Digital U2 – Design yoUr fUture career in challenging times

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A IPA Romania Serbia

Date of latest update: 2026-05-22

Description

Description (EN):

Hardly employable categories in rural areas (young people without university degrees or without a high school diploma, are enabled to start new jobs using IT technologies and market skills. The project provides employment opportunities in the rural area of cross-border region Timis-Vrsac by setting up personalized activities to promote employment in accordance with the market trends, implement vocational training in digital and marketing skills, raise awareness regarding the importance of soft skill (teamwork, self-esteem, critical thinking) for youngsters with ages of 16-24 years from vulnerable groups to stay in their birthplaces, establish their businesses, and have families there. On the other hand, the project brings as a new solution in order to raise the quality of education process beyond the existing practices, a training program for high school teachers to: - improve their scientific research skills; - help them identify new teaching methods with the EYE TRACKING, EEG and fNIRS equipment; - encourage them to attend a PhD degree. The overall objective of the project is improving the quality of teaching and motivating the desire for scientific research for 50 high school teachers and developing digital and marketing skills for 160 youngsters by creating the DIGITAL U2 COMMUNITY. The specific objectives are: Obj. 1.Developing marketing, design thinking, entrepreneurial and digital skills for 160 youngsters with ages between 16-24 years, especially vulnerable groups (young people not employed, with high risk of drop out, from families with a poor budget, with one parent, from socio-economically disadvantaged communities, from rural areas) across the border Obj. 2. Engaging relevant actors (companies, high schools) in establishing the DIGITAL U2 Community for the current needs of the labor market Obj. 3. Increasing the quality and innovative potential of teaching in high schools in Timis - Vrsac region by engaging 50 teachers to develop their scientific skills and improve their methods of teaching. The main outputs of the project are: - a digital marketing lab equipped with adequate IT, custom furniture and scientific research equipment for a more qualitative educational approach for a wide range of target groups: youngsters, students and teachers alike, focused on current students needs and vocational training at UPT. - 50 teachers who will develop academic writing skills, new methods of teaching will participate at a hybrid training course “Quantitative and qualitative methods in research” and at several practical activities where they will be able to use top scientifical equipment for innovative research. - UPT will help 50 youngsters from RO and SR with ages between 16-24 years, specially vulnerable groups (young people not employed, with high risk of drop out, from families with a poor budget, with one parent, from socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, from rural areas) to develop digital marketing skills. - an high school classroom with investment in IT equipment for improving the quality of teaching in Timisoara. BRATIANU HIGH SCHOOL will help 30 youngsters from RO and RS with ages between 16-24 years, especially vulnerable groups (young people not employed, with high risk of drop out, from families with a poor budget, with one parent, from socioeconomically disadvantaged communities, from rural areas) develop e-commerce skills. - an high school classroom with investment in IT equipment for improving the quality of teaching in Vrsac. NIKOLA TESLA will help 80 youngsters from RO and RS with ages between 16-24 years, specially vulnerable groups (young people not employed, with high risk of drop out, from families with a poor budget, with one parent, from socio economically disadvantaged communities, from rural areas) develop IT skills. The added value of the project is given by the investments in new neuromarketing equipment (EYE TRACKING, brain imaging Electroencephalography, Functional near-infrared spectroscopy equipment with adequate software for market research) and used in identifying the best teaching methods for the new generation of students and in the vocational training for youngsters. The usage of this type of neuromarketing equipment with double focus on advancing educational teaching and research in Eastern Europe represents the main added value of the project, with high regional impact on a long term. The approach we plan to take refers to vocational training in IT and digital marketing for high school youngsters with ages between 16-24 years, who do not have the incentives or possibility to continue the studies and need to find a job to maintain themselves. The cross-border approach is needed because the highschools involved in the project have youngsters with drop out problems and financial problems and need help to find a job. In the project each partner organizes activities which complement the activities of the other partners.

