• The program will host 15 women from different European rural areas to acquire the necessary skills and tools to enable them to undertake digital entrepreneurship from their own villages.
• The inauguration will take place in Candeleda (Castilla y León) from October 23 to 28, 2022.
• The application period is open until September 27th.

The European Leadership Academy creates the "Women's Academy for Rural Innovation"

Women still face structural challenges that prevent many of them from reaching their full potential. In rural and depopulated areas, they face a double obstacle: in addition to the gender gap, they also need to overcome the urban-rural divide to advance and become leaders of their own projects.

In response to this, the European Leadership Academy has created the Women's Academy for Rural Innovation , a program aimed at women in rural communities and focused on developing digital and leadership skills. The goal is for these new skills to be utilized in their own territories after the program ends.

Fifteen participants will be selected by an independent jury and will receive a full scholarship to attend the academy (including travel and living expenses). The call for applications , which closes September 27, 2022 , is open to European rural women of all ages and backgrounds. See the application requirements here .

Located in Castile and León

The first edition of the "Women's Academy for Rural Innovation" will take place in Castile and León, in various locations in the province of Ávila. The headquarters will be located in the town of Candeleda.

The program focuses on the following points:

• Entrepreneurship.
• New technologies.
• The digitalization of SMEs.
• Keys to sustainable and equal business growth.

Using debate as a pedagogical tool, mentors and expert speakers in each subject will delve into the challenges facing women in rural areas, encouraging participants to explore innovative solutions that can generate tangible results in their region. The week-long program , which includes master classes, debates, and workshops, will take place.

Rural women

The "Women's Academy for Rural Innovation" is specifically designed for women working in rural areas in any region of the European Union. The jury is looking for candidates from diverse backgrounds and, above all, a demonstrated passion for new technologies, innovation, and leadership for economic growth in their respective regions.

It doesn't matter so much whether the primary professional profile is in agriculture, livestock, crafts, engineering, or tourism, but rather whether the focus is on acquiring the skills necessary to lead Europe's rural areas through innovation and digital technologies.

While the "Women's Academy for Rural Innovation" is launching with this edition, the European Leadership Academy has other programs on women's leadership, such as the "Schools of Women's Leadership in the Digital Age," which have run several editions. For more information on all of them, please visit thislink .