The Interreg project Carpe Digem took place at a time marked by the COVID-19 pandemic. This meant, among other things, that the study visits on good practices, which are fundamental for the Interreg mechanism, took place mainly in the spring and summer months of 2022, when the health crisis had subsided. Nevertheless, the project was able to turn a number of challenges to its advantage and, among other things, developed a number of solutions that were recognised as good and, in particular, useful practices, even outside the Interreg environment. To mention just a few:
1. A tool for measuring the digital maturity of areas: here
2. Virtual tasting: here (with a wonderful comment by a stranger)
3. the Meet the Local Producer pilot platform: here
4. Developing educational content and guidelines on digital literacy and delivering workshops, such as a series of lectures for employees of ministries and government departments
The project played a crucial role in regard to the development of the 4PDIH digital innovation hub, especially in the area of work with rural areas, but also with municipalities, for which we have also prepared, for example, a needs assessment in the area of digital competences.
As one of the important aspects of the Interreg programme is the development of policy instruments, therefore it is important to highlight the partnership, first with the Ministry of Public Administration, and today with the Ministry of Digital Transformation, where Carpe Digem’s focus on the development of rural digital innovation ecosystems has been very important.
The closing event, which took place between 3 and 4 May at Nevers, and provided a well-thought-out overview of achievements, in which the Slovenian partnership played an important role.
Nina Cvar presented the achievements of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the opening plenary session. In the following session, Petra Kovačec from the Ministry of Digital Transformation and Nina Cvar held an issue round table on digital emancipation, attended by representatives of the Nièvre District Council, as well as ERNACT representatives. The event was organised as a workshop of three, international groups, i.e. stakeholders from the business world, representatives of the public administration or so-called policy makers and communities, who addressed themes such as “education”, “rural-urban divide” and “lifelong learning at work” via the concept of “digital emancipation”.
Gaber Terseglav from Optifarm, participated as a stakeholder of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, in a workshop on the use of tools 4.0. in circular food and agricultural supply chains.
Later, in the second part of the first day, Nina Cvar, representing 4PDIH, participated in a workshop on Digital Innovation Hubs and Ecosystems, organised as a panel and moderated by Dolores Ordoñez. By addressing the context of the current status of DEP, in particular EDIHs, the participants of the panel, ERNACT, Regional Council of Bourgogne-Franche-Comte and DIHBAITUR Balearics AI and Tourism DIH, agreed that creating synergies between all social systems are key for successful digital transformation.
The second day of the meeting was spent, among other things, in a partnership meeting, as well as best practices of the County Council were presented: a mobile unit to promote digital literacy. The end of the day was about the round table on the digital transformation of agriculture, which ended with a critical reflection on our common future, which can only be sustainable if it is based on digital emancipation, which is not possible without social equality.
More about the Carpe Digem project here.

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