Cross-Border Virtual Entrepreneurship (CBVE)

Cross-Border Virtual Entrepreneurship (CBVE) Exploitation/Valorisation plan LIFELONG LEARNING PROGRAMME 2007-2013 VERSION 1-2007 APPLICATION FORM FOR CALL EAC/61/2006 MULTILATERAL PROJECTS, NETWORKS, ACCOMPANYING MEASURES, STUDIES AND COMPARATIVE RESEARCH. Final Version March 26, 2007 EADTU Office P.O. Box 2960 6401 DL Heerlen Visiting address Valkenburgerweg 177 6419 AT Heerlen The Netherlands tel: +31 45 5762214 fax: +31 45 5741473 E-mail kees-jan.vandorp@eadtu.nl

Contents 1. Exploitation/Valorisation 2 2. Valorisation objectives 2 3. Valorisation strategy 2 4. Valorisation activities 2 1

1. Exploitation/Valorisation 2. Valorisation objectives The objective of valorising a project is to enable its results to become sustainable. When a project comes to an end, its results should still be available for usage by different groups. Accordingly, a project should include a strategy to enable usage i.e., exploitation of the project results after termination. Such valorisation strategy aims to fulfil the objective of general post-project usage of project results. It differs from commercialisation in that commercialisation is focused on generating a profit. 3. Valorisation strategy The project beneficiaries of the CBVE project are distance education students, distance education staff, content developers, trainers, business professionals. All are important actors in the valorisation strategy and need to be involved through several instruments that would fit the needs of these actors. Therefore, a mix of valorisation activities is compiled targeting all mentioned stakeholders. Below, the detailed valorisation activities are elaborated on. 4. Valorisation activities Key actions will secure the sustainability of the project results over time. Potential action lines are presented below. 1. First, the CBVE consortium seeks structural embedding of the project deliverables into current practices i.e., courses and curricula. This is done so by staff working with the developed deliverables of the project. 2. Second, a multiplier effect of entrepreneurialism spirit is not just anticipated for students, but for colleague academic staff as well (as the cascade-effect of training the staff and staff showing off their skills). 3. Third, distribution of good-practice on virtual entrepreneurship as found in the project, are distributed among the (other) EADTU members, herewith facilitating the possible 2

usage or adoption of developed deliverables, or elements hereof, by a total of universities 25 actors, outside the CBVE consortium. 4. Fourth, by opening up some deliverables under a Creative Commons licence (or others) i.e., making some parts or whole Open Education Resource (OER), a larger community can be addressed to assure product sustainability over time. 5. Fifth, by integrating the CBVE portal into the larger EADTU Virtual Mobility portal and associated (existing) funding structures, would create a more sustainable model for retention of web traffic to the CBVE portal and would create a more sustainable model for management of its content. 6. Sixth, by offering entrepreneurial training and workshops on demand to third parties, the developed educational content as well as the configured virtual entrepreneurial space is exploited (non-commercial use/ non-profit model: cost-covering). 7. Seventh, by (early) strengthening of the local, regional and national involvement. Sustainability and usage of end product is increased through involvement of the stakeholders in an early stage of project. All partners have a clear responsibility in compiling names of organisations that can be targeted or who already are willing to participate in the process. Business relations are reviewed and potential target groups are consulted. Partners will explicitly detail their local promotion and valorisation, regional promotion and valorisation, and national promotion and valorisation Examples are: - employer involvement: Chambers of commerce, Entrepreneur networks (starters), Regional innovation centres, Branch organisations, Local, regional and national employer bodies, Industry and trade unions, Business fairs and seminars, etc. - Student involvement: European student unions, Internship markets and fairs, Student agencies, Student employment agencies, coordinators in and professional education - Internet: Existing student and business portals, EU mobility sites - Professional networks: Business seminar organisers and promoters, Conference organisers and promoters, European networks of vocational training (institutions), Erasmus/Leonardo da Vinci contact agencies in Europe, 3

European educational associations, European networks of distance teaching, Academic networks of professionals, and Special interest groups 8. Specific (pilot) regional approaches to cooperation/valorisation targets Chambers of Commerce The Dutch Chambers of Commerce (Limburg Zuid and Limburg Noord) support the development of entrepreneurship. The Dutch Chamber of Commerce undertakes all sorts of initiatives to stimulate the regional economy and to create more space for business in every sense of the word. The activities in these fields are always discussed with the regional employers and employees organisations and implemented in co-operation with industry organisations as well as local and regional employers associations. One important task of the Chamber of Commerce is to inform its entrepreneurs on relevant news issues. The Dutch Chamber of Commerce has declared its dissemination support to the CBVE project and will accordingly bring CBVE project results to the attention of its regional businesses via media at their disposal (Chamber of Commerce newspaper, electronic newsletter). The support of the Chamber of Commerce is appreciated and very relevant to the project. Following this support the Dutch Chamber of Commerce, the Chambers of Commerce residing in the countries of the partners will also be approached. Chamber of Commerce and Industry The Hungarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén country (Miskolc) has also declare its participation in the project. The Hungarian Chamber of Commerce for this region has declared the intention to carry out project promotion and valorisation activities via the media at their disposal, on request of the project coordinator. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry for Borsod-Abaúj- Zemplén country maintains connections with the other regional Chambers within Hungary which accordingly represent Commerce, Industry, Services, Crafts and Agriculture. 4

