Applied Innovation for Students and Business Erasmus Project

Project Title

Applied Innovation for Students and Business

Project Key Action

This project related with these key action: Cooperation for innovation and the exchange of good practices

Project Action Type

This project related with this action type : Strategic Partnerships for higher education

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2017

Project Topics

This project is related with these Project Topics: Enterprise, industry and SMEs (incl. entrepreneurship); New innovative curricula/educational methods/development of training courses; Entrepreneurial learning – entrepreneurship education

Project Summary

The AISAB Project addressed the need within the EU to improve the level of innovation and its impact, particularly in SMEs. Building on the work of other innovation projects and materials, it developed approaches to create the skills that support SME innovation from an HEI context and through VET. These complementary streams of work saw implementation of initiatives to drive innovation. These have been provided sustainably by embedding the outcomes in the day-to-day activities of HEIs and organisations delivering VET to SMEs.

The project objectives were to develop learning materials aimed at enhancing student skills in assessing and implementing innovation, and to build tools that students can use to facilitate their impact when consulting in SMEs. The project also developed a toolkit for SMEs to self-diagnose their innovation practice and put in place business intervention approaches that can be used to enhance innovation practices in SMEs.

The AISAB consortium brought together a mix of five higher education and three VET/SME Partners, with expertise in the development of skills for SMEs. All Partners have a focus on creating real impact for business growth through their activities. Together, they are experts in the development of VET learning materials, leading learning interventions for SMEs, and engaging with SMEs to facilitate business growth.

In consultation with students in HEIs and SME organisations, the project developed materials and consultancy processes that deliver increased skills for innovation and impact, through the active use of those skills in SME organisations.

The project adopted a practical approach that has resulted in HEIs adopting and embedding innovation modules in a way that will ensures their impact is sustained. Similarly, the project has provided tools for SME training and service providers, so that they become an integral part of their methodology and are sustained. All of these changes aim to create greater innovation in SMEs on an ongoing basis.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 370489,34 Eur

Project Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF GLOUCESTERSHIRE & Country: UK

Project Partners

• SOPRONI EGYETEM
• Korona plus d.o.o., Institut za inovativnost in tehnologijo
• UNIVERSIDAD DE GRANADA
• UNIVERZA NA PRIMORSKEM UNIVERSITA DEL LITORALE
• Fondazione Istituto Tecnico Superiore per le nuove tecnologie per il made in Italy – Jobsacademy
• HAFELEKAR UNTERNEHMENSBERATUNG SCHOBER GMBH
• PROMPT-H Számítástechnikai Oktatási, Kereskedelmi és Szolgáltató Kft.