The RURALITIES consortium gathered in Krsko, Slovenia, this April for its project board meeting. A hybrid event with partners for two days of strategic review, financial, administrative, and technical exchange. The annual meeting led by PEDAL Consulting marks a significant checkpoint in the project’s lifecycle and provides a clear picture of progress to the project partners.
Since its last board meeting in Spain, the project has made significant progress in consolidating the simplified socio-ecological systems (SIMSES) pilot site network, advancing the impact monitoring framework, creating partnerships with other projects, and making substantial efforts to establish the RURALITIES expertise and training centres. These centres, envisioned as the project’s most tangible long-term legacy, are being co-developed across all pilot regions in Italy, Scotland, Slovenia, Spain and Romania to support knowledge transfer and capacity building in rural communities.
The partners also reported progress. Under the dissemination and communication work package, as presented by the Apodissi team, the consortium has been steadily growing its external presence, with a structured social media presence and strengthened rural engagement with stakeholders, including farmers, local communities, and SMEs. An effort made by project partners in their communities.
In addition, the partners are working to develop an integrated digital platform that gathers project assets, such as stakeholder data and Living Lab initiatives, into a coherent, accessible resource for rural innovators.
Under the work package for an innovative multi-point learning framework, activities focused on training and capacity building have been a strong focus. The Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership and the Institute for Development and Innovation, leaders of these activities, have been developing a catalogue of training materials for a handbook that will enable the knowledge generated by the project to be replicated and adapted in diverse rural settings long after the project ends.
As the project enters its fourth year, partners discussed clear commitments and action plans.
A major milestone at the top of the project’s activities in the coming month is the launch of the RURAL THRIVE Campaign, an initiative planned to run from September 2026 through to April 2027. This campaign will promote rural innovation, climate action, and inclusion; engage rural communities and stakeholders; share project results and opportunities; and build long-term impact beyond the project.
Sveuciliste U Zagrebu Agronomski Fakultet, PEDAL Consulting and Institute for Development and Innovation are also working to finalise the establishment of the expertise and training centres before the next board meeting, with all other SIMSES pilots expected to have their centres identified and operational.
Finally, an Africa Team meeting is now in the works, organised in collaboration with all the African partners. This meeting will strengthen African partners’ participation as the project continues to implement key activities in the targeted regions, further strengthening collaboration, knowledge exchange, and innovation in rural areas.
