13 October 2023 – Project partners and entrepreneurship educators in the PoMP project – Fostering Entrepreneurship Skills in Schools, aimed at a green and sustainable Europe, visited their Norwegian partner, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, in September. They partnered with NTNU precisely due to their longstanding practice of training teachers in entrepreneurial competencies.”
The purpose of the study visit to Trondheim and NTNU University was to learn about good practices. The team of project partners and educators embarked on this journey with open minds and expectations, and returned enriched with insights that will undoubtedly contribute to the enhancement of entrepreneurial education in Slovenia.
One of the key highlights of the study visit was the presentation of a teacher training program in entrepreneurial competencies, which is conducted for numerous educators in the Trøndelag region. In this region, which is approximately a quarter the size of Slovenia, this program is implemented for a significantly larger number of teachers than in Slovenija. Additionally, the spotlight was on the Johan Bojer STEM High School, which impressed with sustainable construction and a practical technical educational program carried out in collaboration with local companies, specialists in robot and drone manufacturing. An interesting fact is that Johan Bojer is the only school in Norway, and likely beyond, where one can obtain education to become a pilot of maritime or aerial unmanned vehicles.
The presentation of kindergarten teachers was also intriguing, where they instruct young children in sustainable shopping and the principles of a circular economy. This was followed by an introduction to the world’s most widespread and oldest entrepreneurship program, Junior Achievement, which serves as the ‘official’ program for fostering entrepreneurship in schools in the Trøndelag region. During these presentations, project partners and educators familiarized themselves with various classroom working methods.
During the visit, Slovenian teacher and project partners also showcased their own best practices, although these will be elaborated further for the Norwegian counterparts when they visit Slovenia in March. As a result, the Norwegian partners gained insights into programs like ScienceJam and POPRI, as well as the innovative methods of our educators and project partners working with young people and fellow educators.
The study visit to Norway undoubtedly confirmed that Slovenia excels in the field of entrepreneurship, while also highlighting opportunities for further improvement, especially in terms of collaboration with the local community. Project partners will continue to ardently pursue the goal of enhancing educational practices and promoting entrepreneurship within our educational system.
In the PoMP project, which is supported by the Norway Grants, includes Scientific Research Centre Bistra Ptuj as the project promoter and project partners Primorska Technology Park, Development Centre Novo mesto, SAŠA incubator and Norwegian University of Science and Technology.
Source: Project PoMP