FEEF

Methodology

1
“FEEF
From Educators
to Entrepreneurial
Facilitators
Methodology”

DATE OF PUBLICATION
May 2024

WRITTEN BY
Ilse Fraussen, Annelies Schrooten
(UCLL, Belgium)

REVIEWED SUPPORT BY
Sara Raponi e Anna Boaretto (University of Padova, Italy)
Carla Portela (NOVA University Lisbon)

DISCLAIMER
Any dissemination of results reflects only the authors’ view and the European Commission is not
responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.

COPYRIGHT MESSAGE
Text content is subject to the Creative Commons license Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives)
by FEEF project.
This deliverable contains original unpublished work except where clearly indicated otherwise.
Acknowledgement of previously published material and of the work of others has been made through
appropriate citation, quotation or both.
Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.
Graphical materials related to programs featured in this guide, including any logos or photos, are the
property of the respective programs and may not be reproduced in any form without the express
permission of the programs.
 CONTENT

1 Introduction to the FEEF methodology 5

1.1. The FEEF Project 5
1.2. What does entrepreneurship & entrepreneurial education mean? 6
1.3. What does EntreComp mean? 7
1.4. The soft skills 8
1.5. Project Result 1: FEEF Blended Learning methodology for training 12
educators on facilitation techniques

2 Research findings as the basis of the methodology 13

2.1. Best Practice findings 13
2.2. Survey´s findings 13
2.3. Focus groups findings 14
2.4. Local research findings 14
2.4.1. Local Observatory in Italy 15
2.4.2. Survey conducted within Erasmus project Growth4SME’s 15
2.4.3. UCLL Survey with startups 16
2.5. Entrepreneurial education 17
2.5.1. Traditional entrepreneurship education in HEI 17
2.5.2. Entrepreneurship teaching methods 17
2.5.3. Challenges in applying Entrepreneurial Education 18

3 Designing the methodology 19

3.1. Conclusions from the research to design the FEEF methodology 19
3.2. Learning outcomes of the methodology 19
3.2.1. Related to soft/entrepreneurial skills: 19
3.2.2. Related to mentorship skills 19
3.2.3. Related to an ecosystem interaction 19

4 The itinerary 20
4.1. Project Result 2: FEEF Digital education on facilitation techniques 20
4.2. PR3: FEEF Blended education training itinerary and materials. 22
4.2.1. Creating a step-by-step guide and a toolkit. 22
4.2.2. Testing with a staff training 23
4.2.3. Pilot 23

3 FEEF METHODOLOGY
 1. INTRODUCTION

Introduction to the FEEF

methodology
1.1 THE FEEF PROJECT The aim of this methodology is to be an asset to
educators involved in developing and delivering
The FEEF consortium believes that new entrepreneurial education in the four partner countries
innovative and enhanced educational/learning and beyond. The FEEF methodology aims at:
methodologies are undeniably key to a turning point
in the answer to promote highly skilled and competent • Increasing awareness of what entrepreneurial
students, better prepared for the professional world. education has to offer.
We also believe that all students will only be better • Enhancing and developing the professional
suited for new challenges and everyday changing competences needed in the design and delivery
realities if the educators and the surrounding of entrepreneurial education through different
ecosystem work in the same direction. And for that, subjects and learning settings.
a new type of skills has to be developed in order to
be able to reach every single student in a way that As existing teaching approaches are most often
impacts his or her learning and growth process. oriented to the way academic content is provided to
the students, our FEEF methodology will focus on (i)
Over the years we have observed different the development of entrepreneurial & soft skills and
projects developing new digital teaching (ii) the mentoring capacities of teachers to facilitate
methodologies or new teaching approaches, but all of students in developing these skills. Making use of
them are mostly oriented to the academic content facilitation techniques not only these future skills will
that needs to be provided to the students. be developed and stimulated, but we will make sure
to choose those techniques that effectively bridge
Our framework however will also promote the gap between the educational and entrepreneurial
shortening the gap between the academic and the world.
business sector by creating an ecosystem that
benefits from existing teaching networks, business The overall objectives of this FEEF methodology are:
experts and key stakeholders. Together with the • To help teachers in building on students’ natural
consortium HEI (Higher Education Institutions) and curiosity and creativity by e.g. giving them space,
the partners, a constant exchange and interaction time, and resources to explore their immediate
between both educators and industry representatives environment;
is needed, sharing common tools and entrepreneurial • To help teachers in engaging students in
skills, complementing on each other’s expertise and challenging, real-world problems, enabling them
knowledge, all to the benefit of the students. to apply their learning beyond the classroom e.g.
through community-based projects;

