From November 20 to 22, 2024, the SE.TC – Social Entrepreneurship in Times of Crises training visit took place in Rome, hosted by UNIMED – Mediterranean Universities Union and the International Telematic University UNINETTUNO.
The event brought together Partners from Lebanon and Europe to explore how social entrepreneurship can address the socio-economic challenges facing Lebanon, particularly youth unemployment.
How to establish a successful social enterprise: useful tips and personal experiences
The visit highlighted the critical need to align education with the demands of the job market, offering young people the necessary skills to become entrepreneurs. The participation of international and local experts enriched the workshop, giving interesting insights for the development of a social enterprise.
The overview of UNIMED projects in the area of employability, together with student engagement initiatives, and fundraising and resource management tools, offered the participants a clear understanding on the essential components for a successful enterprise led by potential young entrepreneurs. In addition, the presentation on behalf of Alessandra Iaconelli, Director of the Career Service at UNIMARCONI in Rome, helped to understand how universities can provide guidance to graduates while entering the job market.
In the framework of the visit, the testimony of Alberto Pelosi, CEO at Albergo Etico Roma, was an inspiring case-study demonstrating how social enterprises can balance financial sustainability with social impact, offering a model for future initiatives.
Curriculum development: an initial step in making social entrepreneurship skills accessible
Another key focus of the event was fostering collaboration between universities, social enterprises, and local stakeholders. Participants explored ways to integrate digital and entrepreneurial skills into university curricula, with a strong emphasis on sharing best practices and building ecosystems that support social innovation, together with an analysis on the environment’s legal framework. The SE.TC Partners will work jointly to develop a curriculum on Social Entrepreneurship to be delivered by the 4 Lebanese universities, providing students and young professionals with training materials on how to support their innovative ideas in a more sustainable way.
The importance of digital skills and innovation were then presented by experts from UNINETTUNO that gave an overview on the development of online courses and online teaching platforms, making use of the metaverse. The digital technologies offered the chance to the participants to delve into innovative solutions and to experiment by themselves – with the registration of the SE.TC project video – how technological development can facilitate education even in times of crises.
Looking ahead
The SE.TC training visit in Rome offered participants a platform for collaboration, innovation, and inspiration. As they return to their respective institutions, they carry with them new strategies to foster social entrepreneurship, empower youth, and build resilient communities across the Mediterranean.
In a region marked by crises, initiatives like SE.TC demonstrate that through education, partnership, and entrepreneurship, positive change is not only possible but within reach. In this perspective, synergies with other initiatives in place in neighboring countries, such as the EPISODE project, will be developed to benefit by the experience of other universities in crisis contexts.
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