This questionnaire aims at identifying the main success factors, obstacles, successful strategies and approaches to effective work-based learning (WBL) in SMEs in order to motivate and engage them in the higher provision of WBL and apprenticeships.

​The results will provide the base for the elaboration of the digital tool for the calculation of the return on investments (ROI) of WBL and apprenticeships made by SMEs. The research is part of the project “Return on Investment of Work Based learning and Apprenticeships” project N°: 2017-1-SK01-KA202-035375. 

​We would highly appreciate your participation in this study. The research is taking place in all the countries of the project's partnership: Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Spian and the UK. However, with this post we are focussed on Bulgarian SMEs and will take you a few minutes to enourmously help the study.

* In the processing of analysis data, partners will maintain the confidentiality of your response. 
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The ROI project promotes open and innovative practices in a digital era. It delivers a web based digital tool accessible also by mobile devices in the form of a Dynamic Demonstrator capable of depicting in a purely visual way how investment in WBL and apprenticeships can manifest to multiple benefits for the company and the local society.

The innovative force of the project is the development of a model of costs and benefits calibrated on the specific needs of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in order to calculate in advance the return of investments. Differently from traditional ROI analysis, the model presented by the project focuses on both SMEs-related benefits as well as on society-related ones in order to clearly demonstrate the multilevel outcomes derived from work-based learning practices.
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The project will deliver useful tools and your assistance in the research would be much appreciated:

1. Model for Return on Investment of WBL and apprenticeships
2. Digital tool
3. Good practice guide

For more information on the tools, please read here and below you will find useful information from the resources you will have access to when they become available:

• If you are an SME already involved in apprenticeships, you will gain a model and a practical digital tool to calculate the return on investment from your engagement in the provision of WBL and apprenticeships. You will also benefit from the opportunity to promote your related activities through the Good Practices Guide and the participation in the apprenticeships-friendly enterprises badge. This will allow you to gain visibility on your local and national markets, as a company that cares for their apprenticeships. This visibility will support your company’s’ image and social responsibility.

• If you are an SME with no previous experience in apprenticeships, you will get familiar and discuss the benefits of apprenticeships for the local development and the progress of your own company. By visualising the benefits for your company, through the provision of WBL and Apprenticeships, you are expected to engage in the provision of such positions thus enhancing the overall VET provision at local level and enhancing access to training and qualifications for all.

• If you are a VET provider, you will have at your disposal a model and a digital tool to promote to SMEs in order to engage them in the provision of apprenticeships. This way you will be able to find more easily apprenticeship positions for your learners.

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• If you are a policy maker, you will be able to use the model and the digital tool results in your decision making processes in order to discuss the funding mechanisms for apprenticeships and engage in a dialogue with SMEs, VET providers and social partners for the identification of a sustainable funding formula.

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"Return on Investment of Work Based Learning and apprenticeships" (N°: 2017-1-SK01-KA202-035375) is a project co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union*.

* Erasmus+ is the European Union’s (EU) programme for education, training, youth and sport, with the EU committing £12 billion to the programme between 2014 and 2020. By 2020 it is expected that over 800,000 education and training staff and youth workers will teach or train abroad across Europe with Erasmus+. Projects provide opportunities for learners and staff to improve their skills, enhance their employability and gain cultural awareness.

Knowledge, Innovation and Strategies Management Club (KISMC) is a partner along with a diverse and complementary mix of organisations - from Slovakia the Technical University of Kosice (TUKE), 3 training organisations active in VET: IDEC - Greece, CECOA - Portugal, PIT - Spain and also from the UK - Social Value UK - a network focusing on social value and social impact, from Italy a network focusing on the promotion of digital learning and use of ICT - DLEARN and an ICT company focusing in ICT-enabled E&T - Cosmic Innovations - Cyprus.
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The ROI project promotes open and innovative practices in a digital era. It delivers a web based digital tool accessible also by mobile devices in the form of a Dynamic Demonstrator capable of depicting in a purely visual way how investment in WBL and apprenticeships can manifest to multiple benefits for the company and the local society. The digital tools developed in the framework of the project will remain available as open educational resources under Creative Common License.
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For SMEs with limited financial resources, work based learning (WBL) represents an important tool. The RoI online tool offers:

• a cost and social benefits model calibrated on specific needs of SME managers and entrepreneurs to calculate the RoI for apprenticeships and WBL supply.