5 FEEF METHODOLOGY
 1. INTRODUCTION

• To help teachers in equipping learners with narrow economic or commercial purpose, this value
the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for also takes cultural and social forms. The potential of
the future and which are in high demand e.g. entrepreneurial education goes far beyond training
problem-solving, flexible thinking and creativity; for students in tertiary colleges on how to start up a
• To help teachers strengthen ties between business.
academia and “the outside world”, often
enhancing students’ chances of employability. Educators recognize that fostering an
Through connecting community and business to entrepreneurial mindset is not only a question of
the classroom environment, e.g. by involving preparing students for the future within the complex
potential employers in formative assessment, economic environment. It is also a means of fostering
through apprenticeships, using entrepreneur-in- personal and social development so that students:
residence schemes or visits with entrepreneurial • Gain skills in getting on with others;
citizens to talk about their lives and work. • Express their creativity in suggesting solutions
• To help teachers in supporting students to to problems;
contribute to a more inclusive society e.g. • Learn to reflect on their own particular
through sharing positive role models of under- strengths, interests and aspirations;
represented groups such as women, migrants, • Adopt a can-do attitude and drive to turn ideas
individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds into action;
and individuals with special educational needs. • Show resilience in handling setbacks;
• Apply their financial literacy and numeracy
skills in real-world contexts;
• Communicate their ideas to a wide range of
1.2. WHAT DOES ENTREPRENEURSHIP &
audience;
ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION MEAN?
• Contribute to the community as active,
“Entrepreneurship is when you act upon responsible citizens.
opportunities and ideas and transform them into
value for others. The value that is created can be Entrepreneurial education contributes to a more
financial, cultural, or social”. relevant curriculum, improved student motivation,
opportunities to engage with the community and a
Over recent decades, rapid and deep-seated better match to the needs of the business world.
social, technological, and environmental changes
have prompted policymakers and educators to reflect Over recent years, the importance of
upon the purposes and content of education, as part entrepreneurial education has attracted considerable
of the need to adapt and keep pace with such attention among the world’s policy makers. The
changes. There is a growing consensus that this goes European Commission views entrepreneurial activity
beyond transmitting knowledge, towards preparing as relevant to all levels of education and calls upon
students for life, towards fulfilling their potential member states to ensure that “All young people should
both as active citizens as within the world of work. benefit from at least one practical entrepreneurial
All students should have an entrepreneurial mindset, experience before leaving education.”
not only those who want to be an entrepreneur.
It is worth noting that entrepreneurial education
What makes entrepreneurial education has several characteristics, which many teachers may
distinctive is its focus on generating ideas which have already be using but did not recognize as being
value for others. While this might suggest a “entrepreneurial education”.

6 FEEF METHODOLOGY
 1. INTRODUCTION

These characteristics include: as a reference framework to explain what is meant by

• Experiential – learning through first-hand an entrepreneurial mindset.
experience;
• Value creating - creating something or service EntreComp offers a comprehensive description
of value to others in real-life contexts; of the knowledge, skills and attitudes that people need
• Collaborative - sharing and developing ideas to be entrepreneurial and create financial, cultural or
with others to achieve a common goal; social value for others. EntreComp is a free, flexible
• Multidisciplinary - drawing on the knowledge and reference framework that can be adapted to support
skills of those who work in different disciplines. development and understanding of entrepreneurial
competence in any setting.
New innovative and enhanced educational/
learning methodologies are undeniably key in
developing highly skilled and competent students,
better prepared for the professional world. Moreover,
students will only be better suited for new challenges
and everyday changing realities if the educators
and the surrounding ecosystem work in the same
direction. And for that, a new type of “teaching or
mentoring” skills needs to be developed.

