The team of the foundation “Cluster Experts Baltic Sea Region” presented an original training programme for improving the skills of using digital tools by women-entrepreneurs in difficult circumstances, developed in collaboration with proven partners from six other European countries (Bulgaria, Austria, Italy, Croatia, Ukraine and Greece).

Dr. Vera Komarova presents the DIGI Women project

Participants of the meeting-workshop “Equal Opportunities in Difficult Circumstances” was  organized as an event to multiply results of the project. Participants of the event were women-entrepreneurs in difficult circumstances, trainers-experts in the field of business digitalization and entrepreneurship support, including Dr. Vladas Tumalavicius, the expert from UAB “Sustainability for Regions” (Lithuania). Apart from them, also the representatives of Daugavpils University and Daugavpils branch of the Latvian Chamber of Commerce and Industry joined the meeting-workshop.

Participants of the meeting-workshop

Application of various approaches for the identification and use of new digital tools, and support instruments enabling equal opportunities of women in difficult circumstances, as well as digital tools and solutions equally applicable for businesses and individuals (different on-line meeting platforms, online repositories, online presentation of business and creation of own home page – a business card for enterprise, e-Signature; EDS, services offered by the united platform latvija.lv, etc.) were presented by Dr. Vera Komarova and Dr. Zane Zeibote.

The training programme for women-entrepreneurs, aimed at accelerated and successful digitalization of business was presented during the meeting-workshop. Dr. Vera Komarova emphasized comparative advantages of DIGI Women’s Curriculum for women in difficult circumstances. Women-entrepreneurs and digitalization experts presented their ideas and proposals for improvement of the curriculum, and Dr. Vladas Tumalavicius (Lithuania) moderated this process.

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Dr. Vladas Tumalavicius, the expert from UAB “Sustainability for Regions” (Lithuania),
moderates presenting ideas and proposals for improvement of the curriculum by women-entrepreneurs and digitalization experts

To facilitate the discussion, each participant was provided with materials acquainting him or her with the objectives, content and expected results of training in the individual modules, and members of the team of the foundation “Cluster Experts Baltic Sea Region” were available to participants for consultations on individual modules of the curriculum.

The owner of agribusiness Liene Liekuma-Rimicane speaks about existing problems
of women-entrepreneurs in Latgale region of Latvia and gives her feedback on curriculum

On the second day of the meeting-workshop, women-entrepreneurs and digital experts continued to share ideas and make suggestions for improving the curriculum. Participants took a stand on the curriculum, based not only on their own entrepreneurial or expert experience and needs, but also on the experience gained in their participation in various training and support initiatives for women-entrepreneurs. In summary, the recommendations can be grouped in four directions: (1) aim and scope of the curriculum; (2) content of the individual modules; (3) training methods and (4) organization of the study cycle.

Work discussions during the second day of the meeting-workshop

The participants in the event expressed their satisfaction with the opportunity to gain new knowledge to use in their practice, to discuss with each other their problems and their solutions, to establish new contacts and to actively participate in the upcoming project activities. Confirmation of the expressed satisfaction were the lively discussions between the participants during coffee breaks and the time outside the programme of the event. The participants parted with proposals for maintaining the established links for the implementation of new useful initiatives.