On 20-22 March 2017, SPCleantech – CEO Janusz Kahl participates as a partner in the “3rd Capacity Building Seminar” in Riga in Latvia. The seminar is part of the EU project SKILLS + “Supporting knowledge of ICT capacity of SMEs to engage in growth and innovation by Improving regional policies and infrastracture” under the INTERREG Europe.
SMEs in rural areas should be supported to be able to use the full possibilities offered by the digital single market and the benefits of the digital economy.
The aim of the project SKILLS + is therefore the development of public policies (plans) to promote ICT skills and covering exciting new business opportunities in the digital environment.
On 1 April 2016. Malopolska Regional Development Agency SA launched a project SKILLS + “Supporting the SMEs operating in the field of information and communication technologies for development and innovation by improving regional policy and infrastructure” ( “Supporting knowledge capacity of ICT SMEs to engage in growth and innovation”) within the framework of the Interregional Programme INTERREG Europe (the European Territorial Cooperation 2014-2020). The project received the support of the Malopolska Region by resolution No. 931/15 of the Board of Malopolska Region of 14 July 2015. And a letter of support.
The project is to promote solutions that make modern ICT (communication and information) will become part of everyday life, both for regional small and medium-sized businesses, and public entities.
The main tasks of the project include:
- exchange of good practices and experiences on policies (national, regional or local) between the regions involved in the project
- preparation of guidelines and implementation plans to improve the development policies of SMEs through the use of ICT
Global objective of the project is to improve the rules and policies (support programs, plans) that allow the public to reduce disparities between urban centers and rural areas in the use of ICT. Each partner will conduct a survey to determine the current status, limitations and challenges in the use of ICT by SMEs in rural areas, and determine the types of support offered by public authorities (national or local government) in supporting SMEs in the implementation of ICT in everyday business practice.
The project will be assessed and verified in all the regions represented by the project partners in terms of policies to promote the use of ICT by SMEs. A key result of the first phase of the project will be the publication of the Action Plan for each region. It will include the identification of a number of activities aimed at improving the support policies to improve the development of ICT in SMEs in rural areas.
Phase II of the project will include implementation of the solutions worked out in the Action Plan policies support the different regions.
Each partner involved in the project includes also several players from their own region, the so-called supporting entities (interested), so the representatives of the institutions responsible for the implementation of support programs for SMEs, local authorities and entrepreneurs (postscript: Cleantech Cluster has this status).
Implementation period:
Phase I: April 2016 – March 2019
Phase II: April 2019 – March 2021
Source of funding: The project financed by the European Regional Development Fund through the INTERREG program EUROPA.