The blended pillars of the FEEF Project (MOOC

+ toolkit with facilitation techniques and practical
implementation) are focused on providing real-life
learning to enhance the development of students
future skills and techniques in order to successfully
engage with the business world. Competences of
teachers and educators, in terms of mentoring and
guidance to their students will be enhanced. In this
way, the gap between the academic and the “real-
EntreComp defines entrepreneurship as a
life” business world can be bridged.
transversal competence, which applies to all spheres of
life: from nurturing personal development, to actively
1.3. WHAT DOES ENTRECOMP MEAN?
participating in society, to (re)entering the job market
as an employee or as a self-employed person, and also
The use of EntreComp as a tool to design the
to starting up ventures (cultural, social or commercial).
FEEF methodology.
It builds upon a broad definition of entrepreneurship
that hinges on the creation of cultural, social or
We live in a rapidly changing society where it
economic value. It thus embraces different types of
is essential that everyone has the capacity to act
entrepreneurship, including intrapreneurship, social
upon opportunities and ideas, to work with others, to
entrepreneurship, green entrepreneurship and digital
manage dynamic careers and shape the future for
entrepreneurship. It applies to individuals and groups
the common good. To achieve these goals we need
(teams or organizations) and it refers to value creation
people, teams and organizations with an
in the private, public and third sectors and in any
entrepreneurial mindset, in every aspect of life. The
hybrid combination of the three. Lastly, it is domain
European Commission has developed EntreComp: the
neutral: one can act upon ideas and opportunities to
European Entrepreneurship Competence Framework
generate value for others in any domain and possible

7 FEEF METHODOLOGY
 1. INTRODUCTION

1.4. THE SOFT SKILLS

value chain. The EntreComp framework has
been developed through a mixed-methods In the FEEF project we want to bridge the gap
approach, made up of a comprehensive review of between the academic- and the business world;
academic and grey literature, an in-depth analysis of therefore we emphasize the importance of soft skills
case studies, desk research and a set of iterative (or future skills) and entrepreneurial education in this
multi-stakeholder consultations. methodology. According to EntreComp, 15 transversal
and soft skills have been identified as key components
Since its launch in 2016, EntreComp has for the development of an entrepreneurial mindset
been used in both policy and practice across which are interrelated and interconnected and should
multiple sectors to support active citizenship, be treated as part of a whole.
innovation, employability and learning through
entrepreneurial thinking and action. The Soft skills relate to how you work. Soft skills
EntreComp is a very comprehensive and broad include e.g. interpersonal skills, communication skills,
based tool with 3 competence areas, 15 listening skills, time management and empathy. They
competences, 15 descriptors, 8 proficiency levels are among the top skills employers seek in the
and 442 learning outcomes. The EntreComp candidates they hire, because soft skills are important
Framework reflects the complexity of the for just about every job. Soft skills are so important
entrepreneurship competence domain, which that they are often the reason employers decide
touches upon several aspects of everyday lives, and whether to keep or promote an employee. The 2019
can be used as a multi-purpose reference guide. The Global Talent Trends indicates that 92% of talent
advantage of having a broad yet comprehensive professionals and hiring managers said that soft skills
competence framework is that although it can matter as much or more in recruitment than hard skills.
accommodate bespoke customizations, it also 89% say that bad hires typically lack the right soft
allows initiatives that tackle entrepreneurship as skills.
a competence to be compared, facilitating a
common understanding of what being Therefore, HEIs have the responsibility to prepare
entrepreneurial means. students for a successful transition from the academia
to the job world equipping them with those skills that
are required in the job market. In our MOOC we will
further explain the importance of soft skills in order to
bridging the gap between academia and business
world.
Our desk research and analyzed data already
collected by our own HEI’s (see 2.4) show that the

8 FEEF METHODOLOGY
 1. INTRODUCTION

top 3 needed skills are:

Self-awareness efficiency
• Problem solving: Employers highly value
Adaptability
people who can resolve issues quickly and Personal Skills
Self-Management
effectively. That may involve calling on
industry knowledge to fix an issue immediately Growth mindset

as it occurs, or taking time to research and Effective leadership

consult with colleagues to find a scalable, long-
Negotiating
term solution.
Co-operating with others
• Teamwork: Teamwork skills are the qualities
Social Skills Conflict management
and abilities allowing to work well with others
during conversations, projects, meetings or Empathic listening

other collaborations. Having teamwork skills is Giving & receiving feedback

dependent on the ability to communicate well, to Communication
listen actively and to be responsible and honest.
Planning & management
• Flexibility/adaptability: Flexibility is an Entrepreneurial
Creativity
important skill to master, whether it means Skills
having the ability to overcome stress or simply Problem solving
to adjust to changes quickly. Having a high level
of flexibility makes it easier to live a less stressful
and hectic life.

We have translated the competences of the

EntreComp model into needed future skills. Next to
problem solving, collaboration and flexibility, we will
also incorporate other important skills in our FEEF
methodology. All skills will be explained in the MOOC
and best practices of how to train these skills will be
incorporated in the toolkit. We have divided the skills in
3 categories: personal-, social- and entrepreneurial
skills. List of Soft Skills:

9 FEEF METHODOLOGY
 1. INTRODUCTION

Description of future skills

• Growth mindset
People with a growth mindset are
Personal skills
convinced that they can always become more
intelligent and better at something and that they
• Self –awareness
must make an effort to achieve this. According
Self-awareness is about knowing your
to them, failure is a learning process and they
strengths and weaknesses. It is a critical tool to
can learn from it to do things better in the
help you reach higher levels of job satisfaction,
future. They see those who do better than them
become a better leader, improve relationships
as a source of inspiration. By observing their
with colleagues, and manage your emotions
strategies and working methods, they can learn
better.
from these people and grow a bit themselves.

