The project HEIPNET aim is to integrate and combine academic knowledge with practical experience in HEI curricula so that students are enabled to develop attributes and employability skills. The Practice Enterprise (PE) concept will be supported, promoted and scaled to curricula of HEIs in the EU and strong strategic links between Practice Enterprises and businesses will be built using work-based learning methodology. Practice Enterprise (PE) is a well known entrepreneurship education tool, used in 20 European countries for more than 60 years for different target groups. PE is a virtual company that is run like a real business company with real company business procedures, products and services. Each PE trades with other PE following commercial business procedures in the PE worldwide network. Practice Enterprise is a practical training tool and training place for trainees to work and learn, using all the documentation, procedures and programmes needed to run a business, but without real money and goods (https://www.penworldwide.org/ ). The main project target group: 1. Trainers/ teachers/practices organizers / HEIs; 2. HEI Students; 3. Business representatives. Other stakeholders: Practice Enterprise Central offices, other educational institutions, etc. The methodology applied in the project will promote education and business synergy and create appropriate conditions for interaction of trainers/ practices organizers, students and business. The HEI benefits include building links with businesses, a better understanding of employers’ requirements with respect to graduate skills, active work-based learning programs for the students in PE. For business enterprises there is an opportunity to contribute to the study programs and future employees’ development. This can contribute to higher quality of education and training and support permeability between the different education and training pathways. A transnational project would offer to combine the expertise of national experts in their field to further develop the teaching and learning setting. The project objectives: 1. To improve the PE curriculum/module by updating its content according to the needs of the labor market and the strategy of the educational institution. 2. To develop a syllabus and manual of reference which can be used for new HE interested in implementing the PE concept and tools. 3. To strengthen the partnership between universities, their PE and Business world. Activities: 1.Comparing of existing material, information, documents of HEIs for PE (curriculars/modules, level of skills, work organization, demand from labour market, employer connection, mentor companies, company visits both ways, needs by the companies, needs by HEIs, needs from the general labour market in the EU and nationally, etc.); 2. Development of Manual for Practice Enterprise Concept Implementation in HE taking into consideration EntreCompt (https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/entrecomp) recommendation for entrepreneurship competencies levels. 3.Development of PE module(s) for curricula, according to the labor market needs of different study programs. 4.Organization of round tables with students, trainers, businesses for feedback collection. Companies will be invited as external experts for checking and giving feedback on Recommendations of PE curriculum/module. 5.Creation a methodology (guide) for PE trainers, students and business representatives with all phases of PE-Business partnership management description. 6.Trainers and students intensive training in Practice Enterprise abroad. 7.Sharing good practices on cooperation between business and simulation companies, creation a publication of good practice examples of PE and business cooperation with tips, recommendations. 8.Creation of database for companies to see the PE and their needs and suggestions for cooperation. Project partners: Vilniaus kolegija/University of Applied sciences, Lithuania. University of Graz, Austria. University of Applied Science Klaipeda State, Lithuania. University of National and World Economy, Bulgaria. University of Pavia, Italy. EUROPEN-PEN International, Germany. Main results: 1. A manual of reference which will be used for new HE interested in implementing the PE concept and tools. 2. PE partnership with real business guide for PE trainers (set of innovative pedagogies) and students (set of recommendations, examples, etc.) and companies. 3. Database for real business companies - online tool. The HEI database will be a new part of existing PE database and will be designed for HEI PEs and business mentors who are interested in engaging in educational-business partnerships. It will increase PE concept awareness and recognition among HEIs and across the business world. 4. Recommendations for improvements PE module(s) /curricula of different study programs in HE.
The HEIPNET project had the following tasks: -to integrate and combine academic knowledge, research results and practical experience in the curricula of HEIs, -to develop practical HEIs students attributes and employability skills, -to promote, support and strengthen the concept of the Practice Enterprise of higher education institutions in EU, -to create opportunities for strong strategic partnership between practice enterprises and companies using work-based learning methodology. According to tasks project objectives were: 1. To improve the PE curriculum/module by updating the content according to the needs of the labor market and the strategy of the educational institution. 2. To develop a curriculum and a reference manual that can be used for new HE interested in implementing the PE concept and tools. 3. To Strengthen the partnership between universities, their PEs and the business community.
HEIPNET project partners work with the concept of the practice enterprise (PE) - a well-known concept, an entrepreneurship education tool that has been used in more than 20 European countries for more than 60 years for different target groups. PE is a educational company that is run like a real company with real business processes, but products and services are virtual. Universities collaborate with many different organizations to help PE trainees innovate and solve challenges, and aim for long-term strategic and impactful relationships. However, the labor market is evolving so rapidly that universities need a constant stream of information from employers about what they want and need from their workforce so that curricula and learning can reflect those needs. For this reason, HEIPNET partners have decided to work together to benefit HEI students, teachers, and entire companies using practice enterprise work-based methodology, as the project is being implemented for the first time in the context of PEs in HEI.