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1. Contribute to the sustainable investment of WBL and apprenticeships by making apparent their benefits for both individual SMEs and the society as a whole
2. Develop a model for the calculation of RoI of WBL and apprenticeships by SMEs
3. Design a digital tool that will demonstrate the RoI model in a visual way
4. Develop a Good Practice Guide addressed to SMEs, giving guidance on how to design, implement and monitor profitable apprenticeship practices which can benefit the enterprise, the apprentice and the entire society
5. Create and promote an apprenticeship-friendly SMEs badge to increase the engagement of companies in the provision of WBL
6. Promote a VET – SMEs cooperation, through experimentation and validation of the RoI model

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ROI of WBL and apprenticeships has been designed to engage:
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1. Managers, staff and trainers from SMEs that already host or are interested in providing WBL and apprenticeship;
2. Staff from VET providers, i.e. VET teachers and trainers, administrative staff dealing with apprenticeships, etc;
3. Policy makers, representative of stakeholders, VET expert and practitioners, social partners.

In addition to that, long-term beneficiaries such as VET learners who will benefit from the increased provision of WBL opportunities in their local, regional and national area.
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For more information on the blog publication, where you can also review more details about the BASET project, please read here

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Steps2Scale is a new project where the Knowledge, Innovation and Strategies Management Club is a partner along with other organisations from Bulgaria, Austria, Spain, Slovenia and the United Kingdom. The project has been co-funded by the ERASMUS+ Programme of the European Union and aims at creating a harmonized qualification and competence framework for the profession Scaling up Adviser which currently does not exist in any EU country.
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To those who haven't had a chance of exploring this topic, it is a fact that Europe is hosting around 4200 scaleups (SEP Monitor; Scaleup Europe, June 2017). 

INFO: * Scaleups are high tech companies with minimum 5 years of experience on the local market, already proven and well established market niche, have developed internationalization strategy and readiness to go and find new markets as well as add value by identifying and realizing win-win opportunities for collaboration with established companies. Scaleups are already past the search phase, thrive in the execution phase of the business model and exist on top of a solid startup ecosystem.

​The new Start-up and Scale-up Initiative of the European Commission (EC) focuses on providing opportunities for innovative entrepreneurs to become world leading companies, improving the conditions for startups and scaleups and enhancing competitiveness in Europe. Besides this initiative, there are joint efforts to boost the growth of startups and SMEs in Europe but it has been concluded that very few make it beyond the critical first few years. Therefore, the European Commission is determined to change that and help startups deliver their full potential by creating a culture that supports growth. We all know that it is considered that small businesses are the backbone of a country's economy, but exploring deeper it does appear that growing companies bring prosperity whereas such an ecosystem needs to be cultivated and stimulated.

"The goal is for Europe to become the first choice for ambitious entrepreneurs to set up and grow their breakthrough business ideas into successful companies in well-performing ecosystems. In return, they will create new jobs, foster social responsibility and some will become global leaders." (Start-up and Scale-up Initiative; EC, 2016).

The objectives in the Steps2Scale project are concentrated on the development of support system in the field of adult education and training; support to entrepreneurs in the key phase of the lifecycle of their business and support the entrepreneurial culture in Europe whilst establishing new innovative managers too.

