The initiatives Erasmus Plus B-Skills, Tourism 4.0, and Ripeet, in which the park is involved, have evaluated achievements and current challenges
Málaga TechPark has participated as a partner in various meetings related to European Erasmus Plus projects. These projects include B-Skills, RIPEET, and Tourism 4.0, three initiatives aimed at not only driving innovation and research but also actively promoting sustainable practices. Thus, the park’s active participation in these initiatives is part of its continuous commitment to technological progress and sustainable development in the European context.
B-Skills
The B-Skills project, a project that aims to improve basic Blockchain skills, held its latest meeting in Athens, Greece. This meeting has been a crucial milestone marking the success and effectiveness of the results achieved so far. Seven entities from six different countries currently leading the technology sector participated in this meeting: Learnable (Italy), Málaga TechPark and University of Málaga – NICS Lab (Spain), European Centre of Competence and Business Excellence (Austria), Flow Productions (Portugal), Edu Playground (Bulgaria), and Social Hackers Academy (Greece).
During the meeting, the effectiveness of the initial results obtained so far was evaluated. Firstly, the B-Skills Toolkit, a fundamental asset for trainers that provides materials and essential tools for practical Blockchain training. Thus, the achievements since its implementation were discussed at the meeting, and improvements were considered to ensure its maximum utility.
Another protagonist of the meeting was the B-Skills Simulator, an interactive learning environment based on games, which was debated for its effectiveness in simplifying complex Blockchain concepts and possibilities for improvement were explored.
Lastly, the B-Skills MOOC, an open online course for students, was highlighted as a remarkable achievement. Participants evaluated its impact on the development of basic digital skills related to Blockchain and strategies for its continuous optimization were discussed.
Additionally, during this meeting, progress was made on pilot tests, indicating the project’s dedication to applicability and effectiveness in the real world.
To conclude, the meeting included a thorough review of the project’s communication activities, discussing the effectiveness of dissemination materials such as brochures and newsletters in sharing information and results with various audiences, including research, industry, and policy makers.
This meeting underlined not only past achievements but also the consortium’s continuous dedication to improving Blockchain education.
The project is now entering a new stage with the dissemination and capitalization of the project’s results.
Updates on this initiative can be followed on the website and its Facebook and Linkedin sites.
RIPEET
RIPEET, the European project focused on Responsible Research and Innovation for Energy Transition, has held its meeting in Brussels, Belgium. This joint project, aimed at three key European territories – Extremadura (Spain), Highlands and Islands of Scotland (United Kingdom), and Ostrobothnia (Finland) – has achieved several notable objectives so far.
Aligned with the goals of Horizon 2020, RIPEET is working on three fundamental objectives. First, to carry out transformative R&I policy experiments to identify niches and co-create sustainable trajectories for energy transition; second, to establish innovative and sustainable governance in territorial ecosystems of energy research and development, based on open and democratic processes of niche management and transition, and third, to create transformative working methods that promote sustainability and inclusion, initiating transformation processes in the organizations involved at territorial level and beyond.
RIPEET is applying the methodology of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI), transformative innovation, and transition management in Transition Labs, bringing together key actors for specific energy transitions in each location. This process, based on RRI actions, provides evidence for policy review and the establishment of a European RIPEET community, supporting territories in addressing the territorial dimensions of the European Green Deal.
During this new meeting in Brussels, various activities were carried out. On the one hand, the RIPEET Laboratory is the latest chapter of the project’s mutual learning program, in which six mirror ecosystems – Andalusia (Spain), Eigersund (Norway), La Reunion (France), Lithuania, Silesia (Poland), The Aran Islands, Galway, Ireland – and the three pilot territories, the Outer Hebrides (United Kingdom), Ostrobothnia (Finland), and Extremadura (Spain) – are participating in mutual learning activities and exchanging good practices on stakeholder engagement and co-creation methodologies for responsible energy transition.
On the other hand, the RIPEET Policy Learning Lab, linked to one of the annual meetings of ERRIN’s Energy Working Group, has focused on discussing and aiming at a set of RIPEET resources. This space has allowed for a deeper dive into specific tools and documentation of relevant policy reports and deliverables developed in project activities. The appropriate setup ensures wide dissemination among the key stakeholders.
Finally, the Final Conference, an activity that has brought together relevant stakeholders in a public event to present the project’s achievements, as well as concrete tools and policy recommendations.
This project is leaving a significant impact at policy, stakeholder, and innovation matters, consolidating progress towards more open, transparent, and democratic R&I systems.
For more information, visit the project’s website here.
Tourism 4.0
Porto was the host city for the Tourism 4.0 project meeting with representatives from ten European entities: Federturismo Confindustria (Italy), NEST – Tourism Innovation Center (Portugal), DURA – Dubrovnik Development Agency (Croatia), Cluster Digital de Catalunya (Spain), Tourism Cluster of Extremadura (Spain), Malta Business Bureau (Malta), Croatian Hotels Association (Croatia), Regional Pomeranian Chamber of Commerce (Poland), Wisdom Guardian (Portugal), and Málaga Tech Park (Spain). The event outlined the partners’ commitment to international collaboration to promote sustainability and innovation in the tourism sector.
During the meeting, various achievements and strategic approaches were highlighted. The initiative focuses on fostering digital sustainability for small and medium-sized tourism enterprises (SMEs), actively promoting the adoption of digital technologies to strengthen their resilience. In this sense, it is important to emphasize the crucial role of open innovation, with the identification of startups and the facilitation of a conducive environment for disruptive solutions in the tourism sector.
The project has also provided financing schemes, advice, and innovation assessment to support digital transformation in tourism SMEs. Mentorship and assistance programs have played an essential role, improving digital skills through guidance from technology and business experts. Support for smart innovation has been carried out in collaboration with multidisciplinary partners in the ICT, digital technologies, and sustainability areas. Additionally, the identification of best practices and success stories has allowed for the effective transfer of transregional and transnational knowledge.
Finally, the project is fostering networking and capitalization activities through events and activities exploring new trends and strategies for post-COVID recovery, involving key stakeholders in the tourism sector and investors.
In conclusion, this new meeting of the Tourism 4.0 project in Porto has highlighted the successful commitment of partners to promote sustainability, innovation, and digital growth in the tourism sector.