Wrap-up of the main lessons learnt from the BLUES Peer learning webinars

Submitted by Oriane Marchal on 19 April 2022

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Between October 2020 and January 2022, the BLUES consortium has been organising a series of 5 PLW in order to facilitate the sharing of knowledge and experiences between ESCP-4x partnerships and identify cooperation actions between them.

Context

Peer learning webinars (PLW) are tools to learn and share experiences between people who has faced the same challenges and has overcome similar obstacles. Within BLUES, the idea was to support partners to understand easily how the different organizations work successfully and learn from each other. It is based on mutual interaction and cooperative learning.

14 partnerships have been invited to cooperate and share best practices through the PLWs: BLUES (as organiser), BRILLIANT, CELIS, CE4BIG, CLAMTEX, EXTREX, EXXTRA, RECIPE4Mobility, SAFE SMART FOOD, SMARTENERGY, SMART4NZEB, SmartCTClusters, SmartSports4GoodLife and GSSC.

Introduction of the 5 PLWs

  • PLW#1: KNOWING EACH OTHER
    • COVID impact and implementing the exchange
    • IT tool
  • PLW#2: WORKING ON A COMMON NOTE
    • Discussion with the PO
  • PLW#3: ENLARGE THE SHARING KNOWLEDGE
    • Communicate in a fog period
    • Adaptation of the action plan in ESCP4x Project
  • PLW#4: PREPARING EUROPEAN PROJECT ON CLUSTER SIDE
    • New calls for clusters
    • Sharing of best practices
  • PLW#5: AS A CLUSTER HOW TO SUPPORT OUR MEMBERS IN BUILDING EU PROJECTS
    • Communication & information on funding opportunities
    • Partner search
    • Setting up proposals
    • During & after the projects

Wrap-up of the lessons learnt

The organisation of the Peer Learning Webinars has been a great success of the BLUES partnership. In total, five PLWs were organised in which most of the ESCP-4x partnership were represented and actively participated. It has been a powerful and efficient tool for us to take a step back, connect to each other and learn from each other.

From all the discussions and sharing’s, some key messages and lessons learnt can be extracted:

1/ For futures generations of ESCP-4x partnerships:

  • Do not underestimate the power of meeting and interacting with other partnerships; when facing difficulties/uncertainties, it is more efficient to team up and join the forces
  • Look for synergies with other ESCP-4x projects while implementing project activities; it can save a lot of time and efforts
  • Be flexible and able to adjust plans
  • Peer Learning webinars are very useful and should not be restricted to ESCP-4x but to all ESCP projects.

2/ As cluster organisation:

  • Digitalization of cluster services is very strategic but has to be smartly planned as it can’t replace all “traditional” actions of clusters.
  • Clusters are playing a key role in SMEs development and especially in difficult times such as the COVID crisis. They must be flexible enough to adapt their actions to answers their members’ needs.
  • Communication has to be maintained at all costs and especially in difficult times. Clusters should adapt their communication actions, or they risk breaking the link/trust with their members.
  • European funding programmes are highly strategic for cluster organisations in order to diversify their revenues. It can be useful for funding part of the clusters “usual” activities/services but also to develop new ones.
  • Members are more and more interested in EU funding programmes but supporting members for applying to that type of funds is time-consuming. Most clusters can’t include that kind of service as part of the membership fees and need to propose a dedicated service. Several options are available from 100% outsourced to an extra-paid service.

Thanks to the PLWs, organised by the BLUES partnership, a group of dynamic clusters has been built and they are willing to continue the collaboration. On a short term, they will keep on with the “sharing spirit” through the organisation of an extra PLW in 2022. Moreover, on a longer perspective, the PLW set up the basis for building futures projects and common actions together.

For more information contact Mylène Hache : m.hache [at] aqua-valley.com (m[dot]hache[at]aqua-valley[dot]co)m

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