The original press release is available in the Commission Press Corner.

On 27 July 2020 the European Commission launched a call for expressions of interest for thematic partnerships to pilot interregional innovation projects that support the response and recovery following the coronavirus pandemic.

This call serves to assist regions in identifying opportunities emerging from the crisis and using them to “build on green and digital transformation for the recovery of the most affected sectors, such as health and tourism”.

Transnational and interregional partnerships between regional authorities and other stakeholders (e.g. SMEs, universities, research clusters etc.) under the following four thematic areas are eligible for support under this call:

• Development of the medical value chain
• Safety and management of medical waste
• Sustainable and digital tourism
• Development of hydrogen technologies in carbon-intensive regions

Partnerships should be willing to pilot interregional innovation aimed at “facilitating the commercialisation and scale-up of interregional innovation projects and to incentivise business investment”.

The deadline for application is 7 September 2020.

More detailed information on the call, eligibility and how to apply can be found here.

On 15 July 2019 it was World Youth Skills Day! Let’s mark the day by taking a look at how the EU’s Programme for the Competitiveness of SMEs (COSME) is helping young people improve their skills and become more competitive on the job market. 

Skills in space

Reach the stars with Copernicus and explore opportunities in the space sector! In 2019 and 2020, the EU’s Earth Observation Programme is organising the ‘Eyes on Earth’ Roadshow across five countries. The events are open to all people interested in a career in the space sector, or who simply want to learn about how space data affects their everyday lives!

Skills in entrepreneurship

Are you working in woman entrepreneurship? Join peer-learning activities in women entrepreneurship. Through a series of workshops, this initiative identifies regional and national strategies that support female businesses. In particular, they explore entrepreneurship education and opportunities for lifelong entrepreneurial education. 

Skills in tourism entrepreneurship

Dive into a VOYAGE experience and discover entrepreneurial travel. This unique travelling experience is also opportunity for young entrepreneurs to develop their business ideas in a relaxed and stimulating environment. For high school and university students, there is the EUMillennialsTOUR. This initiative offers an immersive learning experience through targeted school trips and a mobile application.

Skills in tourism

Are you looking for a career in tourism off the beaten track? Discover the stories of the real people in these careers in theJobs in Tourismtestimonials. You will open your horizons to the sea of employment opportunities offered by this bustling sector!

Skills in digital & high-tech

How does the EU support the development of skills in the high-tech and digital industries? The report Skills for smart industrial specialisation and digital transformation offers an overview of the policies offered at national level across the EU. The final Skills for Industry project conference, held in June, highlighted two major needs in the European skills sector:

• education programmes that support and foster lifelong skills development
• more learning opportunities at national and regional level 

Skills in fashion

For the young creatives, the Skills in Textiles, Clothing, Leather and Footwear  (TCLF) project explores opportunities within these four sectors. Stay tuned as this COSME initiative is about to publish a report on the current state of play of careers in this sector and put the spotlight on some little known career opportunities.

For more information

• Discover the COSME Data Hub (tip: apply the filter for the industry of interest)

• Follow the hashtag #COSME_EU on social media and stay up to date with the latest learning opportunities!

Read the full article on the EASME website.

Top Kinisis was set up to meet the challenges and opportunities arising from the globalisation of online travel. My passion is to create dream holidays for all and to all destinations. Digitalisation is critical for us because it has increased usability, choice and reduced costs for customers. My chief aim is to provide value to our customers, protecting their interests with our prestigious retail history, integrity and a professional image. I’d like to see more funding for economic and technological learning; improved access to EU funding; the removal of bureaucratic barriers; and a big push to encourage successful firms to rescue struggling ones.

“Entrepreneurs are important to us all because we strive harder than anybody else to develop the economy, to employ people and can be trusted more than politicians.”

Elena Tanou

Hero(es): Nelson Mandela and Steve Jobs

Start up capital: own

Growth rate p.a: 10%

Mentor(s): Yes

Can you code? No

Employees: 60

Education / Training: Travel and tourism

Product / Service: Online travel service

Find out more about Top Kinisis: http://www.topkinisis.com/