| Tavoite: |
The overall objective of the project is to catch up the digital divide between sparsely populated / rural areas and urban areas. Sparsely populated and rural areas are still suffering from lack of ICT uptake and very often from less effective ICT solutions both in the private and the public sectors. However, there is a strong motivation and need to use ICTs more effectively in such regions as a way of counteracting the problems of long distances both within these regions as much as from more central areas. In many parts of rural regions broadband networks and relevant hardware are no longer an obstacle for using the available services but implementation of these services is the problem for businesses as well as for the public sector. After this project, rural regions will benefit from more competitive business environment, more effective public services and more efficient development of ICTs. Also, the objectives of the project are: a) WP 1 Project management, evaluation and communication - To manage the DARRA project in a smooth, effective, transparent, democratic way, based on the principles of collaboration and consensus building. - To evaluate the results of the project and assess the effectiveness of operation. - To disseminate the results of the project. b) WP 2 2013 ICT vision for remote and sparsely populated areas - To formulate a vision on ICT utilisation for sparsely populated areas/rural regions’ life styles by 2013 and use it to guide the formulation of ICT strategy development in such rural areas in the future in general and the regional pilot actions in particular. - To describe the competences and resources necessary for individuals, companies and authorities to be able to implement the ‘2013 vision’. c) WP 3 Developing ICT maturity of SMEs in sparsely populated and rural areas - To raise awareness of the benefits of advanced ICT –services, and especially e-Commerce among micro and SMEs. - To assess/improve advanced ICT – services in the partner regions. - To improve the ICT uptake and maturity of at least 20 SMEs in each one of the partner regions. - To compare experiences on the interregional and transnational levels and to develop jointly brief, practical guide for ‘improving ICT maturity and uptake in peripheral regions reflecting the project experiences of the partners. d) WP 4 E-Government solutions supporting e-business - To exchange experiences, benchmark and transfer good practices concerning public e-business services among the partner regions. - To benchmark regional ICT policies / strategies / plans in relation to the ‘2013 vision’ - To formulate and implement pilot actions promoting ICT uptake and more advanced eServices in the partner regions, especially facilitating e-Commerce. - To raise awareness among regional and municipal authorities and local communities about ICT development needs and options. - To improve substantially e-Commerce public services in every partner region. - The final beneficiaries of the project are micro businesses together with SMEs, local authorities and universities. - Partner regions will benefit from the project by the reinforcement of positive ICT –development. The project will convince the decision makers of the development of ICT until 2013. This vision and good examples with new ICT –tools will clearly show the benefits of ICT and the track of development. - As a result of the project, SMEs have gained competitive advantage by implementing and using new ICT services and tools. Municipalities and the public sector can boost their activities by taking more advanced services in use. The overall peripherality factor has been reduced among the partner regions. |
| Tulokset: |
a) 2013 ICT vision for remote and sparsely populated areas - To formulate a vision on ICT utilisation for sparsely populated areas/rural regions’ life styles by 2013 and use it to guide the formulation of ICT strategy development in such rural areas in the future in general and the regional pilot actions in particular. - To describe the competences and resources necessary for individuals, companies and authorities to be able to implement the ‘2013 vision’. b) Developing ICT maturity of SMEs in sparsely populated and rural areas - To raise awareness of the benefits of advanced ICT –services, and especially e-Commerce among micro and SMEs. - To assess/improve advanced ICT – services in the partner regions. - To improve the ICT uptake and maturity of at least 20 SMEs in each one of the partner regions. - To compare experiences on the interregioal and transnational levels and to develop jointly brief, practical guide for ‘improving ICT maturity and uptake in peripheral regions reflecting the project experiences of the partners. c) E-Government solutions supporting e-business - To exchange experiences, benchmark and transfer good practices concerning public e-business services among the partner regions. - To benchmark regional ICT policies / strategies / plans in relation to the ‘2013 vision’ - To formulate and implement pilot actions promoting ICT uptake and more advanced eServices in the partner regions, especially facilitating e-Commerce. - To raise awareness among regional and municipal authorities and local communities about ICT development needs and options. - To improve substantially e-Commerce public services in every partner region. |