The project partners of a Interreg Alpine Space SmartCommUnity project convened for an insightful 2nd project meeting in Willisau, Switzerland on 13. and 14. September 2023. The meeting, chaired by the project coordinators from University of Ljubljana and hosted by Luzerne – Region West, featured presentations, discussions, workshops and decision-making on various project-related activities and current progress.
Some of the key highlights from the meeting included: the project management aspects were thoroughly examined, including reporting procedures, partner changes, the process of report submission, and certification. Partners shared their challenges in preparing reports, with specific examples highlighted; partners presented updates on their respective test areas, highlighting various initiatives and challenges they are addressing; an overview of project deliverables was presented, and the proposals for the dates of the next partner meeting, to be held in Valled’ Aosta, was discussed.
The project coordinator elaborated on the project’s communications strategy, with special emphasis on promotion and participation in the Digital Alps Conference. Partners were encouraged to contribute short materials for social channels. Further activities, including cooperation with external partners, were also discussed.
Several workshops and discusion panels were conducted to provide better exploitation in work-pacgages related activies and/or deeper insights for current delivarable.
- A presentation and further discussion on the work package concerned with EUSALP uptake and integration at policy level (WPEU) was delivered, covering its objectives, status of work, plans for study visits and seminar organisation.
- A workshop within Test Activities and Networking for SmartCommUnity workpackage (WPTAN) presented rural »Data Steward« concept to address community-based data approach with bridging digital skills gap, local data autonomy and infrastructure oversight and posible solutions and action items were discussed to consolidate the integration to test areas and terminology.
- Workshop on Innovation Platform project activities within Innovation Tools for SmartCommUnity workpackage (WPIT) was conducted, with discussions on content arrangement, translation, gamification, and sustainability. Partners expressed their preference for selected content sections and deliberated on various aspects of content management in multilingual envirment.
SmartCommUnity partners were also addressed by local policy maker – André Marti, President of the City of Willisau and member of the cantonal parliament of Lucerne and observer from Swiss Federal Office for Environmental Planning provided valuable feedback and comments at the end of the meeting.
Project partners had an opportunity to try e-biking and visit Swiss Museum of Agriculture, a local stakeholder in pilot area, with Meyveart Museum Prize for Sustainabilitty 2023.
The meeting concluded with a commitment to continued collaboration and a shared vision of advancing the project’s goals. Partners affirmed their dedication to effective communication and cooperation in next project meeting, scheduled from 5.-7. March 2024 in Valle d’Aosta.
The ”Creating a Functional Transnational Community Towards Smart Transition in the Alps” – SmartCommUnity Project, aims to support Alpine rural areas to fully use the benefits of digitalisation, embrace smart transitions and create a functional transnational community in the Alps and within the EUSALP Action Group 5 Smart Alps Network. The Project is financed by the Interreg Alpine Space Programme 2021-2027, for a period of 3 years.