• Flexibility/Adaptability
People with a fixed mindset, on the other hand,
Adaptability is the ability to be able to keep up
view intelligence and learning differently. They
with the constant obstacles that are being
are convinced that their intelligence and any
thrown at you. Adaptability involves being able
other talents are unchangeable. According to
to adapt to new environments and conditions,
them, making an effort is mainly a proof that
being able to stay composed during difficult
they are not intelligent enough or that they do
situations, and being able to make quick
not have another talent. Failure is seen by them
decisions in the midst of an unplanned event.
as a sign that they have little aptitude for a
Flexibility is an important skill to master,
certain skill or that they are stupid.
whether it means having the ability to
overcome stress or simply to adjust to changes
quickly. Having a high level of flexibility makes
Social skills
it easier to live a less stressful and hectic life.

• Effective leadership
• Critical thinking
Good leadership is being able to stimulate and
Critical thinking is a skill that can be learned
inspire others. In this way, you can strengthen
and used to decide whether a statement is
others' motivation, commitment and
true, partially true, or false, and whether a line
performance.
of reasoning is valid. It provides tools to curb
the natural tendency to believe and to
• Negotiation
recognize and avoid illogical reasoning and
is a process in which mutually dependent parties
fallacies.
with conflicting and corresponding interests
want to work together to reach an agreement
• Self-management
that is acceptable and realistic for both parties.
Self-management or ‘self-control’ or ‘self-
Negotiation is seen as a specific quality.
regulation’ is the ability to regulate one's
emotions, thoughts, and behaviors effectively
in different situations.

10 FEEF METHODOLOGY
 1. INTRODUCTION

• Teamwork • Communication
You can read it in almost every job description: Effective communication is the process of
you have to be a real 'team player' and at the exchanging ideas, thoughts, opinions,
same time, be able to work independently. knowledge, and data so that the message is
Collaboration is all about creating a good and received and understood with clarity and
efficient working atmosphere for yourself and purpose. When we communicate effectively,
others. Teamwork skills are the qualities and both the sender and receiver feel satisfied.
abilities that allow to work well with others
during conversations, projects, meetings or Entrepreneurial skills
other collaborations. Having teamwork skills is
dependent on the ability to communicate well, • Planning & management
actively listen and be responsible and honest. Good time management lets you work
smarter – not harder – so you get more
• Conflict management done in less time. It requires an important
There are different types of conflicts, but they shift in focus from activities to results: being
all go through the same phases. There are busy isn’t the same as being effective.
different styles of dealing with conflicts. The
choice depends primarily on your personality • Creativity
and the situation you are in. Clear Creativity is seeing something new
communication and good listening are key to (opportunities or solutions to problems),
prevent conflicts. finding something new, and doing or making
something new. So with that, creativity is
• Empathic listening more than a way of perceiving, thinking or
Means that you really want to know what the doing; it is a combination of all three.
other person has to say. As an empathic Creative thinking allows you to come up
listener you are engaged with the other with original solutions and innovative ways
person, you conduct the conversation with of working. You can stimulate creative
interest in the other person. In the thinking by using e.g. brainstorming
conversation you aim to really hear the other methods.
person, to understand them and recognize
their feelings. • Problem solving
Problem solving is the act of defining a
• Giving and receiving feedback problem; determining the cause of the
In life as much as in work, it’s important to problem; identifying, prioritizing, and
know how to provide feedback to others, selecting alternatives for a solution; and
effectively and constructively without causing implementing a solution.
offence. There are many opportunities in life Employers highly value people who can
for providing others with feedback, from resolve issues quickly and effectively. That
commenting on the way your colleague has may involve calling on industry knowledge
carried out a task, to discussing your children’s to fix an issue immediately as it occurs, or
behavior with them. taking time to research and consult with
colleagues to find a scalable, long-term
solution.

