October 17, 2024, Málaga, Spain – The University of Málaga (UMA) hosted the second transnational meeting of the SELF project, an innovative EU-funded initiative focused on promoting self-employment and supporting solo entrepreneurs through targeted training tools and educational resources. The SELF project, coordinated by the UMA, involves institutions from five European countries. It aims to map solo entrepreneurship trends and develop a comprehensive training framework that supports sustainable growth in self-employment. This project stands out for its commitment to providing open educational resources (OER) and accessible digital training materials. Meeting Highlights During the meeting, project partners reviewed progress across work packages (WP) and outlined upcoming steps. Key points included: WP2: Mapping and Extrapolating Trends – EDUCatt, responsible for WP2, presented 19 case studies that will be sent to IWS for inclusion on the SELF open educational resource platform. WP3: Development of Training Content – The University of Aveiro is leading the implementation plan guiding the creation of training modules, designed as micro-credentials. These materials will be available in multiple languages and aligned with recognized competencies to facilitate self-paced learning. WP4: Digital Learning Platform – IWS shared the current status of the SELF learning platform, which will feature interactive modules, self-assessments, and competence certificates. Next Steps and Dissemination Activities All the partners are working to increase the visibility of the SELF project by posting on social media, sharing press releases, and linking to the project on their websites. Partners are also identifying Associate Partners to expand the project’s outreach across their respective countries. About the SELF Project The SELF project is funded by the European Union and is dedicated to creating self-employment opportunities through accessible, high-quality training tools. All materials developed under SELF are freely available under a Creative Commons license, encouraging adaptation and dissemination to support entrepreneurs everywhere. For more information on the project, please visit www.solobiz.eu.
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A new international and pan-European research initiative has shed new light on the dynamics of self-employment and solo entrepreneurship among young people in Europe. Developed as part of the SELF (Solo-entrepreneurship in Post-pandemic Europe) project, this report highlights the significant gaps in current education and training opportunities for aspiring self-entrepreneurs and unveils a new innovative framework designed to address these challenges. The SELF project, which focuses on creating pathways for solo-entrepreneurship in the post-pandemic era, aims to address the evolving needs of higher education (HE) students and young graduates. The project is driven by three core objectives: Fostering entrepreneurial initiative; Enhancing self-employment pathways; Creating a unified digital market for solo-entrepreneurs. The SELF project report examined both the triumphs and challenges faced by young aspiring entrepreneurs across Europe. It found that despite growing interest in freelancing and self-employment, the resources available for formal education in this space remain scarce. Currently, most entrepreneurial training options are limited to paid online courses rather than being embedded in institutionalized education, leaving young people without sufficient support during their transition to early-stage entrepreneurship. However, the European Union is taking important steps to address these gaps. The EU has actively sought to democratize access to entrepreneurship education, providing a range of accessible resources to equip young self-entrepreneurs with essential skills and support. This effort aims to empower young innovators and enable them to bring their ideas to life in an increasingly competitive market. One of the most pressing findings from the SELF report is the significant downturn in self-employment across Europe. This decline is attributed to rapid technological change and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, both of which have disrupted traditional self-employment pathways. Furthermore, the research highlights a persistent gender gap in the field, with fewer women taking the leap into self-entrepreneurship. Addressing this disparity is a priority, with targeted policies needed to foster inclusion and create equal opportunities for all. In response to these findings, the SELF project team has developed a new, innovative training and education framework tailored specifically to the needs of young, aspiring solo-entrepreneurs. This framework focuses on key areas of entrepreneurial development, including: Entrepreneurial competencies - Skills in leadership, innovation, and business planning to help aspiring entrepreneurs turn ideas into actionable business models. Digital literacy - critical training in technology and digital tools necessary for navigating today’s digital-first business environment. Financial management - comprehensive education on funding strategies, investment readiness, and sustainable financial planning. Socioeconomic inclusivity - Training that addresses gender gaps and promotes equitable access to entrepreneurial opportunities for all, with a particular focus on women entrepreneurs. This framework is designed to complement existing EU initiatives and support young people, particularly higher education students and recent graduates, by offering accessible, practical, and effective training. It aims to bridge the gap in entrepreneurship education by integrating tailored courses into the academic curriculum of European universities, fostering a more inclusive and dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem across the region. Through the SELF project, we aim to ignite the entrepreneurial spirit of young people across Europe and help them navigate the challenges of self-employment, ensuring that they can thrive in the digital and post-pandemic world. For more information on the SELF project, research findings, or the new training framework, please visit: https://www.solobiz.eu/
