Supporting Graduate Entrepreneurship in the Creative Sector Erasmus Project

Project Title

Supporting Graduate Entrepreneurship in the Creative Sector

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 vocational education and training

Project Call Year

This project’s Call Year is 2016

Project Topics

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

Project Summary

SHADOWS aimed to plug the gap between training providers and graduate entrepreneurs. It has developed a curriculum that meets the needs of business owners in the Creative and Cultural industries (CCI).
The SHADOWS project aimed at providing quality learning resources that address the specific needs of different target groups within the Cultural and Creative Industries (CCI) Sector. Namely, the project developed Europe’s first bespoke, targeted entrepreneurship curriculum for graduates embarking on a CCI career.
Additionally, increasing the labour market relevance of Vocational Education and Training (VET) by providing tailored pedagogic resources that will improve the attainment levels of high-level basic and transversal competences.
The SHADOWS consortium comprises 9 partner organisations from 8 different EU Member States:
Municipio de Lousada (PT)
Universitaet Paderborn (DE)
Creative Exchange UK (UK)
Meath Community Rural & Social Development Partnership (IE)
Universitatea Din Pitesti (RO)
Future In Perspective (IE)
INNEO-Studio Tworczego Rozwoju (PL)
Innoventum Oy (FI)
European University Cyprus (CY)
A website (A1) that presents the project, the aims and objectives, the funding body and consortium partners was developed and available and on-line in month 1. Event reports (A2, A3, A4, A5, A6) were produced following every transnational partner meeting. Internal evaluation exercises were conducted in months 6, 12 and 18, (A7, A8, A9). An external evaluator produced a Formative Interim Evaluation Report (A10) and a Summative Final Evaluation Report (A11). Research reports for each partner country were produced in month 4 (A12, A13, A14, A15, A16, A17, A18). A valorisation framework (A19) was drafted at the beginning of the project and key measurable indicators were set out for the various actions proposed. An integrated branding concept for the project (A20) was presented. A siries of 4 Newsletters (A21, A22, A23, A24) were produced and distributed. A Facebook page for the project (A25) was developed to support valorisation objectives.
We have produced the following Intellectual Outputs:
1. Summary Research Report: a research document that highlights gaps in supports to entrepreneurs in the creative sector;
2. In-service Training Programme for VET Staff: a bespoke induction training programme to support VET tutors to deliver the new curriculum and to ensure that the required learning outcomes are achieved.
3. Induction to Pedagogy for Micro-enterprise Owners: a bespoke induction training programme to support the business owners who participated in the proposed business immersion programme.
4. Cultural and Creative Industry Sector Entrepreneurship Curriculum: a bespoke curriculum specifically targeting graduates and emerging entrepreneurs in the cultural and creative sector.
5. On-line Observatory of Cultural and Creative Businesses & E-learning Portal: an on-line observatory of best practice showcasing successful cultural and creative micro-enterprises and the entrepreneurs who founded them.
6. Unlocking the Potential of the Cultural and Creative Industry Sector – Policy Paper: The policy paper considers why a change of policy approach might be relevant; the policy options available and the pros and cons of each option. Finally the policy paper recommends a course of action based on the experiences and lessons learned in the course of the SHADOWS project.
For the future use of project results, the partnership ensured that VET staff are: confortable in working in the new learning environments developed; being confident that quality assurance is not compromised; being assured that real benefits are being derived from the new learning experience; believing that their professional skills have been enhanced and the integrity of the teaching process has been safeguarded.

We also worked to ensure that micro-enterprise owners: agreed that their role in this field is fundamental to success; are confident that they are duly trained to support the business immersion model; feel that a greater good is being served by their participation and commitment.

For the graduate target group the SHADOWS project partnership provided: access to a learning content that is relevant to their personal circumstances and needs; help to identify clear goals and define their own learning needs and pathways; tangible benefits that the proposed supported learning environment can offer.

It is important that all target groups implicated can enjoy the educational process and understand resulting achievements as shared successes. It is on this basis that target groups agreed on promoting and sharing their project experience with others.

EU Grant (Eur)

Funding of the project from EU: 297626 Eur

Project Coordinator

MUNICIPIO DE LOUSADA & Country: PT

Project Partners

• OSRODEK SZKOLENIOWO-BADAWCZY INNEO
• UNIVERSITATEA DIN PITESTI
• EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY CYPRUS
• MEATH COMMUNITY RURAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT PARTNERSHIP LIMITED
• UNIVERSITAET PADERBORN
• Creative Exchange UK Limited
• FUTURE IN PERSPECTIVE LIMITED