11 FEEF METHODOLOGY
 1. INTRODUCTION

company visits, …, will be discussed in the MOOC

1.5. PROJECT RESULT 1: (PR2) and the toolkit (PR3). They stimulate learning
FEEF BLENDED LEARNING METHODOLOGY FOR through methods or resources, through analysis and
TRAINING EDUCATORS ON FACILITATION experimentation. Within the wide range of facilitation
TECHNIQUES techniques we based our selection on the ‘bridging’
capacity of the technique, the possibility to use the
Within the FEEF project we aim at designing, technique to bring business and academic world
testing and disseminating an innovative methodology closer together.
in order to provide HEI educators with a different set In our step-by step guide and toolkit we will
of skills yet undervalued in current education. We further elaborate on some main facilitation techniques
stress the importance of educators to generate and how they can be used in an educational context
future professionals with the right mindset and (4.2.2).
competences. In our methodology we will assist
educators in developing new skills and capacities For teaching these facilitation techniques we will
to guide and mentor students from a different use a blended learning methodology. Blended
perspective. One that is not solely focused on the learning is a combination of two different learning
academic content of the course curricula but also systems, namely the traditional learning system and
focused on the development of an entrepreneurial the use of more virtual environments, facilitated
attitude. In order to better guide the students, we will by using internet based technology and tools e.g.
give educators the tools to improve their mentorship forums, chats etc. Moreover, the recent pandemic
skills which we will further refer to as “facilitation made it clear that the shift to online teaching and
techniques”; set of tools to help educators to learning plays a very important role and the use of
improve their teaching in order to bridge the gap digital tools can allow us to reach a wider public.
between education & industry. Through blended learning we can offer a digital
learning environment in which teachers can study or
Facilitation is in fact a technique used by work at their own pace.
educators (and also other trainers) to help students
or learners to acquire, retain and apply knowledge In this way we can assure personalized and
and skills. Facilitation is a technique and a skill. differentiated learning environments where the
Not only is there a different approach (traditional theory can be learned by the teachers at their own
vs entrepreneurial education) but there’s also the pace and the practical part will be learned during the
challenge of entrepreneurial teaching in an online or staff training.
hybrid universe. The teacher moves from imparting
specific knowledge to students and controlling the
process to facilitating students’ active participation in
their own learning process in a live/hybrid/online
universe.

Facilitation techniques like focusgroup,

internships, real-life challenges, creating networks,

12 FEEF METHODOLOGY
 2. RESEARCH

Research findings as the basis of the

methodology
2.1. BEST PRACTICE FINDINGS train these skills with students. Also, the necessity of
blended learning, a transdisciplinary and if possible
In order to identify common key success factors transnational approach and the need for an immersive,
of facilitation technique programs that focus on real-life experience is stressed. A lot of research has
closing the current gap in our educational systems, already been done on how everyone benefits from
we first conducted an elaborate research on best including the broader ecosystem of a HEI in the
practices in the HEIs of the 4 research partners. educational career of students, e.g. by introducing
challenge-based learning. The Atom Model e.g.,
We focused on multi-stakeholder and multi- developed within the Foremlink Erasmus+ project, is a
disciplinary facilitation techniques using blended good example of a framework designed to stimulate
teaching approaches which combine the best deep and meaningful learning while solving real-world
characteristics of online education with the challenges, uploaded by companies.
interactivity of face-to-face classrooms.
However, the problem we have identified and
which limits the success of entrepreneurial education
The Best Practice Report – which you can find
is that educators - the people that have the greatest
on our website under project results / methodology
influence on students during their education - often
- we made collates programs, materials and resources
lack knowledge about business’ needs. The people
that already exist and can be used to improve design
that design, develop and deliver entrepreneurial
and delivery of entrepreneurship provision in HEIs.
education should have experience, a network or at
Moreover, it maps these practices against the
least the affinity to work with the entrepreneurial
Entrepreneurship Competence Framework
real-life community.
(EntreComp) model. This has enabled us to get a
better understanding of the needed features of our
FEEF methodology. The findings of this report Within our FEEF methodology we have

suggest that we have to consider the following developed techniques for teachers on how they can
connect with the business world, build a network or
elements as being critical:
‘community bridging’ between the educational and
entrepreneurial world.
• Being part of network(s);
• Forming focus groups;
• Balancing between real and virtual 2.2. SURVEY´S FINDINGS
environments;
• Showcasing real life experiences. Over the last years, we have observed a few
changes. The Academic world is trying to change the

