Digital hubs provide digital connectivity, support digital capability development, and encourage the use of emerging digital technologies. But why are they so important and how can they be designed to meet the needs of the local area? The COM³ partners at the University of Lincoln have developed a fantastic training solution that addresses these questions.
Rural areas face particular challenges, such as low population density and limited provision of public services, which affect people’s living and working conditions. Research has shown that digital hubs are potential drivers of positive change in rural areas and can be a starting point for overcoming these digital divide challenges.
For businesses, digital hubs provide workspaces, networking and collaboration opportunities, and the chance to test new technologies. Yet, some digital hubs struggle to attract and retain users.
To address these difficulties, this course will teach you how to secure community adoption and engagement. The University of Lincoln has gathered the testimonies of various digital hub managers from across Europe and shared key lessons. The course also explains how digital hub managers improve the digital environment and the key steps to setting up a Digital Hub.
Besides this training solution, COM³ partners produce a series of e-learning modules that encourage staff and developers in municipalities, regions, and business support organisations in building a rural digital entrepreneurial ecosystem:
- Helping SMEs Deal with Information Overload
- Designing Support Measures for a Rural Digital Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
- Fostering the Digital Transformation of SMEs in Rural Areas – an Introduction
These and other training modules can be found on the learning platform ruraldigital.eu, developed by the two Interreg North Sea Region projects COM³ and CORA. With this platform, both projects address the most pressing challenges to overcome the digital divide in rural areas and offer training solutions that enable everyone – citizens, small businesses, and administrations – to acquire the necessary digital skills.
