Business Labour University for electronic Society European Virtual University

1. Business Labour University for electronic SocietyEuropean Virtual University INDUCATOR “R&D” STRATEGY - Conceptual innovation of the “Inducator e.learning community” B.L.U. e.S. strategy. “Inducator” meaning is equivalent to “incubator for improving an e.learning interactive plan”, Therefore INDUCATOR STRATEGY is a new strategy for avoiding the failings of typical methods of distance learning. The innovation of "inducator research & development based system", consists in fact in programming an effective answered interaction inside of an "e.learning community", in order to develop on demand educational contents to prepare shared web-courses among University and Enterprises ( particularly SMEs) . Therefore BLU.e.S virtual learning , will grow up an user centered strategy of e.learning courses design, in the context of each digital district in Europe, that will complement, rather than replace, traditional site-based learning. Following the” Bologna Declaration” goals about the inalienable democratic right of the citizen of Europe to have access to the University studies, the B.L.U. e.S. pilot project will develop an European strategy to the to overcome the common obstacles of skills shortage in the key area of Knowledge Economy Management , activating an interactive Virtual University enterprise to grow up an lifelong e.learning network, finalised to increase in value the essential process of change of “e.Europe”. BLU.eS e.Learning “on demand” model is proposed by :LRE/EGO-CreaNET -University of Florence -ITALY - <LRE@blu.chim1.unifi.it> ; http://www.chim1.unifi.it/group/education

2. B.L.U. e.S. PORTAL Knowledge Management e.Learning WEB Cycles LEVEL 1 D LEVEL 2 Major e.Business subject R. & D. LAB. Research & Development Laboratories More focused Topics LEVEL 3 B.L.U e.S. Net Economy Career Development Strategy A B B.L.U e.S.– EDITOR Specific advanced issues C B.L.U e.S. – Front Office D B.L.U e.S.– PORTAL e. Learning Community Inducator R&D Strategy B.L.U. e.S European Virtual University Pilot Prospect (Concept – Guide - Schema) C A B

3. B.L.U. e.S. European Virtual University R. & D. INDUCATORe. Learning Pilot Project Knowledge Management e.Learning B.L.U. e.S. – ORGANISATIONAL FRAMEWORK • A) Co-ordination of B.L.U.e.S. project - Coueses Planning Center Tasks : • - Knowledge Management partnership organisation • - analysis and evaluation of Knowledge Economy developmental issues • - “e. learning” consulting perspectives in terms of Return of Investments (ROI) results • - “e. learning” European scalable deployment • - ECTS-compatible credit systems covering lifelong learning activities • B) B.L.U. e.S. EDITOR - Tasks : • - Modelling and adjourning the B.L.U. e.S. Portal • - e.learning “on demand” open platform : designing, adapting and testing • - editing e.learning course-ware units • - e.learning courses catalog • - publishing “On demand e.learning” magazine • C) B.L.U. e.S. Front Office - Tasks: • - central administration • - marketing perspective • - client's customer care • - program publicity • - multi-languages translation • D) B.L.U. e.S e.learning Portal : three semestral cycles of e.learning • 1°) introductory on-line courses on interactive Knowledge Economy • 2°) on demand adjourned e.learning materials and tools • 3°) specific and personalised issues on net- economy development areas

4. B.L.U. e. S.Goals & Basic Concepts - synthesis • B.L.U.e.S. “e.learning” pilot project will be a research based knowledge management for improving “Knowledge Economy”. • B.L.U.e.S. works as well as a “Virtual University” of on demand “e.learning”, organised among Research Institutions and Enterprises ( especially SMEs) for “e.EUROPE” deployment. • B.L.U. e.S. strategy will be finalized to identify effective e.business goals and organizational needs of SMEs market internationalization that can be impacted by enhanced a knowledge management and performance program of “e.learning on demand” • B.L.U. e.S. courses production and distribution program will develop an e. learning community interactive participation, by means of an innovative methodology, finalised to offer a “research & development” based knowledge management, improving on demand interactive solutions. • B.L.U.e.S. project aims to develop a "Thinking e.community " able to work in the field of "e.learning on demand" for developing a permanent connectivity between University and SME's European districts , growing up an innovative knowledge management for net-economy training advancement.

