The Project CONNECT covers 3 countries from Region2 –Moldova (MD), Armenia (AM), Georgia (GE). This project will contribute to meeting the regional priority for all 3 countries: to intensify cooperation and dialogue between universities and industry. It supports the continuing reform of the higher education sector in MD, AM, GE. It does this by strengthening the capacity of teaching staff, students at all the levels and alumni and maximise the involvement of entrepreneurial education (especially for those who don’t automatically enter in contact with such studies) and practice throughout tailored and joint activities with industry, new digital tools, introduction of relevant improvements in curricula provision, thus directly contributing on the changes needed for the transformation, modernization of the sector.

The main objective of the project is to emphasize university-industry relationships based on the smart entrepreneurial approaches in HEIs from Eastern Partnership countries. The aim of the project is to encourage and support creative, supportive and motivating environment of SMART Caffes. Consequently students will have the opportunity to be mentored, guided and advised by company representatives and university staff.

The specific objectives of the project are:

• Increase the teaching and learning capacity of MD, AM, GE universities thanks to the Programme Countries best practice on entrepreneurship, digital, communication, and artistic/self-expression education.
  • Improve students’ entrepreneurial behaviors, skills, mindsets of future start-ups, and support recently incorporated companies at university settings.
• Foster the infrastructure of co-creative hubs such as smart caffe which support students who generate, develop, market their own innovative ideas through entrepreneurship &/or open innovation in three EaP countries.
• Introduce and implement the new and innovative form of the interconnection of university-enterprise systems through join activities.
• Improve involvement of the students who do not automatically come into contact with entrepreneurial studies and enhance problem-based learning, entrepreneurial skills, behaviors, mindsets through the interdisciplinary approach by revising of curricula and dissemination events.

Project Partners:

Moldova

• Moldova State University
• State Agrarian University of Moldova
• Academy of Music, Theatre and Fine Arts
• Technical State University
• Alecu Russo Balti State University
• “IMPULS” NGO

Georgia

• Ilia State University
• Shota Rustaveli Theatre and Film Georgia State University

Armenia

• Brusov State University
• Vanadzor State University after H. Tumanyan
• Association for Creative-Innovative and Sustainable Development NGO

EU Partners

• National University of Theatre and Film “I.L. Caragiale”, Romania
• “RISEBA” University of Business, Arts and Technology, Latvia
• Anthology Management, Bulgaria
• Lappeenranta University of Technology, Finland

More details can be found on the official webpage of the project http://connecterasmus.com/