Month: May 2025

The TRUSTFOOD project was presented as a best practice during the Joint Matchmaking Event on Sectoral Digital Skills Academies, organized by the European DIGITAL SME Alliance. The event brought together stakeholders from across Europe to foster collaboration on advanced digital skills, with a focus on building strong consortia ahead of the Digital Europe Programme’s 8th call.

The event, held online and hosted via the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform, aimed to promote knowledge sharing and connect active projects, policy actors, training providers, and companies working at the intersection of technology and sector-specific upskilling.

TRUSTFOOD was showcased as a best practice from the Digital Europe-funded advanced digital skills projects, with its innovative training model for SMEs in the agri-food sector receiving recognition. The project offers short-term, practical training programs focused on blockchain technologies and their real-world applications in food supply chains.

As part of the session, TRUSTFOOD presented its approach to upskilling the labour force in the food industry, highlighting its targeted engagement with small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), use of hands-on learning content, and focus on supply chain transparency and digital traceability using blockchain.

The presentation provided an opportunity to share lessons learned and engage with prospective partners for future initiatives under the Digital Europe Programme. TRUSTFOOD’s inclusion in the best practice segment underlines its alignment with European goals to close the digital skills gap in strategic sectors.

TRUSTFOOD continues to expand its network of collaborators and welcomes dialogue with stakeholders interested in joining efforts to accelerate digital transformation in the agri-food domain.

As part of Course Module 12 of the Blockchain and Traceability online training, WU (Vienna University of Economics and Business) conducted a successful plenary session with participants in Ukraine. The interactive session aimed to deepen understanding of key course concepts and foster new connections to support broader course dissemination.

Held online, the session provided a space for open dialogue, allowing participants to engage in questions and answers directly with WU experts. Discussions focused on blockchain technology, its application in the agri-food supply chain, and real-world challenges in ensuring transparency and traceability.

Participants shared their experiences and perspectives, creating a valuable exchange of ideas and further clarifying the course content. This interactive element contributed to greater engagement and understanding, reinforcing the course’s practical value for professionals and SMEs in the region.

An important outcome of the session was the creation of new networks and partnerships aimed at expanding the reach of the course. These connections are expected to play a key role in promoting blockchain education and adoption across the agri-food sector in Ukraine and beyond.

The TRUSTFOOD team sees this session as a positive step toward equipping local stakeholders with the tools and knowledge needed to navigate and lead digital transformation in food systems.

On May 23rd, as part of Course Module 12 of the TRUSTFOOD training programme in Ukraine, a special online plenary session was held to engage directly with participants of the Blockchain and Traceability course.

The interactive session created space for an open Q&A with learners, enabling them to raise practical and conceptual questions about the use of blockchain in the agri-food sector — a core focus of the TRUSTFOOD project. Facilitators provided real-time answers, shared case-based insights, and helped clarify key aspects of the course content to strengthen participants’ understanding of how traceability systems powered by emerging technologies can support food safety and transparency.

Beyond deepening knowledge, this session also served as an opportunity to broaden TRUSTFOOD’s network within Ukraine, connecting the course community with other stakeholders and organisations interested in digital innovation in food systems. These new connections are expected to play a vital role in disseminating the course further, reaching more professionals, students, and SMEs across the country.

This successful engagement reflects TRUSTFOOD’s commitment not only to delivering high-quality training, but also to building inclusive, informed, and connected communities around food innovation.