USEIPM Workshops in Ancona – July 2025

As part of the Alliance Summit on Vocational Education (AS2025), held in Ancona, Italy, from 9–10 July 2025, the USEIPM project team organized and participated in a series of workshops designed to strengthen entrepreneurial education, technology transfer, and innovation capacities in higher education institutions.

The workshops were hosted at the Faculty of Economics and Polo Monte Dago, with the active involvement of USEIPM partners and experts from across Europe. The events addressed the project’s main focus areas:

• Enhancing the knowledge and skills of researchers in research, innovation, and technology transfer.
• Building capacities of universities to act as valuable partners in sustainable entrepreneurial ecosystems.
• Supporting career development of young talents in R&I.
• Boosting entrepreneurial and innovation management skills.
• Creating innovative solutions with positive sustainability effects.

Across four days, participants engaged in a rich program covering a wide range of topics:

• Contamination Lab and C2I – gaining insights into the organization of entrepreneurial education spaces at Univpm.
• Human-Centered Approach in Entrepreneurial Teaching – exploring how to design inclusive, safe, and empowering learning experiences.
• The University’s Role in Social, Digital, and Territorial Innovation – examining the role of higher education institutions in driving regional transformation.
• Supporting Entrepreneurship – discussing WIN4SMES solutions and the importance of micro-credentials for entrepreneurial skills.
• AI-Lead – presenting tools and training kits to support SMEs in adopting AI technologies.
• Circular Economy Business Models – interactive group work to design opportunities for green and digital transformation.
• Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Scheme – exploring EU strategies to accelerate the green transition of SMEs.
• Academic Spin-offs – reviewing Italian and Univpm experiences in promoting and sustaining spin-offs.

In addition to the workshops, USEIPM project coordinator, Marija Radosavljević (University of Niš), took part in the panel discussion “The Role of Entrepreneurship Education in Regional Development.” Together with experts from academia, policy, and practice, the discussion highlighted how entrepreneurship education can strengthen regional growth, innovation ecosystems, and resilience, with particular relevance for the Western Balkans. The panel confirmed that the USEIPM project is on the right track to deliver a lasting impact by building stronger innovation and entrepreneurial capacities in widening countries.

The workshops participants were the following team members:

• Serbia: Aleksandra Anđelković, Marija Radosavljević
• North Macedonia: Stojan Debarliev, Aleksandra Janevska-Iliev
• Bosnia & Herzegovina: Saša Petković, Mirjana Milijević
• Albania: Ditjona Kule, Ada Bici

The Ancona workshops provided a valuable platform for the exchange of experiences, peer learning, and strategic discussions on the future of entrepreneurship and innovation in Europe. The knowledge and networks developed during these events will support the implementation of project activities and contribute to the development of a sustainable, resilient, and innovative regional ecosystem. It’s most obvious effect will be establishing centers for entrepreneurship and innovation at academic institutions in participating, widening countries, Serbia, Albania, Bosnia & Herzegovina and North Macedonia.