TransCulture is currently submitting a proposal for a practical 'on-the-job' training and development framework specifically for SMEs, under the EU's Leonardo da Vinci programme. The company is working with partners in the UK, Hungary and Poland, Austria and Finland upon this project, which is expected to commence in 2004. Research into training and development needs of SME suppliers to a major retailer is taking place in Hungary and Poland. Initial results in both countries tend to confirm that SMEs generally lack the 'soft skills' in intercultural communication necessary for cross-border operations in an expanded European market.

The model under development aims to address this by the provision of a transnational competency (TREM) framework to empower soft skill development common to SMEs in the CEE accession countries and those already inside the European Union. Within the TREM framework SME managers would be empowered to have more responsibility for their own training and development programmes, rather than following training models which do not necessarily apply to their business needs.

The Leonardo project will run for two years in the form of a pilot project. It is envisaged that its results will be distributed to several CEE countries, as well as present member states. TransCulture then plans to make the new training and development product available throughout Europe. It should be especially useful to those SMEs who have operations in other countries, or who may be planning to. In any event, it should also be beneficial for those SMEs conducting business inside their own countries, as an expanded European Union brings more intense competition.