Actual Achievements (EN):

The first management meeting was held on the 20th of January, during which the Steering Committee has been approved along with the opening conference date, promotional materials and the acquisition of the web page services. On the 3rd of February the first opening project conference was held at UPT, with local visibility. All the partner representatives participated and had a speech regarding the opportunity of the project for regional development. On the same date, the Steering Committee discussed and approved the risk, financial and circuit of documents procedures. On the 25th of February, the target group recruitment and selection procedure has been approved and the awareness campaigns started. Four awareness campaigns have been organized, two in each partner high school for both teachers and pupils, where students and youngsters alike have been engaged. The Steering Committee has approved on the 5th of March the starting of acquisitions for all partners. The acquisition of the web page services has been done, only the payment has not been finalized till the last day of period 1. All the project activities have been posted in English on the official website, with translation in Romanian and Serbian. The website has a button for accessibility purposes in accordance with the visibility manual. The selection of the target group started on the 27th of February, in the same time as the awareness campaigns (a continuous process), till 18th of March. Then, the local commissions continued with the verification and selection process. In the end, on the 21st of March, the final selection has been approved by UPT selection commission. Ion I.C.Bratianu Technical High School has provided 34 teachers and 95 pupils, exceeding the target we initially proposed due to high demand. Unfortunately, due to the Serbian crisis, the Serbian partners could provide only with the target group for their teachers (25 teachers), since the pupils have not attended classes. But a new Serbian selection period has been approved to start from 24th of March only for the youngsters target group. The teachers that submitted their files at the beginning of March already attended the first activity designed for them, namely, the Activity 1.6. Academic Writing in Lifelong Learning Process. On mytes platform, starting 7th of March, 50 high school teachers have been engaged in the process of writing in teams new scientific papers. The final results were 9 draft articles, submitted till the 21th of March on the course platform. Regarding other acquisitions in the project, all the partners have started preparing the documents for purchase and some acquisitions have already arrived at the contract signature stages (UPT furniture and air conditioning equipment). UPT awaits the ministry list approval and Ion I.C. Bratianu depends on the local council for several decisions and payment transfers. But as soon as these legal and bureaucratic processes end, all the partners have prepared the documents for starting the acquisition procedures stated din the acquisition plans. In the second period of the project UPT has created Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, posted all the relevant information on the official website, scheduled the online and face-to-face activities in Activity 1.7. Quantitative and Qualitative Methods, and managed project acquisitions. The online training started on 16th of April and all the relevant communication happened through the MyTES platform. The first team of teachers met face-to-face on the 21st of May and during four days they learned practically how to interpret from a statistical point of view questionnaire results and how to use major databases for statistical analysis. 10 Serbian teachers came with the director of Nikola Tesla School Center and a team member Oana Omoran and were accommodated near the building where the training took place. They received breakfast and dinner at the accommodation and coffee breaks and lunch in the SPM building together with the 15 Romanian teachers. The second team of teachers came on the 18th of June along with the new team member in charge of accounting Sanja Martinovic, and learned along with the 15 Romanian teachers from Ion I.C. Bratianu Technical Highschool the basics in qualitative and quantitative analysis on different case studies from the educational domain. During the two face-to-face trainings, Andra Diaconescu, an expert from UPT discussed and brainstormed with Serbian and Romanian teachers several themes and potential article titles for the A1.9. Teachers Bootcamp activity from period 4. Regarding the acquisitions, UPT has started all the acquisitions and payed for three of them in period 2, namely for web services, furniture and air conditioning equipment. For the organization of events services UPT has signed the contract with the winning firm. For training A1.7 (both trainings) the company has provided an invoice but it was payed a few days later than the end of period 2. The IT and neuromarketing equipment acquisitions started only in May (15.05.2025 publication in SEAP for IT equipment divided in 4 lots, 22.05.2025 publication in SEAP for neuromarketing equipment in 3 lots), after receiving the Government list approval. The purchase is still in progress since the winning companies have 30 and 60 days for providing the equipment for each lot. But as soon as the equipment is installed, the acquisition will be finalized, payed and reported. Ion I.C. Bratianu has started the acquisitions on its part but managed to pay for them at the beginning of August. Nikola Tesla paid at the end of July for their IT equipment. An intermediate report will be started for all the partners at the end of August. LP together with PP2 and PP3 have finalized all the equipment acquisitions and have reported them. UPT has reported all the neuromarketing equipment acquisitions (eye tracking, EEG and fNIRS - 3 lots) and 3 of the 4 IT equipment lots, namely the laptops (lot 1), multi functional & printers (lot 2) and the mobile phones (lot 4). Lot number 3(screens, video projectors, smart board, photo camera and router wi-fi ) has been received but UPT managed to pay for it only after the reporting period, on the 7th of October due to the increase of VAT which changed the price of the lot and the price listed on the Ministry list approved in May 2025. UPT had to send the new prices to the Ministry on another list to be approved before paying the invoice. Nevertheless, the lot has been paid and will be reported in period 4. Regarding the organization of events, UPT has reported transa 1 - services from May and June 2025 and will report transa 2 (services from September 2025) in the next period since these services have been paid on the 1st of October 2025. Nevertheless, to this date all the equipment, activities and services written in the project have been carried out accordingly. PP2 SCNT has reported the furniture and IT equipment for their new laboratory. They are waiting for the reimbursement in order to organize their conference and next activities. it is important to mention that they have signed the contract with the service company which will provide organization of events services. PP3 CI BR has also reported the IT equipment acquisitions for their laboratory. They have signed the contract with the winning company for organization of events which will take place in period 5 of the project. Activity 1.8 I Living Lab has been successfully implemented and the teachers' feedback was valuable. In this reporting period, UPT has finalized the IT equipment acquisitions for lot 3 - screens, video projectors, smart board, mobile board, photo camera and router wi-fi and paid for transa 2 of the organization of events services. Thus, all the 3 laboratories of the project have been equipped and the acquisitions reported and approved. Also, Activity 1.9 Teachers boot camp has been successfully implemented by LP1 during the month of October, when 6 teams of teachers from PP2 and PP3 have prepared and presented scientific papers online in the SIM 2025 18th International Symposium of Management warm-up events (23.10.2025). Activity 1.10. Digital training for youngsters had been organized by PP2 Nikola Tesla during 18th November till 9th December 2025, when the first youngsters from the target group learned online the basics of programming and web design. The project activities have been posted on social media and the project official website. Together with BRCT expert, LP1, PP2 and PP3 have finalized the permanent plates for the project visibility.