5. B. L.U.e.S. “e.Learning” Web-Courses PORTALThree Semestral Cycles : Innovative e.learning designing for NET-Economy consultant training system.Note :A number of the web-courses include a face-to-face introductory conferencies. • 1° Cycle : Basic Business issues of NET-Economy - Themes : • 1). Business Models for NET- Economy • 2). Knowledge Management strategies • 3). Research support for marketing on line • 4). Web strategies for e. commerce competition • 2°Cycle : Focused Adjournment on Topics on Finance Profitability and International Law • 1) Finance and Economy : Venture Capital, Accelerators, Start up, between Electronic enterprises • 3) "Spin off" between Extended Networked Enterprises • 4 ) E-commerce Law contracts (intellectual property, taxation, security payment ) • 5) multi-trade franchising contracts • 3° Cycle : Specific and personalised strategic issues for improving Net-Economy Competition : • for instance on agri - food and uultural tourism knowledge management areas …and so on. • 1) agri -.food e.commerce supply chain management • 2) Bio technologies : environment sustain ability information • 4) Cultural Tourism Networked Resource & Research Centre • 5) Travel Agents on line Guide for Agri-tourism Resource Management • 6) Developing program on: Orienteering on sport and culture

6. EUROPEAN PARTNERSHIPAffiliate program contributions • For each partner : to point out the resources of which he supposes to be able to prepare for the project : personal , equipments, other resources, technical support and external services, material training production, client customerisation, ………. • Letter of Intent(Sept.25//2001) • Prof,T.H.Hyde ( angela.scott@nottingham.ac.uk) The University of Nottingham -School of Engineering &Management <http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/school4m> tel: +44(0)115-8466082. • Dr. Isabel Aledo <ialedo@ceac.com> , CEAC INSTITUCIONS , http://www.ceacinst.com/instituciones/ • Perú 164 , 08020 Barcelona ,Tl +34 934966509 • GIUNTI Interactive labs <http://www.hoise.com/vmw/vmwc/articles/vpp/GIUNT-PP-01-99.html>; Giorgio Da Bormida <g.dabormida@giuntilabs.com> • Dep. Electronics University of Glasgow- UK <http://www.elec.gla.ac.uk/>, Dave Whittington <d.whittington@elec.gla.ac.uk> • Preliminary adhesions ( Sept.25//2001) • Dr Demetrios G Sampson, <sampson@iti.gr>, Center for Research and Technology (CERTH)- Hellas <http://www.iti.gr>,tf: +30-944-203176 • IDEC S.A. - Piraeus, Greece, http://www.idec.grTel.: ++30 1 4286227, 4286675, 4286665, Elena Manolakaki <elena@idec.gr> • Antonio Bustos, VISION GLOBAL <http://www.visionglobal.org>, /<Presidentia@visonglobal.org>, <info@visionglobal.org>;"Virtual Congress of Entrepreneurs” : tel +34/976328671

7. B.L.U. e.S. - R. & D. LAB.Research & Development Procedures • Infobroker research & development strategic plan for on demand e.learning • Organizational procedure for web- courses reports : 1) pourposes , 2) timing of start and finiscing report, 3) short intermediate report and summaries publication on the “ on demand e.learning Magazine, 4) planning face-to-face time conferencies 5) full report confirmation and on catalog publication . • In relation to the three Cycles of B.L.U. e. S. e.Learning courses program it will be open three correlated R&D programs of the “High Quality Information Broker Laboratory” : • Program 1 – Perspectives on Knowledge Economy for the development of e.Europe • Program 2 - Emerging on demand needs of SMEs space-market internationalisation • Program 3 - Special sub-programs in specific areas of Net- Economy Names and e.mails information • Responsibles of the research and development centers of B.L.U. e.S. network

8. Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 B.L.U. e.S. Courses Phases - Action Plan :Three semestral Programs • Phase 1 - First Semester - preparatory cycle 1 - • Phase 2 - Second Semester - on demand feasibility + cycle 1 and 2 - • Phase 3 - Third Semester - in dept courses + cycle 3 + cerification - Start up exploitation Implementation Names and e.mails information • Chairman of the B.L.U.e.S. Project : Paolo Manzelli <LRE@blu.chim1.unifi.it>

