"Dreams and ambition drive us to unimaginable heights: we never stop dreaming and flying high" were the words the Senator gave to the two representatives of the IT partner Internet Web Solutions of the European Project MICRO2 (https://digitalmicro2.eu/ ) co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Programme Key Action 2, at the Spanish Senate in Madrid on 23 October 2023. The meeting was an opportunity to present the objectives of MICRO2: to help micro-enterprises in rural Spain and Europe embrace digital transformation by strengthening their digital competences and skills in e-commerce, cybersecurity and data management, marketing and digital communication. Senator Amparo Marco showed a deep interest in the project in which the Irish partner Irl Irish Rural link, the Belgian Institut de Haute Formation aux Politiques Communautaires asbl, the Italian IDP European Consultants, together with Internet Web Solutions (based in Málaga) are involved, recognising its potential for a positive socio-economic impact, as cybersecurity and the digital skills of small and medium-sized enterprises and individuals in financial matters are of utmost importance today, particularly in the post-pandemic era. During the conversation, new ways to highlight the MICRO2 project were explored. In particular, the Senator suggested the possibility of involving the Spanish Chambers of Commerce and the associations of small and medium-sized enterprises (PYMEs), in order to establish strategic partnerships for the dissemination of the project. This initiative aims to create synergies with stakeholders and actors in the Spanish economic ecosystem to promote entrepreneurial fomation, digital innovation and economic development. The meeting ended with a visit to the halls of the Spanish Senate and its historical library. Thank you for the interesting conversation, Senator!

The MICRO 2 Digital project is proud to announce the successful development of the WP2 MICRO 2 Digital Model, a ground-breaking solution focused on analysing and assessing the most sought-after digital competences for microenterprises in rural areas in a post-pandemic era. The MICRO 2 Digital project, co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the EU Commission, aims to advance digital competences and skills of microenterprises in rural areas as an engine for growth, employment and social empowerment. The partnership includes four organisations from four European countries (Ireland, Belgium, Italy and Spain). Through meticulous research and analysis, during the activities for WP2, the team has mapped the post-pandemic trends and digital skill gaps within rural microenterprises. This comprehensive understanding will allow partners to develop innovative training courses tailored to the identified training needs. Central to the development of the WP2 MICRO 2 Digital Model was the benchmarking process with established EU frameworks, specifically with DigComp 2.2 and EntreComp. By leveraging these existing frameworks, the project team ensured that the digital competences selected in the model align with European standards, fostering cohesion and compatibility across borders. One of the key deliverables of the WP2 and the project is the creation of the Digital Microenterprises Matrix. This matrix provides a systematic overview of the essential digital competences required for microenterprises in rural areas. By offering a structured approach, the Digital Microenterprises Matrix enables microenterprises to identify and prioritise the areas where they need to build their digital capabilities. There areas will be addressed by the MICRO 2 Digital Training Courses – during the development of the Work Package 3 (WP3) of the project. The basis of this Matrix was the development of three country-specific reports (for Ireland, Italy and Spain) and of a pan-EU snapshot, providing valuable insights into the digital landscape of microenterprises in different countries and regions. These four reports serve as essential resources for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and microenterprises themselves, fostering informed decision-making and strategic planning. In addition to these deliverables, the following were developed within the MICRO 2 Digital Model: •    A Composite Report combining the four specific reports into a single document •    An Executive Summary in multilanguage version (English, Italian and Spanish) summarising the main results of all reports and the entire Digital Model •    A Common Knowledge Bank which constitutes the sources on which the research and analysis were based, representing the union of the literature reviews (bibliography + sitography) of each report •    16 including Case Studies and Good Practices in multilanguage version (English, Italian and Spanish) to provide practical examples of digital entrepreneurship of microenterprises in a post pandemic world For more information on WP2 deliverables, visit the direct link: www.digitalmicro2.eu/digitalmodel In addition, the deliverables themselves will soon be accessible in a smart and fast manner with the help of a chat assistant – the Chatbot – that the partnership is integrating into the project platform. For any further information on MICRO 2 Digital project: www.digitalmicro2.eu   

