From March 24–28, 2025, Dresden University of Technology hosted a training week titled Developing Soft Skills in Higher Education Institutions of Armenia and Georgia in Line with the Demands of the 21st-Century Labor Market (DeSIRe). This event was part of the Erasmus+ CBHE project, funded by the European Commission.

Participants explored diverse teaching topics, including:

• Entrepreneurship Skills Development: Led by Valeria Racheva from WEFOUND – Global Women’s Startups and Entrepreneurs Fund, this session focused on fostering initiative, proactivity, and strategic visions for creating business ideas.
• Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI): The Diversity Management Department at Dresden University presented best practices for addressing special educational needs and creating inclusive learning environments.
• Business Communication and Negotiation: Participants honed essential communication skills by combining theoretical insights with practical exercises.
• Organizational Culture Development: Gerard Kalen, the DeSIRe Project Coordinator, led discussions on integrating institutional values and collaborative practices into educational design.
• Digital Literacy and Teaching Tools: Vanessa Gamiz Sanchez guided participants through modern digital approaches in education.
• Finalizing MOOC Content: Instructional design for modules on EDI, business modeling, and organizational culture was completed.

The last day of the training week was dedicated to analyzing management issues and reviewing implemented activities. The program outlined plans, including trainings and meetings at higher education institutions in Finland and Ireland, alongside preparatory work for the project’s interim report.

For detailed information about the project and its goals, please visit the project’s website: https://desire-project.com/