The project ELISA (e-learning for improving access to Information Society for SMEs in the SEE Area) is an INTERREG IIIB CADSES funded project that aims at improving the access to knowledge and the information society of SMEs in South-East Europe, through close cooperation of academic and business communities at a transnational level. This scope will be achieved by transferring EU best practice training know-how and by developing national training strategies.

ELISA's major elements are the cooperation and the transfer of knowledge between NRENs (National Research and Education Networks) in different countries, SMEs in different countries and between NRENs, Universities and SMEs in the whole area. Emphasis is given to SMEs from rural and distant areas in Albania, FYROM, Bulgaria and Serbia-Montenegro (beneficiary countries).

This overall objective will be achieved through the following actions:

1. Awareness creation on the benefits of ICT business use by SMEs,
2. Customization of a multilingual, highly-interactive and easy-to-use eLearning-platform for the needs of SMEs,
3. Creation of a customizable multilingual training material for improving ICT skills within SMEs,
4. Pilot implementation of ICT training actions,
5. Design of SME ICT training strategies for the beneficiary countries,
6. Diffusion of the know-how gained to policy makers and interested organizations.

Results & Effects

1. Raise of awareness of policy makers on the importance of access to knowledge and information society for SMEs.
2. Acceleration of ICT penetration to SMEs from the beneficiary countries.
3. Improvement of business performance via the adoption of e-business practices.
4. Adoption of e-learning as a sustainable training practice.
5. Improvement of cross-country business collaboration.
6. Establishment of links between academic and business networks at a transnational level.

In addition, the project recommendations, know-how, etc, will be disseminated to the CADSES area and will be made available to the public at large.

Duration
1/10/2005 - 31/12/2007