Fachhochschule Kärnten - Spittal an der Drau

Developing Outstanding Sustainable Entrepreneurship Competencies (DEVOS) - Blended Intensive Programme (BIP)

The Sustainable Entrepreneurship programme is a high-impact, career-focused BIP that focuses on developing competencies for sustainable entrepreneurship.

Objectives

Understanding the key concepts of sustainability and sustainable business models Understanding the characteristics and behaviours of a successful entrepreneur Learning to work effectively in international mixed teams in both virtual and co-located settings to conduct an entrepreneurial project Linking theory and practice, gaining an entrepreneurial perspective and hands-on experience in the development of new business ventures

Background

The Carinthia University of Applied Sciences has designedthis Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) together with three other European universities: University of Ljubljana (Slovenia), Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (Spain), Università degli Studi di Udine (Italy). This BIP focuses on intercultural, digital communication and sustainability skills and shows how new learning models with elements of virtual and physical teaching can contribute to new global connections, global learning and digital global leadership.

(Implemented) Activities

Around 50 students from the Carinthian University of Applied Sciences and from all over the Alps-Adriatic region as well as from Barcelona enjoyed the opportunity to collaborate across languages and cultures at Makerspace Carinthia. Following an online phase with interactions between teachers and international students, nine teams developed business ideas embedded in sustainability and the SDGs. For that they had the opportunity to collaborate over the span of five days at the facilities of Makerspace Carinthia. This cross-border Alps-Adriatic project contributed to a global, conscious and sustainable community (#GCSC) of entrepreneurial thinkers and leaders and has been supported so far by trainers from CUAS, Turismo y Dirección Hotelera UAB, Global Case Study Challenge, Slovenian and Carinthian startup scene, including Iris E., Daniela Planinschetz-Riepl, Dr. Johann Schabauer, Gerald Mueller, Philippa Hell-Höflinger and Gloria Bottaro.

Results

In a world characterised by constant change, the aim is to show students that sustainable entrepreneurship can not only lead to economic success, but can also have a positive impact on society and the environment. The focus is on promoting entrepreneurship that is characterised by social responsibility and environmental awareness. The competences developed in this BIP include cognitive, socio-emotional and behavioural competences focused on sustainability and entrepreneurship. These include understanding and applying key concepts of sustainability, developing entrepreneurial spirit and self-confidence, effective communication and teamwork in intercultural contexts, and practical experience in developing new business models. These skills should enable students to adapt to different business contexts and develop innovative solutions to sustainable challenges. The Sustainable Entrepreneurship BIP offers those students who, for whatever reason, cannot complete a semester abroad an opportunity for international experience that can be accessed with manageable effort. Participation in this BIP is recognized for the students' academic performance in their respective home countries. In addition, through the organization of this BIP, there was a vibrant exchange among the teachers and students of the participating institutions which future projects will be able to benefit from.

Lessons learned

The learning method used in the BIP DEVOS allows a broader range of students to gain experience abroad and includes various participatory and experiential approaches, such as participatory research, action-based learning and team-based learning. These are designed to promote the development of key competences in the areas of sustainability and entrepreneurship. In order to reduce the workload for the coordinating partners, teachers and trainers, the experience gained is to be used in future to relieve the burden on teachers in particular in the design, implementation and completion of the programme and to simplify communication with various partners.

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