Project outputs: an IT lab equipped with furniture and scientifical research equipment for a more qualitative educational approach focused on curent students needs and vocational trainning(EN)
a high school classroom endowed with IT equipment for improving the quality of teaching in Timisoara(EN)
a high school classroom equipped with IT and furniture for improving the quality of teaching in Vrsac(EN)

Thematic information

ICT and digital society Education and training Rural and peripheral development

Priority: (VI-A_RO-SR_2) Social and economic development

Priority specific objective: RSO4.2. Improving equal access to inclusive and quality services in education, training and lifelong learning through developing accessible infrastructure, including by fostering resilience for distance and on-line education and training

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO4 A more social and inclusive Europe implementing the European Pillar of Social Rights

Type of intervention: 149 Support for primary to secondary education (excluding infrastructure)

Partners (3)

Lead Partner: Universitatea Politehnica Timisoara

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 999856795

Partner’s ID if not PIC: RO23690201 | 4269282

Department: Faculty of Management in Production and Transportation

Address: Victoriei square no., 300006 TIMISOARA, Romania

Department address: Remus Street , 300191 TIMISOARA, Romania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: http://www.upt.ro

Total budget: EUR 336 054.60

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 285 646.41

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 50 408.19

Contractors:

Name: SC COPY&PRINT EXPERT TM SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: RO46834969
Name: SC INTEGRA FURNITURE SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: RO47632690
Name: SC EUROBIT SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: RO 1825502
Name: SC INSIGHT GROUP SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: RO16674319
Name: SC MIDA SOFT BUSINESS SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: RO 16005870
Name: SC VIOSIM INSTAL VEST SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: RO40864014