• Bulgarian Industrial Association – Union Of The Bulgarian Business, Coordinator, Bulgaria
• Birmingham Chamber Of Commerce And Industry, United Kingdom
• University of Deusto, Spain
• ECQA GmbH, Austria
• Obrtno-Podjetniska Zbornica Slovenije, Slovenia
• Knowledge, Innovation and Strategies Management Club, Bulgaria

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​On 2 April 2018 all partners in the BASET project gathered for the 2nd project meeting in Piraeus, Greece. The project coordinator Knowledge, Innovation and Strategies Management Club (KISMC) and the project partners CEED Bulgaria, IDEC, Caban Capital and Creative District presented social entrepreneurship case studies from each country with regard to the Social Entrepreneurship Development Model (SEDM) for BASET: Boost Aid for Social Entrepreneurship through Training.

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For more information on the Project Meeting in Greece, please read here

The international conference "Innovation - Creating the Future" was attended by more than 200 delegates from over 15 countries, brought businesses and universities together and provoked them to brainstorm on how to work together for a better future for both parties and how innovation could be an integral part for a better collaboration.

After months of preparation and challenges the team at the Knowledge, Innovation and Strategies Management Club together with the State University of Library Studies and Information Technolgies and the partners from the Erasmus+ funded APInno project did host not only a successful event summarising the benefits the results of the project will bring, but an event full of excitement, great networking and plenty of follow ups bringing potential opportunities for everyone. There have been missed flights, travelling for days to come from the other side of the globe, emotions, exhaustion, sleepless nights for some but the enthusiasm and the sparks around the conference main hall and additional rooms were simply amazing.

The whole APInno team were also extremely delighted to have 20+ universities from different countries, 80+ companies, social partners and policy makers which contributed to a valuable discussion throughout the whole day of 21 November 2016 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

If you missed the opportunity to join us at this illuminating event, we have recapped 7 conclusions drawn from the conference day below.

Innovation plays a focal role in the university and business collaboration BUT this role needs to be structured the same way innovation is a systematic process. Therefore, after trials and erros for 2 years the APInno project established an innovation management methodology which is based on expriential learning in order to bridge the large gap between what workforce universities 'produce' and what companies actually need. The methodology shows us that from the messy idea generation moment through concept development and pipeline management, execution and implementation have to follow.

The public is already beginning to question the value higher education provides to society. It is obvious that things need to change as we can all observe how students have troubles finding appropriate jobs after graduating and trying to settle their debts which they took to be able to study at a university. Therefore, instead of making money and contributing to the economy, students waste time and incur expenses. Yes, the university model needs to be fundamentally altered so they could feed businesses with the energy and enthusiasm of skillful employees ready to 'fight' in a competitive world where innovation is not only a buzz word but reality.

We see new mindsets, new generations, new organisations appearing on the horizon. We also see new markets emerging. The world has moved from having thousands of businesses each with millions of customers to millions of businesses with hundreds of thousands of customers. This is a result from shifting to technology-supported industries. However, innovation is not about technology at all, it is about how we efficiently and effectively use what we have in order to produce value for ourselves and others.

Perhaps most people have already observed that creativity and innovation have become buzzwords for business success, followed by terms such as ‘Design Thinking’ creeping into business education. However, some research shows us that there is around 20% decline in creative capacity of learners in the past 20 years. In an era when creativity is in demand, we need to first understand the creative thinking process and the difference between implementation (doing things that are determined by others and matching against their expectations) and innovation (producing multiple and varied solutions that respond to change and often surprise).

The entrepreneurial journey is simple: starts from an idea, right through a business model to the business plan. However, entrepreneurs need to take into consideration the market desirability, financial viability and technical feasibility of the business they are trying to establish. Therefore,  designing a business model is the essence of a business opportunity, whether it is to be pursued in a start-up, corporate venturing or social entrepreneurial setting.

Universities are a great source for technological opportunities for creating high-technology ventures. Despite that, universities are generally characterized as having weak capabilities for the development of commercial applications. The academic culture values getting its hands on research, but the commercial and entrepreneurial aspect comes right outside it and this is a sensitive issue. Academia has to develop not only creative and confident minds but commercially oriented graduates prepared for the business challenges they will come across.

