"The project m-commerce developed a course to qualify employees of SMEs for introduction and operation of m-commerce services in the company. M-commerce as a specialization of E-commerce is due to the increasing popularity of smartphones, a fast-growing segment in online trading. Although the customers are ready because of their technologisation it is not optimally treated by many companies. Therefore SMEs need employees who have the appropriate knowledge and skills to implement M-commerce in a SME.The project had the following outputs :1) Assessment of current status of M-commerce in different regions of Europe2) Collection of best-practice examples from different regions3) Creating teaching and learning materials for the M-commerce course4) Running the course in all seven partner countries The determination of the current status of M-commerce took place over the collection and linking of data from different sources: online survey, conducted interviews in all partner countries, publicly available statistics and current literature . A "" by-product"" was a collection of best-practice examples. This practice examples described complete M-commerce solutions or only some aspects .The preparation of the training material was done by the partner FH JOANNEUM , University of Timisoara, Center for Knowledge Management and University of Alcala . To ensure the quality and the unified structure a specially created template was used for the development of individual topics . A further quality assurance measure was the mandatory peer review process for all modules . For each module we defined one evaluation partner. The whole course was translated into eight languages.The course consisted of three modules (each two days) and one practice work. Module one contained all the basics needed to create a strategy for the entire business process from marketing to delivery economically optimized and legally correct. The second module dealed with the topics of online marketing and consists of items like search engine optimization and social media marketing. An important aspect was the evaluation of this marketing mix. In the third module, where the technical contents were included. These enhanced the appearance and the usability of the existing e -commerce activities for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet PCs. The practicle part tranfered the content of the course to the need of the existing e-commerce solutions from the participating SMEs. Each training day was supplemented by appropriate practical tasks relevant to the own projects of the participants. The time each participant invests, was an indicator for the quality of the result .The e-learning platform of the FH JOANNEUM was used to support the executing of the course in seven countries. The platform made content sharing and communication between the participants available. Because all participants communicated in English, a course- wide communication for the exchange of experiences was possible.The evaluation and reflection after the first implementation of the course was done by all learners, teachers , organizers and producers and allowed an adaptation of the course. This feedback process was used to increase the acceptance and to improve the course for the following participants.The target group can be described as follows: Participants, that are already responsible for online agendas in a SME or should overtake them in the near future, were qualified to be a M-commerce manager. They were be responsible for the creation of the M-commerce strategy for the SME, subsequently the implementation of the marketing plan and optimization of the SME-website or webshop. The SMEs whose employees participated in the course, got support in the preparation M-commerce activities, thus expanding their customers and market presence. The positive effect of the course will be medium to long term, as all measures need time to convert and to act .The following organizations took part in the project:FH JOANNEUM GESELLSCHAFT M.B.H.: University of applied sciences from AustriaCenter for Knowledge Management: Consulting Company from MacedoniaJOHANNEBERG SCIENCE PARK: Businesspark from SwedenTEHNOLOSKI PARK LJUBLJANA DOO: Technology park from SloveniaUNIONE REGIONALE DELLE CAMERE DI COMMERCIO INDUSTRIA, ARTIGIANATO E AGRICOLTURA DEL VENETO: Chamber of commerce from ItalyUNIVERSIDAD DE ALCALA: University from SpainUNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA TIMISOARA: University from Romania"

"CONTEXT BACKGROUND: STEPS (Smooth Transition to Professional Skills and Employability from School & VET project emerges from the confluence of the need to promote employability and professional skills of young people, a fact that both the European figures prove it, but also the daily work of COCIN in this area, and on the other, needs identified by San Juan Bautista school and VET teachers and students regarding Employability Guidance from School and VET.A Networking event organised by COCIN on February 25, 2014 within WELCOME & CO transfer of innovation project (2OI2-L-ES1-LEO05-49461), where educational institutions were main target group/attendees allowed first contact with that shown needs. STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP was formed by Cámara de Comercio, Industria y Navegación de Cantabria (ES), project coordinator. Unione Regionale delle Camere di Commercio,I.A.A. Veneto (IT). We already work together in the European Program EYE (www.erasmus-entrepreneurs.eu) as well as in WELCOME & CO. Cornwall College (UK) and BERLINK (DE), also partners in WELCOME&CO contribute with the educational and business approach respectively. As new partners: Colegio San Juan Baustista (ES) and ZIB–Zentrum für Integration und Bildung GmbH (DE) as educational institutions and BEN EUROPE-Institute Qualification & Project Management UG brings its business approach.Consejería de Educación de Cantabria will be a ""silent partner"" that will provide its local VET support.STEPS' MAIN GOAL: To promote a European vision of business and career and employability information and guidance in order to prepare students from school and VET for a smooth transition into the labour market. SPECIFIC AIMS: To find out main challenges faced by teachers, students and businesses for a smooth transition into work in a European context; To promote a better understanding of the labour market in the European Union, by making teachers and students actively participate in the project in the partners’ regions; To inform teachers and students about career guidance resources and tools already available in the European context; To make students and teachers aware of the importance of ITC and linguistic skills, specially English.ACTIVITIES & INTELLECTUAL OUTPUTS: Apart from the preparation and managerial activities, to achieve these objectives, the project transferred IT tools, methodology, managerial know-how and materials developed to reach the following INTELLECTUAL OUTPUTS:O1: Database system design: VET learners, teachers and companies in each partner region; O2: Online Platform for Training & Employment Information & Guidance in School & VET; O3: Info Point Set-up & Implementation: Information and Guidance on Employment and Training resources in Europe in School & VET; O4: Compilation of good practices in Career and Employment guidance in School & VET; O5: Training material: Career and Employability Information and Guidance materials to become part of the career guidance subject (FOL)O6: Competition of Proposals made by students, coordinated by teachers:'My career pathway: Young people in the European labour market'O7: Compilation of Entrepreneurship tools and resources from School & VET in each partner's region; O8: Pilot action 'The makings for entrepreneurship'; Beside, other activities have been carried out: Blended mobilities, External evaluation (interim & final ones), blog made for students, coordinated by teachers, business talks, etc.METHOGOLOGY used to reach activities and results is divided into three different phases: Preparation/planning; Implementation and follow-up of activities; Closure & sustainability. The cooperative methodology shared by the strategic partnership is one of the contributions of the project.IMPACT: It provides a more complete picture of the needs in School and VET Employability Information & Guidance in European regions. It contributes to the creation of a joint action including the most interesting strengths and resources of each region for helping students to their smooth transition into work, by making them aware of the opportunities that Europe can offer them and contributing to their linguistic and ICT skills improvement. It contributes to cooperation and network between educational institutions by promoting the impact on beneficiaries with different legislative, educational environments and socio- economic backgrounds.LONG TERM BENEFITS: Future cooperation between the participating partners and related school and VET providers/ stakeholders in their countries at local, regional and/or national level brings STEPS project a great European added value, as well as the tranfer of specific results of the project to other contexts and target groups."

The project aims to enhance SMEs’ competitiveness and innovation processes management and to improve the regional innovation environment, increasing the efficiency and the effectiveness of investments in research, development and innovation. The project partners will operate in the regions under the EEN BRIDGeconomies consortium: Abruzzo, Basilicata, Calabria, Campania, Molise, Puglia and Sicilia. The overall objective of the project is helping SMEs to adopt, implement and deploy an innovation management system. The project has two main specific objectives, structured in 2 Work Packages: WP1) to support innovation management capacities of SMEs beneficiaries from H2020 SME Instrument; WP2) to enhance SMEs, with significant innovation activities and high potential for internationalisation, who lack knowledge, skills and abilities to manage innovation activities and helping them to unlock their potential by better managing the innovation processes. To reach such specific objectives, during the period covered by the action, the project partnership intends to deliver seven days service packages to a number of 94 SMEs, benefiting from SME Instrument grants and services for enhancing their innovation management capacities. Project partners intend to implement these actions since SMEs play a crucial role in reaching the objectives of the Europe 2020 Strategy and notably the Innovation Union. SMEs are key drivers of innovation serving as an important conduit for knowledge spill-overs. Tapping the full innovation potential of SMEs requires efficient support mechanisms. The focus needs to be oriented to impact on SMEs, looking at their internationalisation, their knowledge and R&D capabilities, competitiveness and growth.