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The "SELF - Solo Entrepreneurs Learning Framework," co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission, has unveiled the results of its comprehensive Pan-European assessment carried out as part of Work Package 2 (WP2). This assessment provides an in-depth look at the current landscape of self-employment and self-entrepreneurship, focusing on the dynamics of education and training opportunities across Europe. The SELF project aims to enhance the entrepreneurial skills of higher education (HE) students by promoting solo-entrepreneurship and creating a unified digital market for solo-entrepreneurs. Coordinated by the University of Malaga, the project includes partners such as the University of Aveiro, EDUCATT, IHF asbl, IDP, IWS, and UNIBA. The assessment highlights several crucial findings: Limited institutionalized education for self-entrepreneurs Despite a growing interest in freelancing and solo entrepreneurship, institutionalized education and training options remain scarce. Most available resources are paid online courses, which often lack the necessary support mechanisms to help young aspiring self-entrepreneurs transition into early-incubation stages. EU's role in democratizing access to entrepreneurship education Amidst these challenges, the European Union is making significant strides in democratising access to entrepreneurship education. Various accessible resources are being developed to empower aspiring self-entrepreneurs with essential knowledge and skills, providing the support needed to transform their ideas into action. Decline in self-employment due to technological and pandemic-related disruptions The assessment reveals a notable downturn in the trajectory of self-employment in Europe. This decline is attributed to the rapid evolution of technology and the disruptive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have posed significant challenges for self-entrepreneurs across various sectors. Gender disparity in self-entrepreneurship A persistent gender disparity in self-entrepreneurship is evident, with a concerning prevalence of “missing” women self-entrepreneurs. The report underscores the need for targeted policies to foster inclusion and equal opportunities, aiming to narrow the gender gap and unlock the full potential of aspiring female entrepreneurs. EU's multifaceted approach to supporting self-entrepreneurs The EU is actively championing initiatives to support the self-employed and self-entrepreneurs holistically, particularly focusing on young people, HE students, and fresh graduates. These initiatives range from providing vital financial assistance to implementing measures that address socioeconomic disparities and enhance essential skills and competencies. There is a collective expectation for EU institutions to advocate for integrating courses tailored to the needs of young aspiring self-entrepreneurs within the academic curricula of European universities. The SELF project is indeed expected to lay the groundwork for a more inclusive and dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem. Stay tuned for future results and more information on the project’s website https://solobiz.eu/index.php?lang=EN
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Partners of the Erasmus+ project "SELF - Solo Entrepreneurs Learning Framework" is pleased to announce the launch of Work Package 2 (WP2), titled "Mapping and Extrapolating Solo-Entrepreneurship Trends & Features." With the launch of WP2, the SELF project, co-funded by the European Commission, takes a significant step towards creating a comprehensive learning framework that fosters HE students' entrepreneurial skills and promotes solo-entrepreneurship. WP2 focuses on assessing and evaluating consolidated good practices and case studies at both country and transnational levels. These evaluations will guide the promotion of innovative and impactful solo-entrepreneurship training programmes within HE institutions and among HE students. The insights gained will enable project partners to strategize effectively, shaping the learning outcomes framework and informing the development of the project's training curriculum. The methodology for WP2 has been meticulously prepared and consolidated, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in the execution of the analysis. This operative document, which remains internal and in English only, serves as a formal deliverable of WP2. It provides a harmonized understanding of the assessment's ultimate objectives, ensuring the relevance of results, data, and insights provided by partners. By adopting a common methodology, the SELF project guarantees a coordinated approach among partners. This methodology facilitates a shared understanding of the analysis's scope, ensures the comparability of findings, and highlights key expected results. It also valorises common trends and features of interest, which are crucial for the summative assessment of evidence. The findings from WP2 will be instrumental in setting and building the pedagogical base of reference for the project. This will enable the structuring of the education and training offerings accordingly. Evidence gathered and collected by partners will shape the content and structure of the curriculum, identifying specific training areas and competences that should be addressed and enhanced through the project's educational offerings. The partnership looks forward to the valuable insights that will emerge from this phase and to the continued progress of the project. For more information about the SELF project, please visit https://solobiz.eu/index.php?lang=EN
