LINKgroup recognised as a partner of the MICR@S project for the development of entrepreneurial approaches to education
LINKgroup is pleased to announce that it has been recognised as a partner in a new project called MICR@S project / MIcro Community coopeRative @ School, and was awarded a grant by the National Agency of Belgium, which is in charge of implementing the Erasmus+ programme, placing the project in the group of the best projects in the field of schools, which it will finance in the next two years. The topic of this strategic cooperation project is the development of an innovative pedagogical approach for the promotion of entrepreneurial skills among students aged 12 to 18.
MICR@S project – Strategic development of innovative and entrepreneurial approaches to education
The Europe 2020 Strategy, for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth, with which the Smart Specialization Strategy in the Republic of Serbia for the period from 2020 to 2027 is aligned, sets goals for "lifting" at least 20 million people out of poverty and social exclusion and increasing employment of the population aged 20 to 64 to 75%.
According to the report authored by the OECD and the EU, "entrepreneurship and innovation are key drivers of inclusive growth and social cohesion. Therefore, it is important that educational systems and institutions strategically develop innovative and entrepreneurial approaches to education and research, and act as catalysts of these processes."
For this reason, it is important to design pedagogical tools and approaches in the educational environment to prepare students for life in the real world.
The MICR@S project will allow students to experience entrepreneurship during their high school education, which will facilitate their access to the business world in the future.
This trend is confirmed by research showing that those who followed this school experiment were three times more likely to start their own business (EU Training Foundation, 2014).
In addition, including students with Special Educational Needs will help students develop more empathic traits that will help them become more caring and inclusive leaders in the future.
Developing competencies important for success in the labour market
This project should provide students with competencies that can later be used in the labour market and that will encourage an inclusive school environment, cooperation and growth through joint projects at an international level.
The project will also design and implement: teaching materials for transferring knowledge, skills and competences from entrepreneurship education to high school students and an online game called "Community cooperative learning game" in which students can create their own entrepreneurial models through group work.
The content of the teaching material will include the following topics:
- Entrepreneurship as a transferable competence;
- How to become a successful entrepreneur;
- Rules of leading and exploitation of talent;
- Community cooperative services;
- Evaluation of the developed teaching strategy;
- How to establish a business community;
- Teaching in schools.
Participation of pupils and students in the implementation of entrepreneurial projects through the activities of the LINK Business Club
The implementation of this project and the education of K–12 students, teaching and non–teaching staff will also be carried out through the activities of the LINK Business Club, within which the functioning of two factions – for pupils and students – is planned. One will cover the age of K–12 students, i.e. K grades from 5–12, and the other will cover students of higher education institutions.
Through the interaction of pupils, students, teachers and non-teaching staff with successful entrepreneurs and through working on real projects, organising the presentation of case studies and examples of good practices, pupils and students will have the opportunity to develop their own ideas or participate in the implementation of entrepreneurial projects, the implementation of which is planned by the LINK Business Club.
Through the promotion of peer education, LINK alumni – freelancers in the field of information technologies or successful young entrepreneurs will work with pupils and students.
"Parents at work" – Parents at their workplaces as hosts for students
The key difference compared to similar projects is the involvement of parents working in different industries. This is particularly important because through direct interaction of children and those in whom children have the most trust – their parents – knowledge and skills are transferred, and they cannot be transferred in any other way except through mutual action and work.
Therefore, this project includes visits to companies where the parents work, based on the model of the LINKgroup project "Parents at work". LINKgroup implements this project through entrepreneurial learning that combines Parental Engagement Strategy, as a way of engaging parents, and Student Engagement Strategy, as a way of engaging teachers. The idea is that parents at their workplaces host students of the school their children attend, but not other schools in the system. The project is implemented in this way in order for parents to additionally connect with the school their child attends and teach children about the importance of work, as well as different businesses. Parents can choose whether to host only their child's class or another class as well.
The goal of the project is for children to gain insight into various professions and economic activities through visits to business and other organisations where their parents work. The most important thing is to show children how important education and entrepreneurship are, to introduce them to work opportunities and to make them think about their future. Visiting family businesses owned by the students’ parents is especially important in order to bring the concept of entrepreneurship closer to children.
"Work at home" – helping students in choosing their future occupation
"Work at home", a LINKgroup project, was especially important for the implementation of extracurricular activities from the subject Global Perspectives, which is taught in our elite private schools, Savremena Gimnazija and International School, as well as for the subjects taught in Primary School Savremena, among which is the subject Science and Social Studies. It is also very important for connecting education and the economy and promoting entrepreneurship. The knowledge gained in this way makes it easier for students to choose their future profession, i.e. high school or college.
International partners
The leading partner is the Belgian–Italian Chamber of Commerce (Chambre De Commerce Belgo-Italienne), while LINKgroup is one of the partners, together with partners from Italy, Greece, Portugal and Cyprus:
- A & A Emphasys, Cyprus;
- European Digital Learning Network, Italy;
- Agrupamento de Escolas José Estevão, Portugal;
- BUCOVINA TRAVEL&TOURS S.R.L. Romania;
- ATLANTIS ENGINEERING AE, Greece.
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