9. - B.L.U.e.S - “FIRST SEMESTER ACTIVITIES” • - GOALS - e-Learning development process. and enterprise resource planning of e-Learning applications of BLU.eS Virtual University • Network organisation of strategic infrastructure functions - Network aggreement on - e-Learning process/management overview and scenery/team development . • - ACTION PLAN - Complete needs analysis of the B.L.U.e.S. e-Learning development process, organisation, and enterprise resource planning : • 1) -–Organisation of the Scientific Committee for - R&D networking “High Quality Information Broker Laboratory”; Knowledge Brokers network • Infrastructure organisation need to a dynamic on going continuos implementation in a way that will be active in educational research in particular topics related to • the e.commerce net-economy. The Knowledge Brokers Infrastructure enables the B.L.U.e.S. pilot project to access to external and internal knowledge sources. • Therefore the Knowledge Broker team need to develop a permanent re-organization producing an active educational research information systems getting a permanent • adjournment and content innovation for the B.L.U.e.S courseware editions. • 2) – A - Co-ordination of B.L.U.e.S. project - • – General direction agreement – Organisation of the B.L.U. e.S co-operative Consortium and European expansion prevision during the prototype organisational procedure. • - Preparing a flexible strategy of “inducator” schemes for project management on education on demand finalised to Digital Districts requirements in the changing • e.Space-Market- Description of an improved way for ongoing and lifelong e.Learning- Writing the Memorandum of Understanding of the network agreement. • 3) - B- B.L.U.e.S. Editor : Project Planning & Feasibility Studies • - Education-Cycles: e-courseware design / procedures and evaluation criteria . - On-line course design organisation in relation to the e-course objectives, the e-content, • the e-policies previously defined by A and R&D co-ordination ; study of the evaluation criteria of the courses & instructor, and programming of the e-office editor hours • and of course how to deal with e-problems, which will arise during the on-line B.L.U.e.S. edictions- . Develop a plan illustrating the technological skills and • understandings needs for each program. • 4) – C- B.L.U.e.S Front Office • - Network team organisation of principal BLU.e.S. front office and back- offices organisation in each participating European Countries - Preliminary study of practical and • viable solution to meet the demand for user’s educational needs in each European country environment .Search for B.L.U.e.S clients and preparatory definition • of the time/organisation of the I° Cycle and asynchronous discussion systems by means a program of in presence conferences and user’s meetings. • - Courses Catalogue Program and in presence conferences calendar , organisation and diffusion. • - Running an Competent Help Desk and defining B.L.U.e.S e.learning administration- issues • 5) – D- B.L.U.e.S – Portal • - Technological Committee organisation for e.learning platforms integration. • - Portal accessibility criteria and evaluation. • - Flexible structure definition and is mirror/translation in various European languages in co-operation with – C- Front Office. • MILISTONES : - Comprehensive overview of B.L.U. e.S. courses implementation and demo-presentation of first Cycle B.L.U.e.S. Educational Programs at synchronic • and asynchronic levels - Prepare first semester state report, ensuring the rapid implementation of EU Directives related to the knowledge society of e.Europe. • - TIMELINE - June 2002

