What is DIFME: Digital Internationalisation and Financial Literacy Skills for micro entrepreneurs

What will the project do?

The DIFME project seeks to deliver a curriculum to meet the real needs of entrepreneurs in the areas of financial literacy and digital skills. Through an in-depth analysis of the needs of entrepreneurs and the entrepreneurship programmes offered by Higher Education Institutions in the EU (and beyond) it will identify the fundamental competencies required in the two disciplines and the gaps in existing provision. The project will then design and test a curriculum to deliver these skills in a combination of methods including an e-learning platform.

Access to the learning platform and signposts to other valuable information sources will be made available through an online SME HUB which will assist both micro and larger entrepreneurs to find digitally innovative ways to internationalise their businesses. The partners will collaborate to collect and distribute all useful information (knowledge, government and other relevant assistance programmes) on national and European level.

DIFME will develop a high-level, easy to use environment that integrates easy and effective access to learning fundamental concepts for entrepreneurship with access to the e-learning platform. Through its SME Hub, DIFME will support entrepreneurs to seize new business opportunities. The SME Hub will target start-up entrepreneurs and experienced entrepreneurs and foster interaction with academics. It will also encourage greater integration of young people into the entrepreneur market, consequently reducing unemployment and encouraging their business success. It will promote cooperation between education organisations and entrepreneurs with dissemination events to raise awareness and reaching stakeholders across Europe in English, German, Greek, Dutch, Italian and Bulgarian. The project will be concluded with a memorandum of cooperation to further develop a joint qualification programme with EU qualifications.

Project objectives:

  • A situation-based assessment report, tackling the skills gaps between enterprise requirements and management studies curriculum
  • The development of a training model addressing the main topic of the financial literacy and internationalisation techniques. The model aims to enhance entreprenuers' capacity to undertake responsible financial choices and to understand digital techniques readily available to boost their enterprise internationally
  • The development of a free-to-use Toolkit for Microenterprises and SMES based on edutainment methodology
  • Standardized skills curriculum with focus on Internationalisation skills and digital competencies
  • A cooperative learning model, fostering collaboration between HEIs and entrepreneurs - a qualification ensuring transfer of competences, transparency of learning outcomes and clearness for the learner
  • Promoting greater integration of young people into the entrepreneur market, consequently reducing unemployment and encouraging their business success
  • The Creation of a SME HUB with a community-driven open source repository of solutions which will encourage start-ups and established SMES to share experiences and solutions with each other
  • A memorandum of cooperation to further develop a joint qualification programme with EU qualifications standards
  • Dissemination events to raise awareness and reaching stakeholders across Europe