The UOC to train cava makers
[21/02/2008]
The Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (Open University of Catalonia, UOC) is to train professionals at the small and medium-sized enterprises producing cava that form part of the PIMECAVA business association. This action is the result of an agreement signed by both institutions with the aim of improving professional activities at the SMEs producing cava. This is a pioneering agreement between a university and an SME sector association, and counts on the support of the Catalan government’s Department of Innovation, Universities and Enterprise. The project was presented by the Minister for Innovation, Universities and Enterprise, Josep Huguet; the President of PIMECAVA, Xavier Nadal; the President of the UOC, Imma Tubella, and the President’s Delegate for the University-Enterprise Project, Jordi Vilaseca. The signing took place this morning at the University’s headquarters.
The Universitat Oberta de Catalunya (Open University of Catalonia, UOC) is to train professionals at the small and medium-sized enterprises producing cava that form part of the PIMECAVA business association. This action is the result of an agreement signed by both institutions with the aim of improving professional activities at the SMEs producing cava. This is a pioneering agreement between a university and an SME sector association, and counts on the support of the Catalan government’s Department of Innovation, Universities and Enterprise. The project was presented by the Minister for Innovation, Universities and Enterprise, Josep Huguet; the President of PIMECAVA, Xavier Nadal; the President of the UOC, Imma Tubella, and the President’s Delegate for the University-Enterprise Project, Jordi Vilaseca. The signing took place this morning at the University’s headquarters.
Through this agreement, the UOC is to help PIMECAVA in terms of the competitive strategic development of the SMEs in the cava sector. As the association’s President, Xavier Nadal, said “ICT increase the competitiveness of our companies”; and thanks to this competitiveness of cava-making SMEs “ambitious projects are possible, such as innovation, wine tourism, international expansion, …”, he added. PIMECAVA’s President explained that “there are two more vital aspects: the need for small and medium-sized enterprises to work as a network and the need to share information and knowledge.” “PIMECAVA needed to take charge of people’s training to make this collaboration possible.”
Imma Tubella stated that “the collaboration between universities and enterprise is nothing new, but this case is important because it is the first time that SMEs have been involved, which represent Catalonia’s real business fabric”. The University’s President said that agreements like today’s were vital “because nowadays only the most innovative companies can survive”. The UOC “wants to train these professionals, while also strengthening SMEs’ ability to work as a network”, she explained.
The Minister, Josep Huguet, showed the government’s support for this “innovative [project] that we hope will lead to future agreements between companies, universities and administration”. He said that “this project will develop a qualified workforce and increase companies’ ability to compete in a globalised world”. Alliances such as that between PIMECAVA and the UOC are “one of the priorities for university and industrial policy” stated the Minister for Innovation, Universities and Enterprise.
Currently, 32 professionals from 17 companies from the cava sector are on the UOC’s Development of Digital Skills programme. Jordi Vilaseca explained that the first tests “to assess the digital skills in the sector took place in January. A course on ICT is underway in Vilafranca right now and the e-learning is to start in mid-March”.
PIMECAVA
PIMECAVA is the business association for small and medium-sized enterprises producing cava. It was started in 2006 to improve the competitiveness of SMEs in the sector and to raise awareness of the diversity and plurality of the cavas produced.
Economics and Business Studies