Potential impact

Several countries among the New Members may have a strong interest in the utilisation of their existing biomass potential for energy production leading towards sustainable and self-sustained farming, optimal land use and for a possible response to non-point source pollution, energy crises, and agricultural overproduction. Within the next 5-10 years several of the the WBCs will likely join the EU and this is a region in the (would be expanded) EU where biomass energy utilization may be a true alternative thus the need for harmonised EO approaches on the assessment of biomass potential is especially high in these countries. But developing new, harmonised methods would have little impact if the take-up of results is not promoted in an efficient way. Stakeholders are busy EO/biomass professionals need a cost- and time efficient tool to find and learn the necessary information and improve their skills and understanding towards each other. This is why the Consortium decided to implement a complex e-training campaign that will facilitate the fast uptake of project results and that can reach all Stakeholders on a trans-European scale. The e-tearning training program designed will offer a unique distance learning opportunity to professionals from the EO/biomass community.

The use of e-learning will also develop the internet culture and its social and economic acceptation among the target group. A basic presumption is that the target group is already familiar with the use of the Internet, therefore e-learning methods can be used for training purposes. The project will geographically cover all states of the European Union and the Candidate Countries. The initial content of the e-learning will be based on results from WP2, WP3 and WP4 to be updated and revised according to emerging needs and discussions from WP5 and dissemination activities in WP7. The project will:

  • Develop and disseminate a new internet-based distance training method – independent of geographical borders, time and the surroundings of the students.
  • Transfer knowledge and skills from one professional community to the other
  • Increase cohesion and international cooperation between these sectors,
  • Create a potentially new business perspective for European EO businesses
  • Help the professionals of EO/biomass sectors to join the process of lifelong learning and to be able to remain competitive within the labour market.
  • Create a tool, which is accessible to all European parties (e-inclusive) thus help bridging universities and research centres with SMEs and contributing to future cooperation between them.
  • Promote the use of Internet and new IT based technologies. Taking part in the e-learning training will promote the use of Internet in less advanced regions of the EU and the World. This process will bring international contacts on-line, and will also increase international cooperation between potential partners in an easy way.

 

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