Best practices
Leveraging flexible approaches and platforms for SME engagement in master's programme design
Users: Training Providers (Public) | Theme: Industry Engagement | Action: Education Programmes/Courses | Beneficiaries: Training Providers (Public), Industry, SMEs
DIGITWIN4CIEU
Ignacio González Tejada – Center of Excellence Director, UPM
Rocío López Espinosa – Project Coordinator, UPM
Beatriz Martín Bautista-Cerro – Project Manager, UPM
DIGITWIN4CIEU offers a master’s degree across Spain, France, Hungary, and Turkey, equiping civil engineers with digital skill’s for the industry’s transformation. The quality and relevance of the content is largely ensured due to the industry and academic experts from SMEs and universities that have collaborated in the development of this masters.
The challenge?
Our solution
DIGITWIN4CIUE offers an Executive Master’s in Digital Twins for Infrastructures and Cities, featuring an academic programme designed with flexibility. To attract professionals from different disciplines in the built environment industry, flexible scheduling options such as evening or recorded classes have been implemented.
DIGITWIN4CIUE is developing tailor-made training, including long-term courses and MOOC programs, with specialized content designed to meet industry needs. This continuous generation of technical content aims to shape the mindset of SME managers and highlight the importance of adapting to technological advancements.
DIGITWIN4CIUE has established a European Centre of Excellence, which serves as the primary platform for engaging with SMEs. It acts as a hub for innovative research, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing, bringing together experts from academia, industry, and government.
Key takeaways
- A network of contacts to generate impact: Create a technical contents team, that will generate weekly communications of interest to persuade SMEs managers on the need to anticipate the future of the construction sector, in order to be competitive with larger entities.
- Regular publications on social media: Publish posts on a mix of channels, including LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube etc. to keep stakeholders engaged in the goal of the project.
- Sign collaboration agreements with SME associations (e.g. ANCI, Tecniberia) to mobilise participation in programme development and deployment.
Case Summary–
Context: Fit4internet is a non-profit initiative aimed at enhancing digital literacy across Austria. By using the Digital Competence Framework (DigComp AT), which identifies key components of digital competencies and aligns with European standards, Fit4internet helps individuals showcase their digital skills. The Fit4internet platform offers a way to track and prove digital competencies, helping with employability and ensuring that the Austrian workforce has the necessary ICT skills to meet market demands. Through the digital skills profile platform, the initiative supports both individual growth and the development of a digitally capable society.
Challenge: The challenge faced is managing proof of competencies acquired through various learning methods, including formal education, non-formal training, and informal certifications, which can lead to inconsistent records. Securing sustainable funding to support the continuous development of new digital competencies, ensuring that programs remain up-to-date with evolving market needs. The second main challenge was fostering broad participation and engagement, especially among groups who may lack access to digital tools or education.
Identified Approach / Solution: The Fit4internet platform provides a centralised, user-friendly system to manage and showcase digital competencies, aligning with the European Qualifications Framework (EQF). Through this platform, individuals can track and showcase their digital skills, making it easier for employers, educators, and organisations to assess their talent.
The platform allows users to create an e-portfolio that showcases their digital skills, with the option to share it through a link or as a PDF. This portfolio highlights the digital competencies that a user has acquired, linked to their certificates. These certificates can be formal, non-formal, or informal.
The platform also supports the generation of a digital skills profile that showcases the user’s acquired skills. Users earn digital badges as a visual representation of their skills. This allows them to continue with their learning journey, while showing off their competencies to others.
Outcomes:
Key takeaways:
Fit4internet engage multiple stakeholders from academia, industry, and policy to develop holistic and relevant digital competency frameworks. They also use widely applied frameworks to measure skills gaps, enabling better planning for individuals and institutions. By doing this they improve reinsertion rates into the labor force by addressing individuals digital skill gaps and aligning them with market needs. This benefits companies by providing clear insights into the skillsets that are being developed and that are available in the workforce.