On 3–4 December 2025, the partners of the Erasmus+ project Digital Boost for Health and Beauty Professionals – DiBoost-HB met in Porto, Portugal, for the project’s kick-off meeting.
The meeting was hosted by Academia Formação do Norte – AFN, the project coordinator, and brought together representatives of AFN from Portugal, AEGARE from Spain, and EDU TECH GRYPHON DISCOVERIES from Romania. Although Mudanya University from Turkey was unable to attend the meeting in person, it remains actively involved in the project and will participate in the upcoming online and face-to-face activities.
The meeting marked the official start of the project and created a common foundation for cooperation, planning and implementation.
Introducing the DiBoost-HB Project
During the meeting, the partners reviewed the main objectives, target groups, activities and expected results of the project.
DiBoost-HB aims to support the digital transformation of the health and beauty sector by improving the digital competences of professionals, trainers, vocational education students, unemployed adults and other people interested in working in this field.
The project will address areas such as basic digital skills, digital work organisation, online communication, digital marketing, online visibility and the sustainable use of digital tools in professional practice.
The main project activities include:
- project management and coordination;
- development of a Digital Transformation Curriculum;
- organisation of a training course for trainers;
- implementation of practical workshops for health and beauty professionals and learners.
The partners also reviewed the general implementation timeline, which covers the period from 2025 to 2027, and discussed the contribution expected from each organisation.
Developing the Digital Transformation Curriculum
A central topic of the kick-off meeting was the preparation of the project’s Digital Transformation Curriculum for health and beauty professionals.
The partners discussed an initial curriculum structure containing several key areas:
- basic digital competences;
- work organisation and the use of digital tools;
- digital marketing and online presence;
- sustainability of online communication strategies;
- country-specific information, including relevant tools and legislation.
A shared online working document will be used to collect ideas, practical examples and content proposals from all partner organisations. EDU TECH GRYPHON DISCOVERIES will contribute further suggestions and details for the different curriculum areas.
Once the final structure is approved, the partnership will prepare a common template and writing guide to ensure that all modules follow the same format, length and quality standards.
Project Management and Administrative Planning
The meeting also included a detailed review of the financial and administrative requirements of the project.
Partners discussed the budget structure, internal reporting procedures, required evidence and the importance of documenting all completed activities. Attendance lists, photographs, meeting minutes, evaluation forms, workshop evidence and project outputs will be collected and stored in the shared project space.
The partnership confirmed that project funding is linked to the successful completion and verification of the agreed activities and results. For this reason, maintaining clear and complete evidence throughout the project will be essential.
All relevant documentation will be kept for the required retention period after the final payment and uploaded to the shared Google Drive as soon as each activity is completed.
Communication and Quality Assurance
The partners agreed on a transparent internal communication system to support smooth cooperation throughout the project.
A Steering Committee, including one representative from each partner organisation, will guide strategic decisions. English will be used as the official working language, while email, WhatsApp, Google Drive and online meeting platforms will support regular communication and document sharing.
At least one online coordination meeting will be organised every month, with additional meetings arranged when specific tasks require further discussion.
Quality assurance will be supported through:
- partner satisfaction questionnaires;
- participant feedback forms;
- pre- and post-activity evaluations;
- structured review of project materials;
- monitoring of participation and satisfaction indicators;
- a risk management plan and regularly updated risk register.
These measures will help the partnership identify challenges early and maintain high standards across all project activities and results.
Dissemination and Visibility
The partners also discussed how the project and its results will be promoted.
Dissemination will take place through the project website, organisational websites, social media, EPALE, the Erasmus+ Project Results Platform, local networks, events and other communication channels.
All project materials will follow the official Erasmus+ visibility requirements and include the European Union emblem and the required funding disclaimer.
The partners agreed to publish initial announcements about the kick-off meeting and the start of the project through their organisational communication channels.
Immediate Follow-up Actions
At the end of the meeting, several immediate actions were agreed.
A WhatsApp group was created to facilitate day-to-day communication. AEGARE will propose the first visual identity and logo options for review by the Steering Committee. EDU TECH GRYPHON DISCOVERIES will prepare the proposed website structure and support the launch of the project’s online presence.
The partners will also review the draft Quality and Risk Management Plan and begin preparing the next phase of the curriculum development process.
The next online coordination meeting was scheduled for 16 December 2025 at 10:00 CET.
A Strong Beginning for International Cooperation
The kick-off meeting in Porto provided the partners with the opportunity to clarify their roles, agree on shared working procedures and establish a detailed roadmap for the next stages of DiBoost-HB.
Through cooperation between organisations from Portugal, Spain, Romania and Turkey, the project will contribute to making the health and beauty sector more digitally prepared, adaptable and competitive.
The first meeting represented an important step towards developing practical resources, training opportunities and digital solutions that will help professionals and learners respond confidently to the ongoing digital transformation of the sector.
Project title: Digital Boost for Health and Beauty Professionals – DiBoost-HB
Project reference: 2025-1-PT01-KA210-VET-000357067
Meeting: Kick-off Transnational Project Meeting
Dates: 3–4 December 2025
Location: Porto, Portugal