A common ground throughout all the studied old standard strategy of having a unidirectional

former researches is the importance of

entrepreneurial skills and methodologies on how to

13 FEEF METHODOLOGY
 2. RESEARCH

communication of a professor providing knowledge world and hybrid people 100% agree that there
towards a class receiving that knowledge. We have is a gap between academia and business world.
seen some new methodologies emerging, the use of
digital tools to assist and improve learning and After thoroughly analyzing and interpreting the
teaching techniques and we have even seen results of this survey, we decided to set up a focus
enhanced learning technologies getting attention. group with the participants of these ‘3 worlds’ to
But what we have noticed is that all of the massive discuss the findings and share thoughts about
developments did not necessarily bring the Academia opportunities and challenges on how to close this
and the business world closer together, both worlds “gap”.
somehow remain disconnected.
2.3. FOCUS GROUPS FINDINGS
In order to get a clear insight in the perception
of academic, business and hybrid people of this “gap”, We believe that all students will only be better
we have conducted a survey. By hybrid people we suited for new challenges and everyday changing
mean people who have experience in both academic realities if the educators and the surrounding
and business world. ecosystem work in the same direction. We want to
shorten the gap between academia and the real world
Some interesting conclusions of the survey we by creating an ecosystem where best practices can
conducted in March 2022 are listed below. All 53 be shared and discussed. By implementing one of our
participants were equally divided among the 3 groups facilitation techniques ‘the focus group’ we created
– academia, business and hybrid. our own club or focus group of representatives of
both worlds.
• What about the level of hard skills of the
students? 55% of the teachers think students Within these FEEF focus groups we will bring
are well prepared, but we see that the business together on a regular basis a small group of people
world is less positive about the hard skills of the (educators, business and hybrid) to discuss topics
students; in a moderated setting. The group is chosen due
• On the level of soft skills we see an evolution in to predefined demographic traits (4 countries and
the other direction, only 10% of the participating 3 groups – academia, hybrid and business), and
teachers think that their students are well will be organized in a digital setting because of the
prepared concerning soft skills. Almost 30% of international context. Based on the results of the
the hybrid and business people consider them survey we set up a first focus group at the end of
having the right soft skills; March 2022 with 19 people from academia, business
• All of the participants agree that the majority and hybrid from the different countries. The main
of the students do not sufficiently know what goal is to come up with concrete ideas and input
the business world is about; for our methodology. Every group discussed two
• The good news is that the majority of the facilitation techniques, how they are implemented
teachers already incorporate entrepreneurial now and what could be improved in the future. We
activities in their classes (e.g. case studies, guest will use the outcomes of this focus group to optimize
speakers, company visits, job interviews, project the step-by-step facilitation techniques in our toolkit.
based & challenged based learning…); only 5% of
them doesn’t know how to incorporate these 2.4. LOCAL RESEARCH FINDINGS
kind of activities in the classroom;
• Despite all the entrepreneurial activities Some research on future skills was already
already undertaken by teachers, the business conducted by members of the consortium. The most

14 FEEF METHODOLOGY
 2. RESEARCH

important findings from Italy, Belgium and another

PERSONALITY TRAITS a.v. %
Erasmus project (Growth4SME’s) are listed below.
We can conclude that problem solving, teamwork
and flexibility/adaptability are rated as the most Accuracy 194 75,5
important and most missing skills in all surveys, as we
already discussed in 1.4.
Flexible mindset/open mind 130 50,6
2.4.1. LOCAL OBSERVATORY IN ITALY

From the University of Padova we received the Analytical mindset 106 41,2
most important findings of their ‘local observatory’
on softs kills. This information is based on 257
Creativity 76 29,6
professional profiles (including different levels
starting from technicians) found through the research
“Labor Observatories” in the Italian region of Abstract mindset 24 9,3
Veneto in the last 7 years in the following sectors:
Metalworking / Electromechanical and Electronics /
Chemical / Information Technology and
Telecommunications / Advertising, Business 2.4.2. SURVEY CONDUCTED WITHIN ERASMUS
Communication and Organization of Events / Tourism PROJECT GROWTH4SME’S
/ Social Cooperatives.
(Norway, Denmark, Belgium, June 2021, N = 413
- Full report: https://growth4sme.eu/skill-demand).
Table: Local observatory on soft skills – Padova

To build up knowledge, SMEs from Norway,

TRANSVERSAL COMPETENCES a.v. %
Denmark and Belgium were asked to fill out
questionnaires about what kind of skills companies in
Problem solving (making
their respective countries need right now. 413 SMEs
decisions, managing complex 175 68,1
from Norway, Denmark, and Belgium have answered
situations)
the questionnaires, and the data was collected in the
spring and summer 2021.
Teamworking 151 58,8

