Within the framework of the SE.TC project, which sees the involvement of 4 Lebanese universities and 3 European institutions, a training visit to the Technological University of the Shannon in Ireland was held. The scope of the visit was to explore different facets related to Social Entrepreneurship, from the relevance in education to the impact on the society.
The visit was an occasion of learning, collaboration, strategic alignment and synergic development of the different activities and opportunities offered by the project. It did not represent an isolated task but rather an integral component of a concerted effort towards realizing the project’s vision and objectives.
The first impressions
The activity marked a significant milestone in the project timeline, since allowed Partners to meet in person for the first time, and to jointly engage in high-level discussions on the Lebanese training needs related to Social Entrepreneurship. Moreover, the partners discussed on the wide range of opportunities Social Entrepreneurship offers to university students, on the impact that social entreprises bring on the local communities and in general on the strategies to raise awareness and engage youth into sustainable business practices.
The training visit reinforced the knowledge of participants on:
- sustainable development in higher education
- key themes and trends in social entrepreneurship education
- inspiring examples and best practices in Ireland
- curriculum development to include SE
- training needs for social entrepreneurs
The visits to social enterprises
Moreover, the days in Limerick allowed Partners to visit 3 different social enterprises, seeing first-hand how these enterprises function; learning how they have been funded in the first place; the existing relationships with local authorities, with training institutions and with employers; and most importantly how they involve the most fragiles in the society providing a different model of integration. The visits were held at:
- Limerick City Building Center, Limerick
- Moyross Community Enterprise Centre, Moyross, Limerick
- St. Munchins Enterprise Centre, Limerick
From these visits, participants gained awareness about their resilience, their capacity to identify the most pressing needs and concerns, and how to develop effective and sustainable social entrepreneurial initiatives that address genuine needs. They provided inspiration for innovation, evidence of creativity and resourcefulness, deepening the understanding of all the facets related to such complex social developments. This in turn allowed them to re-think how to adapt the educational offer provided.
To follow the upcoming activities of the project and how social entrepreneurship can and will impact on the educational offer of Lebanese universities, follow us on www.setc-project.eu.
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