LAUNCH OF OPEN EDUCATION RESOURCE PLATFORM AND TRAINING TEST AND VALIDATION  The MICRO 2 Digital Erasmus +  Cooperation Partnership Project held its third transnational project meeting online in December to launch the online Open Education Resource Platform and Test and Validation Phase of the project Training Toolkit.  Post Covid, digital innovation, innovative business models, changing nature of jobs and new methods of work are all radically reshaping the way companies operate. In Rural Europe, micro-enterprises of all types, with fewer than ten employees face the greatest challenges in making the very necessary digital transition. The MICRO 2 consortium is working on the Project to support rural microenterprises embrace digital transformation by tackling digital competences and skills development. The  project also aims to enhance the responsiveness and coherence of the VET system in rural areas to meet increasing demand for digital competences by upgrading service provision in line with the revised Digital and Entrepreneurship Competency Frameworks of the European Commission (Digcomp 2.2, Entrecomp).  Based on extensive transnational research, the consortium over the last year has developed a Training Toolkit specifically targeted at the Digital Entrepreneurship needs of the European rural micro enterprise. Modules include, Cybersecurity and Data Management, Digital Marketing and E-Business, Leading and Managing Digital Change and Hybrid Work Teams. An extensive range of real- world accompanying resources such as operational cases and good practices are included. The Training Toolkit has been developed to serve both independent and guided learning.   The Toolbox is available online  in 3 languages at https://digitalmicro2.eu/ . This Open Education Resources  (OER) Platform is the main showcase of project’s results and its largest and most tangible channel for international visibility. All content is completely available for free, without requiring any kind of registration/identification by the user.  Testing and Validation is a crucial phase of the project in order to fine tune the training offering. In the following months, partners will meet at least 60 learners from the target group across Europe to test the training material embedded in the MICRO 2 Digital OER Platform to collect feedback about usability, relevance to their needs and delivery means. Feedback from the wider public is also very welcome through the embedded survey on the platform.  For further information about the MICRO2 Project please visit https://digitalmicro2.eu/

MICRO 2 aims to enhance the capacity of rural microenterprises to tackle digital and business transformation accelerated by the pandemic by developing training resources tailored to rural microenterprises facing capacity constraints to embrace digital opportunity. This will improve the business potential of rural micro enterprises to play a societal and economical role in their local area.   Micro Enterprises already face inherent barriers for technology and digital adaptation due to their size and capacity. Those in rural areas face even more challenges due to geographical isolation from clusters and distance from opportunities such as networking, collaborations and training.  The digital gap is 14% lower for rural micro enterprises at 48%. Micro enterprises are a key employer in rural areas and by supporting them to improve their digitalization will help them to grow and create more employment. In this context, Partners will carry out a series of well-defined activities that will lead to the production of tangible and operational results, and develop: Develop a resilient Digital Model for micro-enterprises in rural areas Map existing Government policies, agencies, and case studies in each partnering country and at EU level. Development of Multilanguage Training Programme - English, Italian and Spanish Build & Maintenance of the Micro 2 Digital Warehouse Platform - Open, Multilanguage and Flexible Digital Platform  The meeting took place in Brussels, hosted by the Belgian Partner, IHF. The partners have all worked together on previous projects so were able to get straight in to analysing the details of the project plan and define roles and responsibilities to implement project objectives.  The partners also discussed and agreed the visual identity of the project by choosing the logo and the website domain that will be online very soon. An action list was defined at the end of the meeting so that all that partners are on the same page in terms of activities, responsibilities and deadlines. MICRO 2 Digital is co-funded by the Erasmus Plus Programme of the European Commission with a duration of 18 months between November 2022 to April 2024. The project will be implemented by a partnership of four organisations from four European countries (Ireland, Belgium, Italy and Spain).