Project No: 2020-1-TR01-KA104-089277

Project Owner: Nurel Enver Taner Gaziantep Olgunlaşma Enstitüsü

Number of Participants: 10

Entrepreneurship is a key driver of economic growth and societal transformation, recognized for its ability to generate value and foster cultural and sociological dynamism. To cultivate a thriving entrepreneurial culture and support the creation of successful enterprises, it is essential to equip individuals with the necessary knowledge and skills. As an organization dedicated to promoting innovation and entrepreneurial thinking, we recently had the privilege of hosting an Erasmus+ training course aimed at integrating the "Entrepreneurial Mindset" into educational frameworks.

This initiative was particularly focused on non-formal education institutions that serve women and disadvantaged groups, equipping them with the skills and competencies needed to thrive in today’s dynamic economy. We partnered with the Gaziantep Olgunlaşma Institute, a Lifelong Learning institution from Turkey, to bring this vision to life.

Over the course of 7 days, we welcomed participants from the Gaziantep Olgunlaşma Institute to our facilities in Germany. Our program was designed to provide them with comprehensive training that blended theoretical knowledge with practical exercises, allowing them to gain insights into how entrepreneurial thinking can be effectively incorporated into their educational programs. The training also included exposure to best practices in entrepreneurship education from across Europe, ensuring a well-rounded learning experience.

Our collaboration with the Gaziantep Olgunlaşma Institute was built on a shared belief in the power of entrepreneurship to drive positive change. We were aware that the majority of their trainees and students were women, young people, and migrants-groups that can greatly benefit from entrepreneurship training. We aimed to provide a program that would introduce them to the fundamentals of starting a business and help them acquire professional skills that could be applied in their own contexts.

In planning this course, we drew on Germany’s strong entrepreneurial culture, which has been a cornerstone of its economic success since the 1980s. Despite the devastation of World War II, Germany emerged as a global economic leader, largely due to its entrepreneurial middle class and the robust entrepreneurial culture that was established. By offering this training in Germany, we were able to provide the participants with firsthand experience of how entrepreneurship is integrated into education and society.

The course covered several key areas, including:

• Understanding different types of entrepreneurship,
• Teaching entrepreneurship as a practical method,
• Exploring the five fundamental application areas of entrepreneurship in depth,
• Developing the ability to create exercises to implement these five fundamental business practices,
• Observing how entrepreneurship is integrated into education in Germany.

These topics were carefully chosen to align with the goals of the Gaziantep Olgunlaşma Institute, helping them to enhance their educational offerings and empower their students, particularly women and disadvantaged individuals. By the end of the program, participants had not only developed their professional skills but also gained a deeper understanding of how to foster an entrepreneurial spirit within their own communities.

This Erasmus+ project was a significant step forward in our mission to promote innovation, lifelong learning, and the development of key competencies essential for success in the modern world. The cross-cultural exchange and collaboration facilitated by this project also supported the overarching goals of Erasmus+ to strengthen European identity and cooperation.

The successful completion of this training course represents a vital milestone in advancing the educational and professional development of institutions like the Gaziantep Olgunlaşma Institute. We are proud of the positive impact this initiative has had on the participants and their communities, and we look forward to continuing our work in fostering entrepreneurial mindsets through similar projects in the future.