We are pleased to announce that the Management Committee Meeting of COST Action 21107 DIGI-net held in Iasi, Romania 28-29 March 2023 was a resounding success. Over the course of two intense and productive days, like-minded colleagues reconnected and discussed strategies for achieving our Action’s goals. The highlight of the event was a captivating lecture delivered by Dr. Ciprian Iftimoaei from the County Institute of Statistics on “Work Inequalities, Ageing and Digitalisation in Romania.”
During the meeting, we received updates on our participants and considered the budget. Prof. Dr. Petroula Mavrikiou and Iris Finger provided valuable insights on these topics.
Prof. Dr. Daniela Soitu presented information on the grant application and recipients. We are excited to have a balanced approach to our grant recipients, including gender (30% male, 70% female), age, and geographical diversity spanning Albania, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Poland, Kosovo, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, and Ukraine. This diversity in the grant recipients aligns with our objective to promote inclusivity and equal opportunities.
Dr. Ilona Matysiak and Prof. Merita Xumari Vaso proposed a plan for the formation of an Older Worker Reference Group.
Another highlight of the meeting was the presentation by Dr. Natalia Versal, which showcased the Dissemination Board and the developed Science Communication Plan. Additionally, the website of the Action, developed jointly by Nataliia Versal, Monika Szurmanová, and Katerina Mlejnkova, was presented.
Dr. Jelle Lössbroek presented the idea of preparing a joint book within the Action. This proposal received extensive support from the members, who immediately suggested various approaches for its content.
Eventually, our Action Chair, Dr. Martina Rašticová, and Action Vice-Chair, Prof. Dr. Clary Krekula, shared ideas for the next meeting in Larnaca, Cyprus, as well as the practical implementation of Action results through the Prague policy workshop, and the mechanism for creating a synthesis.
We are thrilled to see such productive and engaging discussions among our members and look forward to seeing the outcomes of these initiatives.
We extend our sincere gratitude to Universitatea „Alexandru Ioan Cuza” din Iași for their exceptional hospitality and for providing excellent conditions for organizing the conference.