Generally seen across all the three countries,

Managing relations with
independence and adaptability – but also
customers and suppliers 142 55,3
communication skills and problem solving – are the
(relationship management)
most important skills/competences to possess – both
as an experienced employee in a firm and as a recent
Autonomy in organizing and
140 54,5 graduate, who is seeking employment.
carrying out work

Managing other’s work 97 37,7

Ability to write reports 62 24,1

Public speaking (presenting your

27 10,5
ideas to the public)

15 FEEF METHODOLOGY
 2. RESEARCH

Ability to work independently

Adaptability

Problem solving / Analysis of data

Creativity and creation of ideas

Use of digital systems, tools and…

Communication skills/ presentation

Contextualization

Business understanding

ICT skills / social media

Creating narratives

Cultural competence

Awareness of GDPR/Acting with integrity

Awareness of sustainability

Social Selling (Instagram, Facebook etc.)

Foreign languages

Knowledge of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

E-commerce

Video editing

0 1 2 3 4 5

2.4.3. UCLL SURVEY WITH STARTUPS (TECH

COMPANIES : N= 500 – APRIL 2021)

Which skills should the people you hire have? mindset, communication and collaboration. The
Next to the technical competences which were fourth and fifth place was for flexibility and taking
indicated as most important in this survey (which initiative.
is normal because the survey was conducted with Which skills do you lack most with current staff?
tech startups), the three other essential skills growth Taking initiative, growth mindset and flexibility.

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2.5. ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION entrepreneurial mindsets, skills and behaviors across

their organizations. Universities can teach students
HEIs traditionally have provided a strong how to start and grow enterprises in ways that
theoretical education and significant promotion of benefit society.
knowledge. But nowadays, applicable knowledge,
experience, and practical ability have become much There is increasing interest in attempting to
more important and demanded by employers. teach not only about entrepreneurship, nor even for
Entrepreneurial education is one of the driving entrepreneurship, but also through entrepreneurship,
mechanisms to move from academic to applicable using new education programs to help students to
knowledge and developing future needed skills. obtain a range of both business understanding and
transferable skills and competences.
Entrepreneurial education is not only meant as
the ability to start up an own business but also as
2.5.2. ENTREPRENEURSHIP TEACHING METHODS
the ability to be proactive and create something new
and innovative in your own environment. Within this
Most often, entrepreneurship is taught in higher
project we consider entrepreneurial education as
educations via formal lectures, case studies and
essential to stimulate intrapreneurship as well as
business plans that reflect goals in the “about”
entrepreneurship.
categories. The main characteristics of traditional
teaching methods are that they are teacher centered
2.5.1. TRADITIONAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP (teacher is the only expert, authority), whereas
EDUCATION IN HEI students have passive roles. Usually, written texts
are used for learning, less formative evaluation is
Entrepreneurship has become an important present, and mistakes are usually discouraged.
movement in higher educations and the amount of
entrepreneurship education (EE) has increased During the past decades, however, more
globally. The field of entrepreneurship education (EE) innovative teaching methods have emerged to involve
has evolved over the last 40 years. Although there is the participation of both the students and the teacher
still an on-going debate on whether entrepreneurs and to enable learning “for” and “in” entrepreneurship.
are born or created, the mainstream has agreed
that entrepreneurship can be taught. Following the According to innovative methods in EE, the
Europe 2020 strategic plan, the Lisbon agenda and teacher will encourage learning with students
the modernization agenda of European universities, building and developing their own abilities,
the European Union has recognized the importance knowledge and attitudes through experiential
of the role of HEIs (through education, research and learning. Particularly, students should gain their
innovation) in the transfer of knowledge to society entrepreneurial competencies through practice and
and their vital contribution to Europe’s economic “learning by doing”. These methods encourage more
competitiveness. active student participation in learning and reflection
of their own experiences. In this process, students
Consequently, EE has expanded from single learn collaboratively, discuss ideas, and are involved
courses to programs designed specifically to in problem-solving situations through informal and
entrepreneurship, also beyond the university authentic learning environments. In educational
business schools to reach larger and more versatile psychology these teaching strategies, also known
university students. as student-centered, have many positive impacts on
student’s engagement, intrinsic motivation, learning
HEIs should create an environment that fosters

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strategy use and learning outcomes. A good example

Essential in all these EE methodologies is the
of such a teaching method is challenge-based
bridging of the academic world towards the
learning.
business world and the shifting role of the
teacher from being an educator to a facilitator.
2.5.3. CHALLENGES IN APPLYING
ENTREPRENEURIAL EDUCATION

In addition to face-to-face teaching, many

authors have also proposed different kinds of
education methodologies to be applied in EE. For
example:

