Design-Smart Project Officially Launched

The Design-Smart project has officially kicked off with its first face-to-face meeting, held on 18–19 December in Italy and hosted by Politecnico Calzaturiero.

Project partners gathered to discuss the objectives, structure, and next steps of the project, laying the foundations for effective collaboration over the coming months. The meeting also included a tour of Politecnico Calzaturiero’s facilities, where participants explored innovative approaches to sustainable footwear production and advanced manufacturing technologies.

Design-Smart aims to strengthen the capacity of VET providers to support SMEs—particularly women entrepreneurs—through the development of digital, green, and AI-driven skills. The project will deliver a VET curriculum, digital tools, and training resources to promote sustainable and circular business practices in the fashion sector.

Following the kick-off meeting, the project has entered its research phase, focusing on sustainable fashion, AI-driven eco-design, and the digital transformation of VET. This phase includes surveys and focus groups with VET providers, SMEs, and experts, whose insights will guide the development of the project’s training materials and tools.

More updates will follow as the project progresses.