10. - B.L.U.e.S - “ SECOND SEMESTER ACTIVITIES” • - GOALS - Initiate and develop I° and II° Cycles of B.L.U.e.S pilot projects at synchronic and asynchronic levels . • - ACTION PLAN – • I° Cycle Evaluation and II° Cycle implementation & on going assessment on particular differentiate topics following the user’s demand refinement. • Users of living in the various partnership districts can get – on demand – further valuable information. synchronous and asynchronous discussion systems will allow collaborative • working between learners and teachers or other participants in the virtual community environment extension of the B.L.U.e.S Pilot Project . In this semester R&D Knowledge • Brokers can be specialised for information research in particular topic and sub-topics of the I° Cycle • - Monitoring the e.learning network- management infrastructures; improving successful on demand e-Learning development strategy; • - Analysis of the conditions that must be made suitable for the further specialisation of the development of flexible, network-based educational program at all levels. • - II° Cycle courseware development and their inclusion in B.L.U.e.S. Portal and II° Cycle synchronic and asynchronic levels experimentation and evaluation. • - On line diffusion of results - Intermediate Report • - MILESTONES • - Public International Congress on the issue : “ON DEMAND e.LEARNING” • - Involvement of Academic Units of University partners for certification criteria definition • - Prepare the second semester state report aiming to ensure the rapid implementation of EU Directives related to the knowledge society of e.Europe. • - TIMELINE - JAN 2003 ( in consideration of Holidays in August 2002) • - B.L.U.e.S - “THIRD SEMESTER ACTIVITIES” • - GOALS - • - Closing the Prototype model/experience ; determine the costs and benefits B.L.U.e.S. future development , evaluation, and economic maintenance of on demand e. learning • model. Intensive diffusion of B.L.U.e.S. innovation for reply to the project management requirements in the changing e.spacemarket, and new approaches for user centered , • B.L.U.e.S courses design exploitation., e.University Certificate Programs • -ACTION PLAN – • - Extension of the framework of R&D “High Quality Information Broker Laboratory” infrastructure to establish “new inducator schemes” by means of Knowledge Brokers • specialisation for some particular topic of on demand e.learning for particularly targets.- Commercialisation of the e.learning solution and products for new employee orientation • programs for specific job performance skills in the Digital Economy enterprises • - Considering new e-course objectives for the III Specialised Cycle including the e-content, the e-policies and e-procedures, following the evaluation of the two previous cycles • of the B.L.U.e.S course & instructor, the organisation of the Front/back offices in building a e.learning virtual community, hours and of course how to deal with e-problems, • which will arise during the on-line course. • - Dissemination of current innovative trends in the creation of the III Cycle on-line courses, that for instance will be developed with a focus in the area of knowledge management • for women entrepreneurship start up in particular e.marketspace field ,or in the field of e. learning for cultural tourism producing introductory educational packages on European • languages and some virtual art museum trips for any particulate tour … and so on. • - Presentation and experimentation of III Cycle and organisation of specialised e.learning Vortals for the new courses approach. On line diffusion of results - Final Report • -MILESTONES – • - Conclusions and launch for Future and e-Learning packages planning of B.L.U.e.S Virtual University. • - Certification Meeting of R&D researchers of the “ High Quality Information Broker Laboratory ” and of participating students to the B.L.U.eS prototype. • - Final Congress organisation : EUROPEAN VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY ENTERPRISE : an University without distance. • - TIMELINE - JUNE 2003

11. B.L.U.e.S. Working plan : Semester 1 - activities • Working plan : B.L.U.e.S. activities carried out during the Semester 1 • First trimester – On line information exchange between the partners :fundamental issues: • - Identification of the possible models and platform of the on demand e.learning on demand system. Outline any ideas and contents in a way that BLU.eS Virtual University Courses Program might be improved. Discussion and agreement on the pilot phase; development of a logistical-technological concepts by means the identification of the following models: distance education models, organisational model, technological platform, management model, financial model. • Selection and location of the personnel of R&D , and other B.L.U.e.S. services in each partnership -country. • Workshop 1 - ( three days to the end of the third trimester) c/o-PIN-Prato –Italy • - Acceptance of the logistical-technological concepts. Training guidelines for the key R&D persons involved in B.L.U.e.S Virtual University . Election of co-ordinators of Front and Back offices of B.L.U.e.S Virtual University and of technical administrators of BLU.eS Portal. Technological equipment organisation for internet videoconferencing • - Signature of the Memorandum of Understanding • Second trimester – On line and video conferencing information exchange between the partners. Fundamental issues: • Staff community developmental organisation for “First Cycle B.L.U.e.S. Courses”, content design- production of on line hypertexts on net-economy general issues, and out off line lectures on specific thematics of knowledge management strategies. Indicators of goal achievements in respect to the logistical and technological concepts accepted by all partners • Workshop 2( three days to the end of the first semester ) c/o-PIN-Prato –Italy. • synthese of activities that carried out by each partner during the first Semester - including a document with the developed models for “Front and Back office” services ; presentations (demos) of first cycle of B.L.U.e.S. distance education , Moving to new premises for on demand educational materials for the promotion of the second Cycle of the B.L.U.e.S Virtual University courses.Intermediate Report activities of first semester and definitive instructions to all R&D and technical personnel for the preparation of the “II Cicle of B.L.U.e.S. Courses” and for reorganising and redesigning the BLU.eS Portal

