Project background

Project duration: 36 months, 1.10.2020–30.9.2023

Project background and overall objective

Very often the internationalization and growth of businesses is limited by the lack of competent workforce. The indirect objective of the project is to respond to the above mentioned problem by training competent workforce to the needs of small and medium sized businesses on the edge of internationalization. According to research the employers seem to integrate internationalization competences with such features as empathy, resilience, capability to solve problems, assertiveness and trustworthiness. Internationalization competences are not seen only as language skills, cultural understanding or mobility. The training programme developed by the project produces not only traditional marketing skills but also soft skills appreciated by the employers such as capability to solve problems, resilience and team working skills.

The pedagogical context of the training programme is team learning. According to studies team learning as pedagogical solution enhances the skills and qualities needed in the future of work: communication skills, seeing tasks as projects, project management skills, flexibility and ability to cope with change.

The objective of the project is to develop a flexible training programme and curriculum for business, administration, commerce and management field of upper secondary VET. In the training programme learning at work, project learning (in cooperation with SMEs and other organisations), studying abroad, digital learning and team learning are combined. By developing this flexible training programme the project enables business, administration, commerce students to acquire competences needed when operating in international operational environments and to advance the development of their soft skills.

Project aims and intellectual outputs

The main aims and intellectual outputs of the strategic partnership project are:

IO1) Implementation of an investigative research including comparison of marketing related competence requirements in the partner countries (10/2020–09/2021)

IO2) Development of training programme and curriculum (theme being marketing) that is targeted to business, administration, commerce and management students in the partner countries. (10/2021–05/2023)

The training programme is partly digital and partly face-to-face and conducted in English. The core pedagogical methods applied when executing the training programme are learning by doing and team learning. In each partner country there are companies/organisations that are willing to let students plan, perform and evaluate their marketing activities. These SMEs/organisations act as associative partners during the project.

IO3) Development of e-learning course / e-learning module to support the implementation / piloting of the curriculum. Development of English training materials that are relevant regarding the above mentioned development and realization of training programme and curriculum. (10/2021–05/2023)

The development of marketing training programme and e-learning course make it possible for business, administration etc. students and teachers in partner countries to network with each other. It also makes it possible for the students to complete study modules in English and get international experience through studying as a member of an European study group. Through this experience, the students in the partner countries will improve not only their marketing skills and knowledge but also their language and interaction skills as well as their soft skills appreciated by employers.

Project target groups & associated partners

The participants of the project are VET-teachers and VET-students who need to develop their competences regarding internationalization, marketing, working in teams and learning through projects which are offered by associated partners e.g. companies in need of refreshing their marketing plans and implementation.