The APInno project has proven once again the importance of business and academia partnership. But the collaboration focuses on the topic of innovation and this has brought new amazing ideas for future work on assisting the two parties. The project sets out important points to look at, for example, how such collaboration can accelerate the university-work transition for students through internships and how setting real innovation challenges to be solved by students could be a real asset for businesses. Indeed, it's a win-win for everyone.

Don’t miss out on a conference programme featuring speakers from the UK, Spain, South Africa, Romania and Bulgaria who have international exprience in various industries in the area of innovation, entrepreneurship and education.

The event is almost fully booked and we don’t want you to miss out on this opportunity where you have the chance to not only get into great discussions Innovation in Education & Education in Innovation, but play games and network with over 150 guests from 15+ countries.

With only a few days until the "INNOVATION - Creating the Future" conference opens its doors on 21 November 2016 in Sofia, Bulgaria, there are still 18 places left (at the time of speaking). Of course, if these are taken up fast, then you would get on our reserve list and wait until someone already registered drops out. Therefore, you could still have a chance to make the most of such an event and network with all the international delegates on coffee, lunch and a glass of wine by REGISTERING NOW.

Having in mind that the conference does not have a registration fee, all you need to do is hurry up and go to the event page, review the information and register as soon as possible in order to secure your spot at the conference.

REMINDER: The conference registration is by 17 November 2016

The focus of "Innovation - Creating the Future" would be on opportunities and challenges businesses and universities face in working together for mutual benefits. It will give you the opportunity be to contribute to a positive change in the business-university collaboration through innovation.

In this blog publication we are presenting the discussion panels speakers of the international conference "INNOVATION - Creating the Future" which will take place on 21 November 2016 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

We have experts and professionals with experience in the field of innovation, entrepreneurship, new business model generation, knowledge management, open innovation and social innovation, design thinking, R&D, business development, startups, NGOs, etc. In the meantime, if you are also curious to review the experience of our keynote speakers, you can find more information here.

With the event approaching in less than a week and registration closing on 17 November, you can review the speakers at the two discussion panels Innovation in Education & Education in Innovation below and decide if you would like to come and meet all the speakers and international guests from over 15 countries (the number keeps growing with every post we write).

The APInno team behind the international conference "INNOVATION - Creating the Future" which will take place on 21 November 2016 in Sofia, Bulgaria is pleased to have amazing speakers with diverse backgrounds and experience in innovation, entrepreneurship and education.

In this blog post we are showcasing the keynote speakers and their experience while we will still have a publication about our speakers at the discussion and games panels. Although you would notice that most speakers are representing universities, all of them have a broad industry exprience ranging from starting businesses on a variety of continents to management exprience in the creative and hospitality sector, aerospace and electronics to leading institutions commercialising innovation. In addition to the industry practice, our keynote speakers provide trainings and lectures in areas such as entrepreneurship, innovation management, cultural management, design thinking, 3D printing and others.

Our 6 speakers are either former or current Innovation Managers, Entrepreneurs, Senior Managers, Directors, CEOs, Trainers and Researchers. Therefore, you would be able to hear every side of how to make innovation happen.

Take a closer look below to find your added value in the conference where you would not only listen to the speeches, but where you could take part in the discussions and meet all the speakers and international guests from over 12 countries.

With the “Innovation – Creating the Future” conference approaching, we advise you to register as soon as possible because places are filling up fast. We would like to remind you that there is no participation fee and you can REVIEW THE CONFERENCE INFORMATION and REGISTER HERE

On 25 October 2016 the Sofia City of Knowledge Cluster (SCKC) was established where the Knowledge, Innovation and Strategies Management Club is one of the 26 founding members.

The initiative of founding the cluster is a common endeavor of a group of entitites located in Sofia such as science, education and business representatives which are all supported by the Sofia Municipality in response to the need of creating conditions for the implementation of the Strategy for Smart Specialisation of Sofia.

The SCKC aims at transforming the city into a national and regional centre for education, advanced research, innovation and entrepreneurship based on information and communication technologies.