UP-SKILLING RESEARCHERS FOR SUSTAINABLE ENTREPRENEURSHIP BASED ON INNOVATION PROCESS MANAGEMENT

Public academic institutions are recognized as an actor capable of energizing entrepreneurship ecosystems to transform the business sector and strengthen the general welfare through sustainable entrepreneurship. Since sustainable entrepreneurship and innovation has been getting more and more attention, the USE IPM aims at encouraging entrepreneurship focused on sustainability, and creating innovative solutions that respect a three-norms framework: doing good, avoiding harm, and protecting both, the society and the planet.The improvement of the relationship between the academic and non-academic sector in widening countries will be achieved via implementing practices for gaining benefits with sustainability justification. This is considered highly valuable for improving the competitive posture for both types of institutions (academics and business) and making entrepreneurial ecosystem of widening countries more inspiring and supportive for new business ideas development. The primary goal is to enhance knowledge and skills of talents from widening countries in the field of research and innovation (R&I) and, consequently, to raise the capabilities of the widening academic institutions in order to increase their value regarding the sustainable entrepreneurship ecosystem(s).Moreover, the USE IPM will contribute to enhancing the career prospects, not only of the talents involved in the project, but of other researchers at the widening sending institutions as well, as talents will share knowledge gained during the secondments towards the non-widening, EU countries. Additionally, the USE IPM will boost the entrepreneurial and innovation process management skills of business representatives by transferring the acquired knowledge and skills via trainings implemented though 4 directly impacted centers for entrepreneurship and innovation (onwards EI centers). These centers will be established and/or consolidated thanks to the acquired knowledge and skills, gained during the workshops at EU academic institutions.The main results of the USE IPM include: 28 seconded talents to 5 partners from EU countries (5 non-academic partners), 4 established and/or consolidated EI centers in 4 different widening countries, 200 young people (young USE IPM trainees) educated on the acquired acquis, 80 trained business representatives (business USE IPM trainees) in the field of entrepreneurship and innovation, 40 innovative solutions created during the internships, under the cross-sectoral teams and 10 best practices for cross-sectoral talent circulation identified. Last, besides contributing to the reversion of brain drain in their countries via increasing youth employability, the USE IPM will strive to improve a better gender balance in a male dominated, entrepreneurship sector.