convening Somali and European partner organisations.
SMILE is a 36-month initiative designed to enhance the internationalisation capacity of Somali higher education institutions (HEIs) by fostering academic mobility, institutional cooperation and digital education. The project addresses structural barriers that have limited Somali universities’ participation in global academic networks by strengthening institutional capabilities, tools and infrastructure for sustained international engagement.
The project is coordinated by Horseed International University (SO) and brings together eight partners across Somalia and Europe:
Baidoa International University (SO)
Plasma University (SO)
Somali Education and Youth Development Action (SO)
Middle East Technical University (TR)
University of Piraeus Research Center (EL)
The European Society for Socio Economic Integration (BE)
Evropaikos Syndesmos Syntoniston Erasmus (CY)
Held online on 20 January 2026, the Kick-Off Meeting aligned partners on governance, responsibilities, implementation sequencing and early deliverables. A structured overview of the SMILE rationale, objectives, priorities, target groups, expected results and impact has been developed.
Presentations and partner discussion on the project’s core implementation pillars:
WP2: Capacity Building through Training and Infrastructure Development, led by METU
WP3: Practical Application and Strategy Development, led by the University of Piraeus
WP4: Dissemination and Promotion of Internationalization, led by ESSEI
In addition, a dedicated session on the project management took place, ensuring shared understanding of reporting, controls and performance monitoring.
The meeting also confirmed the consortium’s next in-person milestone: the April Meeting and first mobility in Ankara, hosted by METU, including initial discussion of logistics and participation arrangements.
Across its work plan, SMILE foresees capacity-building workshops and hands-on training, the development of institutional tools and strategic frameworks and the rollout of virtual mobility initiatives. By the end of the project, participating Somali HEIs are expected to have strengthened internationalisation strategies, expanded formal cooperation agreements and advanced participation in mobility opportunities.
“A Year Better” (AYB) project, co-funded by the Erasmus+ program of the European Union, proudly announces the successful implementation of Work Package 3 (WP3): Development of AYB Training Content, coordinated by E-Seniors (France) with the active contribution of all project partners from Spain, France, Poland, Italy, North Macedonia, and Belgium.
Building upon the research and mapping achieved in WP2, WP3 focused on creating engaging, learner-centered training materials designed to enhance seniors’ Digital Survival Skills in line with the European DigComp framework.
Within this work package, the consortium has:
Developed 10 interactive and accessible training modules, each lasting up to 45 minutes, addressing practical digital skills related to online banking, cybersecurity, social participation, independent living, and active ageing.
Created a full set of supporting materials, including:
Training content in word and PowerPoint versions
Thematic glossary and self-assessment quizzes
Video summaries, and certificates of completion
We are currently preparing multilingual translations of all training content into six languages, ensuring accessibility for seniors across Europe and strengthening the inclusivity of the project’s outputs.
A Step Towards Digital Empowerment
The AYB training program aims to empower older adults to develop essential digital competences, enabling them to navigate everyday online environments safely and confidently. Each course is designed to be short, practical, and easy to follow—promoting autonomy and lifelong learning.
By integrating the DigComp framework with a senior-focused approach, WP3 marks a significant step in improving the quality, flexibility, and accessibility of adult education in Europe.
With the completion of WP3, AYB now moves forward to Work Package 4, which will focus on deploying and piloting the training modules through the project’s multilingual Open Educational Resources (OER) platform.
Join us on our journey toward a digitally inclusive and empowered society!
“A Year Better” project, co-funded by Erasmus+, is pleased to announce the successful completion of Work Package 2 (WP2), dedicated to the mapping of Digital Survival Skills in line with the European DigComp framework. The finalization of WP2 is the result of a common effort of partners from Spain, France, Poland, Italy, North Macedonia, and Belgium, who closely cooperated to reach the common goal.
Within WP2, the consortium has:
Identified and analysed essential digital skills for seniors, with a focus on how these skills can help combat digital isolation
Assessed existing tools and digital resources available to older adults, highlighting both strengths and gaps
Compared European, national, and local standards to outline a clear and coherent framework of “Digital Survival Skills”
The mapping results will serve as the foundation for the project’s next stages, particularly:
the design of multilingual training modules in Work Package 3
the development of the Open Educational Resources (OER) platform hosting training materials
a strategic approach to fostering the digital inclusion of older adults
The AYB team is now building on these findings to create practical and accessible training content, which will be piloted in the coming months. With WP2 finalised, the project moves one step closer to its overarching goal: strengthening digital competences, promoting autonomy, and supporting seniors’ active participation in today’s digital society.
For more details about WP2 outcomes, visit the Mapping section on the official website.
On 17 September 2025, the partners of the European project A YEAR BETTER (AYB), co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme, gathered in Málaga (Spain) for a Transnational Project Meeting. Hosted by Arrabal-AID and IT Solutions For All, the meeting brought together representatives from the six partner organisations across Spain, Poland, Italy, North Macedonia, and Belgium to review progress, share updates, and plan the next stages of the project.
The agenda opened with a welcome and introduction by the hosting partners, followed by a session on Project Management (Work Package 1) to ensure coordination and smooth implementation. Partners then discussed the official closure of WP2, led by IAL FVG (IT), focusing on mapping Digital Survival Skillsagainst the DigComp framework and identifying digital solutions to help seniors combat loneliness and foster inclusiveness.
The highlight of the meeting was WP3, presented by E-Seniors (FR), which centers on the development of a multilingual training curriculum tailored to seniors’ needs. Building on the findings of WP2, the training will include 10 modules, available in six languages, covering essential areas such as financial literacy, social participation, independent living, and active ageing. The partners discussed the structure, methodology, and content of these modules, ensuring they address real challenges faced by ICT low-skilled seniors and late digital adopters. WP3 represents a cornerstone of the project, as it directly empowers seniors to use online tools for daily needs and to maintain their independence in a digital society.
IT Solutions For All then presented the progress of WP4, which involves the development and piloting of the AYB Open Educational Resources (OER) platform, the main hub where seniors will access the training materials and resources created during the project. A workshop on green and sustainable practices further enriched the agenda, underlining the consortium’s commitment to sustainability.
The meeting concluded with a joint session dedicated to next steps, action items, and future collaboration opportunities.
The A YEAR BETTER project is committed to empowering seniors by enhancing their digital skills, promoting social inclusion, and supporting active ageing. Through its training program and OER platform, AYB is paving the way for a more inclusive digital society where seniors can remain independent, connected, and confident in their everyday lives.
