BusyBees - Business Game Methodology for the Twin Transition in Higher Education

The main aim of BusyBees was to support higher education institutions, teachers, students and SMEs in addressing the twin digital and green transition in a practical and realistic way. The project...

The main aim of BusyBees was to support higher education institutions, teachers, students and SMEs in addressing the twin digital and green transition in a practical and realistic way. The project's specific objectives were to: - help SMEs understand and communicate their sustainability actions using digital tools and green marketing strategies, while avoiding greenwashing; - identify and validate key digital and green marketing skills aligned with labour market needs; - provide higher education teachers with a ready-to-use methodology and training to integrate these skills into marketing and business courses; - strengthen students’ digital, green and entrepreneurial competences through applied, challenge-based learning; - reinforce cooperation between higher education and SMEs across different European contexts.

BUSYBEES followed a clear step-by-step path from research to classroom testing. First, partners collected real SME good practices on how digital tools and green marketing can support CSR and sustainability communication. Based on this, the partnership produced a practical Handbook for SMEs and validated it with SME representatives. Second, partners identified the key green and digital marketing skills needed for the twin transition and validated them with SMEs through a questionnaire. These skills were then turned into a ready-to-use learning approach: a Business Game methodology for higher education marketing courses, supported by a teacher training package and a large list of Open Educational Resources. Third, teachers and tutors attended an online train-the-trainers course and then applied the methodology in their classes through national pilots with students. Student projects were presented and discussed with external stakeholders. Finally, results were disseminated through the project website, social media, events and workshops, and a post-project exploitation plan was prepared to support long-term use.

BUSYBEES produced concrete, reusable and open-access results. Key outputs include: - a Handbook on digital CSR and green marketing, structured as a 10-step decalogue and supported by good practices; - a validated set of 16 digital and green marketing skills; - a Business Game methodology for higher education courses; - a Training Package for teachers and tutors; - a Toolbox with over 200 Open Educational Resources in six languages; - five short video pills for SMEs. The methodology was piloted with 272 students and supported by training for 16 teachers and tutors. Results show improved digital, green and entrepreneurial skills among students, increased confidence among teachers, and stronger cooperation between higher education and SMEs. All public outputs are freely available under an open licence and are designed for reuse beyond the project lifetime.