eTownz

Preparatory Action on Smart Rural Areas in the 21st Century

Visit Website

Partners: E40, Empirica, IFLS, Agri. University of Athens, Innovatiesteunpunt

 

eTownz are principal partners on a 3- year EU research project to develop case studies, policy best practices in the emerging area of “Smart Villages”. Click here

This project is a sister project of Smart Rural 21. The project takes a top down approach to analysing and understanding the potential opportunities and challenges of Smart Villages in upcoming EU funded programs including CAP/LEADER

National Coordinator

eTownz are national coordinators, representing Ireland interests and managing feedback from Ireland.

Digital Process Tool

eTownz scoped and custom designed a Zoho Creator application to facilitate partners from all EU countries in the implementation and collection/collation of data

Expertise

eTownz are digital experts on this project providing strategic advice and also presenting and facilitating workshops related to digitisation of communities

Summary 

In partnership with a number of organisations across the EU, ‘eTownz’ is currently engaged in a ‘Horizon2020’ funded project for the development and deliverability of an online training and development platform under the umbrella term ‘Smart Villages’.

The project will provide rural communities (and their animators) with an understanding of the pathway to becoming a smart village and the tools and resources they can use to support that process at each stage of the way (eg. tools to: conduct a stakeholder mapping; create a local support group; carry out a participatory problem identification process etc.). It will also provide rural communities with access to specific smart solutions that could serve as inspiration and learning for planning their own smart village actions (searchable by theme/focus and other rural community characteristics where it has been applied).

My name is Edina Ocsko and I am the Founding Director of E40 Group. E40 combines the skills and experience of dynamic professionals with many years experience and a shared philosophy in how to facilitate European networking and exchange. We have been actively collaborating with eTownz on developing digital tools and databases for the EU-wide Smart Village Network and more recently on an EU-funded project on promoting smart rural areas across Europe. We got to know Pat as a professional and highly creative person with innovative ideas on supporting local community development through digital technologies. Pat and his team always bring great energy to our work and we look forward to our continued cooperation.

Edina Ocsko

Managing Director E40 Group