LICEUL TEHNOLOGIC ION I.C. BRATIANU

Name: LICEUL TEHNOLOGIC ION I.C. BRATIANU

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 942186027

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 4250948 | 4250948 | N/A (EN)

Address: I. Huniade Square, 300002 TIMISOARA, Romania

Department address: I. Huniade Square, 3000002 TIMISOARA, Romania

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Education/training centre and school

Website: http://www.lictehbratianu.wordpress.com

Total budget: EUR 58 618.74

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 49 825.92

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 8 792.82

Contractors:

Name: Dad System SRL
VAT registration or tax identification number: 27027474

Skolski centar "Nikola Tesla"

Name: Skolski centar "Nikola Tesla"

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 903092602

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 102084742 | 102084742 | 08114803 (EN)

Address: Sterijina , 26300 VRSAC, Serbia

Department address: Sterijina , 26300 VRSAC, Serbia

Legal status: private

Organisation type: Education/training centre and school

Website: http://www.teslavs.edu.rs

Total budget: EUR 75 406.91

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 64 095.87

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 85.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 11 311.04

Contractors:

Name: Time Computers PR Vršac
VAT registration or tax identification number: 100912768

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

ION I.C. BRATIANU TECHNOLOGICAL HIGHSCHOOL

Digital U2 – Design yoUr fUture career in challenging times

Partners and Projects info

School Center “Nikola Tesla”

Digital U2 – Design yoUr fUture career in challenging times

Partners and Projects info

Politehnica University Timisoara

Digital U2 – Design yoUr fUture career in challenging times

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Digital U2 – Design yoUr fUture career in challenging times

Project acronym: Digital U2

Project ID: RORS00106

Project start date: 2024-12-24

Project end date: 2026-06-23

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

RORS 394 Through knowledge to business and
smart development of Banat ( IPA 2014-2020) (EN) | The present project uses the platform https://mytes.upt.ro/en/ from RORS 394 as a verification result.
All the courses will be uploaded on the platform. (EN), RORS 1341 Guiding pupils through successful cross – border careers MIS – ETC
( IPA 2007-2014) (EN) | The project makes synergies with a project implemented in 2016 by Tesla School Center as partner. The project objectives consisted in counseling for cross-border business career at secondary education level; formation of future cross-border managers by creating their own simulated firms in which they will have internships. (EN), POCU/90/6.13/6.14/107330- CONPrACT Build Your Future Through Internships! (EN) | The project makes use of a series of past EU projects that have been conducted in the area of smart and/ or inclusive growth,
integrating best practices. The project makes synergies with a new national E.U project which will be implemented this year,
POCU/90/6.13/6.14/107330, which has as the main objective increasing employability of 150 of students. (EN)

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 470 080.25

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 399 568.20

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 85.00%

Co-financing sources:

IPA/IPA II/IPA III: Amount, EUR 399 568.20. Co-financing rate, 85.00%.

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

Launching Project meetings
implementation plan, financial procedure, risk procedure, circuit of documents procedure
Project meetings
Project meetings
Final Project meeting
Technical and Financial Report
Technical and Financial Report
Technical and Financial Report
Technical and Financial Report
Technical and Financial Report
Technical and Financial Report
furniture procurement for one university lab 203 room
IT equipment procurement for one university lab 203 room
experimental equipment for one university lab 203 room
IT equipment procurement for one high school classroom
IT equipment procurement for one training center
Furniture equipment procurement for one training center
Digital U2 website
Facekook and
LinkedIn
A date base with jobs
lauching press
conference
press conference "The
importance of adapting
curricula to the
employers’ needs- DIGITAL U"
Closing press
conference
Promotional materials: posters,
roll-up, flyers
collection stories newspaper
4 awareness campaigns
160 youngsters with ages between 16-24 years, especially vulnerable groups and 50 teachers selected
8 literature review draft articles
workshop of academic writing
one hybrid training session (online and on site) with 50 teachers who will develop competences
50 teachers who will develop research competences
a brainstorming session with articles ideas for the bootcamp
2 ILL organized
5 scientifical papers presented at a national conference
a bootcamp organized
a training course "Computer application development" with 40 students
a training course "Web application development and social media communication" with 40 students
80 students who will develop IT skills
a training e- commerce course of 30 h with 25 vulnerable students
a training marketing course of 50 h with 50 vulnerable students.
a bootcamp organized by School Center “Nikola Tesla”
a bootcamp organized by UPT
2 workshops organized
counseling sessions