12. B.L.U.e.S. Working plan : Semesters 2 and 3 - activities • B.L.U.e.S. activities carried out during the Semester 2 • Fourth trimester : fundamental issues : • - e.Learning Cycle I - launching phase by means on line and out off line training organisation. • - Major e.Business basic issues : “e.commerce Models” ;“ Supply Chain Management strategies” ; “Venture Capital Financing , start up, accelerators …” , “e.Commerce international laws : electronic signature, intellectual property …” ;“ E. payment transactions and security problems” .- Progress made debate and plans and staff development for on demand more focused topics of Cycle II training on line and out off line training organisation Intermediate Report diffusion. • I- Congress - • I° Public International Congress on the issue : “ON DEMAND e.LEARNING” organised at the end of the Fourth trimester aiming to exchange information to and get a feedback from e.EUROPE general strategies • Fifth trimester Fundamental issues: • - e.Learning Cycle II - launching phase by means on line and out off line training organisation. • great diffusion of the results in the WWW and with publications for specialised magazines. • Workshop 3 - • Identification of the possible criteria , guidelines and selection of specific advanced issues of the courseware and training of the III Cycle. Staff developmental needs analysis. Deep Information exchange between the B.L.U.e.S partners via the organisation short visitsfor improving the B-L.U.e.S business and marketing model . • B.L.U.e.S. activities carried out during the Semester 3 • Sixth trimester: Fundamental issues • Business and marketing models and corporate functions agreement for B.L.U.e.S. auto-sustainability • Vortal specific organisation of III Cycle Course-ware • Launch of the III experimental Cycle both in presence and on line. • Evaluation and closure of the prototype /model B.L..U.S. e.S. experience • Certificates and credits definition . - • Final Congress • EUROPEAN VIRTUAL UNIVERSITY ENTERPRISE : an University without distance.

13. Business plan - synthesis - • To be made in co-operation with partners • Note : • The BID of the Project BLU.eS pilot project will be written to participate to the • ”e.learning call” of European Union - dead line : 16thNOV.2001. • see : http://www.europa.eu.int/comm/education/elearning/call.html • The contribution of the EU- Commission can be : 500.000 Euro • the contribution of the “partnership consortium” need to be the 40% of the total Budget.

14. B.L.U. e.S. continuing e.Learning : Licensing and Credits Certifications B.L.U. e.S. Credits will be compatible to the quality standards adopted by ECTS credits system The project B.L.U. e.S. by means designing, developing, and delivering, the most effective online learning solutions for the Knowledge Economy, promotes new professions through e.Learning synchronic and asynchrony activities ( the last located on the directions of the partners) that together will be directed to the overcoming of the skill shortage in the sector of the the knowledge management for the development of career opportunities in the net-economy global scenario . The project B.L.U. e. S. acts within an interactive dimension of the “education on demand” and in such e.learning methodology it turns e-Learning solutions and resources specifically designed to provide a clear understanding of Knowledge Management for two typologies of target of users searching for career advancement opportunities to apply them to immediate use in the “ e. work-space” to A) young graduates; B) entrepreneurs , to which will correspond two types of credit's certification of e.Business skills development: A) for post graduates level (Certifications will be given at the end of B.L.U. e.S. Pilot Project) - Certificates in new specialist Graduate degree in the field of " Brain e.Workers” (i.e. certification options of team on line co-workers for Network Management) B) for entrepreneurs ( certificates will be given in each semester of B.L.U. e.S. activities) Certificates in Master degree in e.Business Specialist in relation to e.learning paths of the type : “e. Entrepreneurs Leaders” ( i.e. Net-ware Knowledge Economy skills certification )