This is SMERALD:

Strengthening SMEs in Europe’s Digital Transformation

Dear colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the start of an exciting journey aimed at empowering Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Europe to embrace the digital age. SMERALD – SMEs – Raising Awareness and Learning on Digital Data, Data Analysis and Artificial Intelligence, is a pioneering Erasmus+ project that aims to increase the digital literacy of SMEs across Europe.

On 28 November 2023, a virtual kick-off meeting marked the start of this transformative project. High-level representatives from six renowned partners came together to lay the foundations for the two-year journey ahead. We introduce you to the key players in this initiative:

CNR – Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (Palermo, Italy), blinc – Blended Learning Institutions Cooperative (Göttingen, Germany), Dataninja (Milan, Italy), Smart Revolution (Massa, Italy), CATRO (Sofia, Bulgaria) and Eurotraining (Athens, Greece).

SMERALD’s core mission is to improve the ability of European SMEs to actively participate in the continent’s digital transformation. By raising awareness and facilitating the development of digital data skills, SMERALD aims to unlock the enormous market potential that lies within SMEs.

Specifically, we have two objectives:

  • Awareness: We want to educate SME managers about the immense opportunities that digital data offers, and equip them with the knowledge they need to effectively capitalise on these opportunities.
  • Skills development: Equipping SME employees with digital data skills tailored to their particular business context is paramount. Through targeted training and support, we aim to enable SMEs to fully exploit the potential of digital technologies.

Recognising the central role of trainers in vocational education and training (VET), SMERALD sees them as catalysts in the process of developing digital skills in SMEs. As facilitators, they will play a crucial role in bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application.

As we move towards this transformation, we invite SMEs, educators, policy makers and stakeholders to join us in shaping a future where European SMEs become digital pioneers.

Stay tuned as we share updates, insights and success stories from the SMERALD project. Together, let’s pave the way for a digitally empowered Europe.

Stay up to date on further developments!