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

EUStrategyDanubeRegion The project investments in scientifical research equipment (Eye tracking remote and mobile glasses with adequate software equipment, Brain imaging, Electroencephalography (EEG) with adequate software for market research, Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) equipment with adequate software for market research) used in vocational training for vulnerable youngsters and teachers come in accordance with priority areas 07 Knowledge society (research, education and ICT).
The project contributes to the EU Strategy for the Danube Region, as it provides an institutional framework for cross-border cooperation, exploiting the international diversity and yet cultural similarities, with the aim of increasing the share of highly educated and employed people in the Danube Region. The project focuses on giving education a more relevant nature with regard to the labor market needs, also promoting student mobility between the school in Vrsac and the higher education institution in Timisoara. These project actions respond to the third pillar of the EUSDR, namely “Building Prosperity in the Danube Region”, by investing in people and skills, as well as developing knowledge society through education and information technologies.
Other Through activity A1.6, A1.7 and A1.8. the project is in accordance with ob. 7 of Educated Romania Strategy, Vision 2018-2030 "teacher training for identifying the risk situations of school dropout and creating the necessary tools for their management".
TerritorialAgenda2030 The main objective of the project comes in accordance with pillion "Small places matter" regarding the role of small towns and villages in the development of integrated territorial development processes. Through the project 160 youngsters will develop digital marketing and IT skills during a vocational training and 50 teachers will develop scientific skills and improve the quality of teaching.
Digital skills and broadband access are a major factor in increased territorial inequalities. The youngsters and people living in remote rural areas (e.g. in mountainous areas) are often at risk of being excluded from digital transformation processes.
Other The objective of the project comes in accordance with Priority 2: Enhancing digital skills and competences for the digital transformation of the Digital Education Action Plan (2021-2027). The project focuses on the need to encourage, support and increase the conscious use of digital and innovative educational practices, the first two priorities being: better use of digital technology for teaching and learning and the development of digital skills and competencies relevant to digital transformation.
In this way, teaching methods and the entire learning process can be personalized, and by combining traditional and digital education, pupils and students will acquire a more complex training. In addition, it will ensure continuity and bring greater efficiency, especially if we are dealing with situations that can generate sudden changes in the entire economy and society, which require a rapid ability to adapt.
The future of education therefore also has a digital component. Thus, skilled-oriented programs that contribute to the digital education of citizens, to help them remain competitive on the labor market and support companies to become more productive and efficient, have become imperative. And their importance to society increases all the more as the skills required of the workforce are constantly changing, with the validity of a digital competence being around 5 years.

Deliverable (other than infrastructural investment) areas:

România (RO), TIMISOARA, Mihai Viteazul Street, no.1, 300222
România (RO), Timisoara, Mihai Viteazul Street, no.1, 300222
România (RO), Timisoara, Mihai Viteazul Street, no.1, 300222
Serbia (RS), VRSAC, Sterijina , 40-44, 26300
Serbia (RS), Vrsac, Sterijina, 40-44, 26300
România (RO), Timisoara, Huniade street, no.2, 300002

Programme Output Indicator:

PSO 4: Investments in education, training and life-long learning services, Measurement unit: investments

Delivered output indicator(s):

Investments in education, training and life-long learning services: 3.0

Programme Result Indicator:

PSR4: Annual users of the supported investments in education, training and life-long learning services, Measurement unit: users/year

Project part of European Union Macro-Regional or Sea Basin Strategy: EUSDR

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-A IPA Romania Serbia

Latest month of project-partner-call data publication

2026-05

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

37 / 37 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

105 / 105 (100%)

Notes on the data

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Digital U2 – Design yoUr fUture career in challenging times

Description

Thematic information

Partners (3)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

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