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The SELF project (Solo Entrepreneur Learning Framework) has now opened its open access platform (OER), available in all consortium languages: English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Slovak. The full news can be read on the blog of the Research Unit Research Center for Didactics and Technology in Trainer Training (CIDTFF), available at https://cidtff.web.ua.pt/cidtff_flashnews/?wysija-page=1&controller=email&action=view&email_id=2068&wysijap=subscriptions
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The Self OER platform, created by Internet Web Solutions, the project's technology partner, is now open and available in all languages and it will host the main results of the project. It will be available for the duration of the project and even 3 years after its completion. The platform encompasses all the information about the project, the consortium partners, the associated partners who support us, and the main results to be created during the development of Self, such as mapping and training. The OER platform has several advantages: it is free and open, allowing users to access it without the need to register; it is user-friendly, available 365 days a year, 24 hours a day, in the five consortium languages (English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Slovak); and it is professional, as the content is created by experts. Self is a European project co-funded by the Erasmus Plus program, involving seven institutions from five countries, each with a different language. The consortium includes the University of Málaga (ES), IDP European Consultants (IT), IHF Europe (BE), Internet Web Solutions (ES), Comenius University Bratislava (SK), University of Aveiro (PT), and EDUCatt (IT). The SELF project – Solo Entrepreneur Learning Framework – emphasizes the importance of supporting the entrepreneurial skills of university students through the innovative concept of "solopreneurship." To achieve this goal, the consortium will develop specific outcomes, including the creation of the project's OER platform, which is already available in the consortium's languages. Stay informed about Self and the project's developments visiting www.solobiz.eu.
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The Kick-of-meeting of the Erasmus+ SELF – Solo Entrepreneur Learning Framework project was held in Brussels. The University of Aveiro is a partner institution of the project. The full news can be read on the blog of the Research Unit Research Center for Didactics and Technology in Trainer Training (CIDTFF), available at https://cidtff.web.ua.pt/cidtff_flashnews/?wysija-page=1&controller=email&action=view&email_id=2008&wysijap=subscriptions
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Partners of the Erasmus+ project "SELF - Solo Entrepreneurs Learning Framework" held the Kick-Off Meeting at the premises of the Belgian partner, IHF asbl, in Brussels on January 26, 2024. The SELF project, co-funded by the European Commission, aims to provide a robust learning framework to enhance HE students' sense of initiative and solo-entrepreneurship skills. By using transdisciplinary approaches and innovative pedagogies, the project seeks to foster a new generation of self-employed professionals ready to thrive in a digitally unified European labor market. During the meeting, the partnership—led by the University of Malaga and including the University of Aveiro, EDUCATT, IHF asbl, IDP, IWS, and UNIBA—engaged in comprehensive discussions on project objectives and strategic implementation. The diverse expertise and perspectives of these partners strengthen the project’s capacity to achieve its goals. This gathering marked a significant milestone as partners from across Europe convened to discuss the project’s work breakdown structure, plan upcoming activities, and set deadlines. The meeting also underscored the project's potential positive impact on entrepreneurship among higher education (HE) students throughout the European Union. Implementation strategies include identifying relevant competences for aspiring solo-entrepreneurs, developing specialized curricula, tools, training, and resources for self-employment. A pivotal component is the "SELF Digital Warehouse," an e-learning platform housing all project results. The project also involves testing and validating these resources with 200 participants, producing guidelines for practitioners, and providing recommendations for policymakers to ensure project scale-up and sustainability. The Brussels meeting highlighted the SELF project's potential to significantly impact HE students by equipping them with entrepreneurial skills and fostering a supportive digital environment. The consortium remains optimistic about the progress made and is committed to ongoing collaboration and successful project implementation. For more information about the SELF project, please visit https://solobiz.eu/index.php?lang=EN
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Thus, the collaboration of 7 institutions from Spain, Italy, Belgium, Portugal and Slovakia has started. During the meeting, the partners made important decisions for the development of the project, including the domain, logo and look of the SELF OER platform. Stay tuned for upcoming publications on SELF to learn more about its progress and developments!
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The Erasmus+ project SELF – Solo Entrepreneur Learning Framework, led by the University of Málaga (Spain), and which counts the University of Aveiro among the partner institutions, was approved. The full news can be read on the blog of the Research Unit Research Center for Didactics and Technology in Trainer Training (CIDTFF), available at https://cidtff.web.ua.pt/cidtff_flashnews/?wysija-page=1&controller=email&action=view&email_id=1972&wysijap=subscriptions
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