Context

Current global challenges such as climate change, environmental degradation, and rising unemployment rates highlight the pressing need for sustainable approaches in both lifestyles and productive systems. Ecoprise aims to address this by introducing a new professional role, the Ecoprise Designer, equipped with skills to foster local regenerative development and harmonize human life with nature within enterprises. Through a collaborative effort involving Higher Education Institutions, VET providers, enterprises, and non-profit associations, Ecoprise will develop a comprehensive course on Ecopreneurship, emphasizing future-oriented social entrepreneurship through ecovillage design rooted in sustainability principles. The course will be internationally pilot-tested, ensuring efficacy and transferability, while fostering professional interactions and peer-learning opportunities.

Target Groups

• Established/aspirant entrepreneurs in the fields of rural/social/cultural entrepreneurship, interested in expanding and varying their offer and in making their business more sustainable.
• Civil Society Organisations’ representatives wishing to explore the potential of social economy and new ways to provide a multi-faceted, socially valuable offer.
• Professionals in disciplines relevant to Ecovillage design, e.g., ecologists, designers, artists, interested in supporting future-oriented entrepreneurs in setting up their Ecoprise.
• VET/HE providers & trainers, who shall support future Ecopreneurs through specialised training.

Objectives

• Stimulating entrepreneurial attitudes and improving relevance and quality of transversal and tehcnical skills of established and aspirant entrepreneurs in the fields of rural, social and cultural entrepreneurship.
• Fostering innovative and multidisciplinary approaches to teaching and learning of Ecovillage Design Education among VET/HE providers and trainers.
• Facilitating the flow and co-creation of knowledge between HE and VET actors, research entities, civil society organisations, public authorities and business actors and professional in disciplines Ecovillage design, such as ecologists, designers, and artists, interested in supporting future-oriented entrepreneurs.
• Supporting effective and efficient HE and VET systems, strengthening their ability to keep pace with the digital and green transition by promoting an innovative skillset to assist the creation of new sustainable and multi-functional social enterprises.

Activities

• Identification of successful examples of social enterprises and ecovillages and analysis of existing skills gaps in the two fields.
• Development of the Ecoprise Model, reference point for the following actions, and the Skillset for Ecoprise designers.
• Development of the Ecoprise design course and the Ecoprise training Vandemecums, for trainers and learners;
• Pilot testing of the Ecoprise course, contributing to generate new Ecopreneurs through a diversified learning approach, including work-based learning experiences.
• Set up and consultations with Expert Boards in Italy, Portugal, Serbia, Lithuania, Greece and Cyprus, composed of social entrepreneurs, ecovillage experts and educational and/or training institutions member, throughout the entire project.
• Set-up of 6 local Ecoprise incubators in Italy, Portugal, Serbia, Lithuania, Greece and Cyprus.
• Celebration of YouPrise Workshops organised in VET schools and HEIs, sharing the new model and boosting students’ entrepreneurial mindset.
• Policy Hacks and creation of Ecoprise case studies.
• Organization of two Ecoprise European Summits: Digital Summit and a EU roundtable.
• Hosting of 5 local forums in Portugal, Serbia, Lithuania, Greece, Cyprus, and the Ecoprise Final International Forum, in Italy.

Impact

• Better awareness and understanding of current trends in the fields of social entrepreneurship and ecovillage design.
• Upskilled professionals, thanks to the development and testing of a multidisciplinary educational programme for future Ecoprise Designers, enabling them to put into practice the acquired knowledge by designing their ideal Ecoprise,
• Increased capacity of VET and HE trainers to respond to today’s social and professional trends, and keep pace with the digital transition,
• Creation of new communities and networks of key professionals, such as 6 Expert Boards and 6 local Ecoprise incubators,
• 300 learners across 6 implementation countries (Italy, Portugal, Serbia, Lithuania, Greece and Cyprus) participating in the Ecoprise course piloting.

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With the objective to increase the research activity directed towards the achievement of the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, the possibility of associating scientific projects with the Sustainable Development Goals is now available in Ciência_Iscte. These are the Sustainable Development Goals identified for this project. For more detailed information on the Sustainable Development Goals, click here.