Kazimieras Simonavičius University together with 14 international partners successfully implemented the project “Investing in Entrepreneurial Universities in Caucasus and Central Asia” which was financed under Erasmus+ Programme (Key Action 2 – Capacity Building in the field of Higher Education).

Project partners:

• Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg, Germany (the leading partner)
• Masaryk University, Czech Republic
• Vrije University Brussel, Belgium
• Kazimieras Simonavičius University, Lithuania
• University of Minho, Portugal
• Glasgow Caledonian University, UK
• Ilia State University, Georgia
• Caucasus University, Georgia
• Bank of Georgia University, Georgia
• Kutaisi University, Georgia
• Kyrgyz Economic University, Kyrgyz Republic
• International Ataturk Alatoo University, Kyrgyz Republic
• Issyk-Kul State University, Kyrgyz Republic
• University of Economy and Enterprises, Kyrgyz Republic
• Association of Educational Establishments “Education Network”, Kyrgyz Republic

The main goal of the project was to enhance entrepreneurial culture and creativity within higher education in Georgia and Kyrgyz Republic and to strengthen the role of higher education institutions as an active stakeholder that contributes to the socio-economic development of society by fostering cooperation enterprise-university at both academic and industry level as well as between EU and beneficiary countries. The project achieved this goal by developing a creative and supportive environment at institutional level through the establishment of CreaLABs and a network of them in Georgia and Kyrgyz Republic. These networks are serving as platforms to encourage and foster students’ entrepreneurial ideas and at the same time support the bridge that links enterprises and universities for the benefit of innovation and socio-economic development in beneficiary countries.

During the project the following results were achieved:

• European best practices in the production of innovation and preparation of documents necessary for enhancing entrepreneurship in HEIs through interaction between university-enterprises were disseminated in Georgia and Kyrgyz Republic.
• Creative centres (CreaLABs) were set up and equipped in each GE and KG HEI to support students and researchers ideas that can potentially end up in the market and commercial products through entrepreneurship and open innovation.
• Improved skills and competences of staff working in CreatLABs to support entrepreneurship and bring closer enterprises and universities.
• Designed an intensive training programme on teaching entrepreneurship for professors and students seeking to integrate effective and new methods of teaching entrepreneurship in the respective courses through case-studies and problem-solving methods.
• Implemented pilot activities which were organised by CreaLABs.
• Created a network of professors and practitioners to encourage entrepreneurship and cooperation enterprise-university in beneficiary countries.

The project was implemented on October 2015 – March 2019.