The Estonian Chamber of Commerce The Estonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ECCI) is an interesting promotional partner for the CBVE partnership, because the majority of the ECCI's membership represents small and medium size businesses 95% are SME-s. This target group can surely benefit from the possibilities the CBVE project has to offer. The ECCI provides several business-related services consultation (legal, foreign trade, EU-related), business match-making (trade missions, trade fair visits, presentations), information services (business contacts, co-operation proposals etc.), training and foreign trade documents. The ECCI has offices in Tallinn, Tartu, Pärnu, Jõhvi and Kuressaare. The ECCI shall be approached for its participation, once the project is approved by the EC. MKB Nederland (Dutch SME network) MKB Nederland is the representative organisation for the Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the Netherlands. They have a large network of regional offices by which they in contact with the regional and local business issues. At MKB Nederland, 4000 regional and local enterprises are listed. On adding the local members and the branch representatives, MKB Nederland represents more than 175.000 entrepreneurs. MKB Nederland counts ten regions. These regions will be addressed during the project period, for participation on public information provision towards the SMEs. Regionaal OndernemersContact (regional entrepreneur contact) The ROCs have the mission to support the interests of the business community in the region. They participate with sister ROCs throughout the country and have close relations with the regional Chambers of Commerce. On the local level the ROC shall be asked to participate in the project and disseminate project information top their business members. Budapest Foundation for Enterprise Promotion [Budapest Enterprise Agency] (BEA) The Budapest Enterprise Agency (BEA) is a SME promotion agency founded by the municipality of the city of Budapest in 1993. Its legal status is a non-profit foundation for the general good of society. The foundation has been operating its agency, the 5

Budapest Enterprise Agency (BEA) since 1994 (The Budapest Enterprise Agency was formerly known as the Budapest Foundation for Enterprise Promotion in its association charter. Registration of the modified name is in progress). The Budapest Enterprise Agency became a public service foundation in 1999. The BEA's main objective is to establish and promote existing, viable enterprises in Budapest. It is to realise the economic development programme of Budapest, to assist the creation of SMEs and provide sustainable growth for SMEs through its programmes (credit, training, matchmaking, organisation of conferences, business meetings in Hungary and abroad), and to create a successful and efficient institutional framework for receiving and using enterprise promotion funds available in Hungary and in EU. The BEA will be addressed by the Hungarian partner in the CBVE project. Additional organisations that will be addressed in Hungary during the project are: - Chamber of Trade and Commerce of Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén - VÁTI Hungarian Public Nonprofit Company for Regional Development and Town Planning - regional office - North-Hungarian Regional Centre of the Hungarian Innovation Association - North-Hungarian Regional Development Agency - North-Hungarian Regional Development Council - Co-operation Research Centre for Mechatronics and Materials Science consortium of 55 industrial/research partners. Innovation management Cooperation Research Centre (ImCRC) consortium of 14 partners, - Mechatronic and Logistic Systems Regional University Knowledge Centre (MLR-RET) consortium of 9 partners - Research Institute of Applied Chemistry hydrocarbon/organic geochemistry - Innovation Technology Transfer Centre (ITTC) - Gender Studies and Equal Opportunities Centre 9. Actions European The elearning Industry Group (elig) elig is an European Association of Industry and a collaborative partner of EADTU based on a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). By providing of gateway to its members within the IT industry, this Consortium is applied in the spreading of CBVE project information. The elearning Industry Group, elig, is an open 6

consortium of leading ICT companies and elearning content providers. The collaboration of EADTU and elig has the objective to promote the development and application of modern communication technologies and improve and broaden the accessibility of ICT, especially in the field of education. elig has an extensive network of company contacts which are especially valuable for the CBVE project. elig is asked to distribute on a periodic basis information on the project results to its contacts via means at their disposal: mailings to database contacts, publications in their magazines, direct company contacts, major networking events and website announcements. 10. Incorporation into systems and practices A provision is made for passing on the project results to educational decision-makers and professionals by several initiatives. EADTU annually assembles the general Rectors meeting and Associations meeting for institutions in distance higher education. The EADTU proposes to include on the agenda, the CBVE projects results as well as a discussion on the incorporation of entrepreneurship as a component of the curriculum in distance Higher Education. The long term goal is to have the products of CBVE incorporated into systems and practices, for example by having it recognised/certified in distance Higher Education. Under this point also is included the integrating of the CBVE portal into the larger EADTU Virtual Mobility portal and associated (existing) funding structures, would create a more sustainable model for retention of web traffic to the CBVE portal and would create a more sustainable model for management of its content. Current information on this Task Force EPICS initiative: Already several initiatives and programmes are running in international exchange and virtual mobility within EADTU. By opening each other s university programmes we open a world of new and specialised products for our students and enable them to build highly individualised study programmes. The expertise and protocols of cooperation this field is currently developed within several projects. The Task Force EPICS intends to collect these findings of related projects and translated these in an institutionalised international database on content and services for the EADTU members. 7

11. Valorisation event The aim of this event is to present the results of the project, and the actions that lever the results in terms of sustainability. An active (high-quality over high-quantity) engagement and discussion is foreseen with professional invitees from the regions that participated in the project. The event provides a platform for sharing bestpractice in education and training on entrepreneurship, and an opportunity to investigate potential cooperation with other initiatives going on. 12. Business promotion/book The aim of this dissemination product is to promote the results of the project and to stimulate the development of entrepreneurial competence in lifelong learners. The book is meant as a carrier to boost cooperation between distance teaching universities (on the one hand) and business community, regional entrepreneurial networks and chambers of commerce (on the other hand). The paper-based version of the book (limited edition) will be used in facilitating regional networking and cooperation between key (field) professionals and academics. The electronic derivative will be used to address more general audiences (i.e., public, peers and learners). 8