1) Business plan (project based learning; digital

stories; online learning environments;
technology integrated teaching methods; digital
storytelling; educational games; active learning);

2) Choice and structuring of the idea for the

enterprise (collaborative communities;
cooperative learning; network participation);

3) Pilot project of the entrepreneurial idea

(augmented reality; web-based video;
gamification; simulation);

4) Market and product analysis (web-based

video; narrated stop-motion animation; generic
modelling language; digital video; augmented
reality; gamification; simulation; webinars);

5) Achieving sustainability of entrepreneurial idea

(collaborative communities; cooperative learning;
collaborative learning; network participation;

6) Evaluation of entrepreneurial skills and

characteristics (flipped classroom using digital
media; cooperative learning; collaborative
learning; moving from fixing to online space;
experiential online development; open
educational practice; online learning
environments; technology educational practice;
digital storytelling; educational games; active
learning).

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Designing the methodology

3.1. CONCLUSIONS FROM THE RESEARCH TO learning process there is constant communication
DESIGN THE FEEF METHODOLOGY between trainer and student about the mistakes
made and successes obtained, in which the mentor
We can conclude from the best practices report, will demonstrate that he/she understands and
our survey, local research and our focus group that accompanies the student and that the students are
there still is a gap between academia and business challenged and stimulated in developing themselves.
world. We have to find solutions to come up with a
better understanding of both worlds so we can reduce • As facilitators: Becoming a mentor takes time,
this gap. We also learned about the importance of soft but the techniques will help the educators to improve
skills in HEI’s and the business world. Through our and become a better mentor. Once the educators
research we have a clear overview of which soft skills become mentors , they will use these skills in the
are important, but on the other hand we could also introduction of the different facilitation techniques
conclude that teachers do not have enough practical proposed, which will lead to a more complete learning
tools or knowledge on how to stimulate these skills. process, since students will learn by doing, still with
the proper guidance of the trainer towards the goals
3.2. LEARNING OUTCOMES OF THE set. Thanks to this mentoring process, the trainer is
METHODOLOGY able to identify the general characteristics and skills
of the group, so he/she can choose which facilitation
3.2.1. Related to soft/entrepreneurial skills: technique from the portfolio is the proper one to be
In 1.4 we indicate the importance of soft skills in used in the classes.
education, in this FEEF project we want to offer the
teachers a toolkit with which they can stimulate 3.2.3. Related to an ecosystem interaction
these skills.
Collaborations between business and Academia are,

3.2.2. Related to mentorship skills when properly designed and managed, beneficial
to both the industry partners and the academic
We need to train trainers from two points of view:
institutions. Such collaborations may take place on
both small and large scales, and may involve a
• As mentors: A good mentor must have a series
varying number of academic institutions and
of essential skills, such as the ability to listen actively,
industry partners. They may also have different
to be open-minded and committed, to have the ability
to define real and achievable goals and to give support purposes, including both research-focused
to their students when they need it. A fundamental collaborative efforts and programs designed to
tool in the mentoring process is to give and receive connect the students with real-life projects to
feedback, which means that during the student’s enhance their education.

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The itinerary
Our FEEF methodology is a best practice of a Also, they will gain an entrepreneurial mindset, by
blended learning approach on itself. The first step being aware of the EntreComp framework.
in our methodology is the MOOC, where teachers
(and students) can study and test themselves at their MOOC DESIGN
own pace. To facilitate the teachers, we have created
in the second phase (PR3) an education training, a In the table below you can find the setup of the
digital tool-kit which will help them in applying MOOC. Table: MOOC design
entrepreneurial education in their class-room using
our selection of facilitation techniques. The second
part in PR3 is the testing of these facilitation
techniques in real-life during our ‘staff training’ and
local pilots.

4.1. PROJECT RESULT 2: FEEF DIGITAL

EDUCATION ON FACILITATION TECHNIQUES
ITINERARY AND MATERIALS - CREATING A MOOC.

Based on the FEEF methodology developed by

the consortium, we have designed a digital training
itinerary as well as the corresponding digital training
materials to improve the accessibility to high
education in Europe, offering new instruments and
solutions for innovative distance learning. With the
MOOC we aim to support teachers in the use of
facilitation tools and pedagogical techniques to help
them create rich environments that complement
their classes.

This MOOC, designed as a stand-alone course,

was integrated at an open MOOC platform and will
help teachers and educators to make their teaching
more inclusive, promote effective practice and
improve the development of new competences.

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 4. ITINERARY

CONTENT LEARNING OUTCOMES SOFT SKILLS ENRECOMP FACILITATION

M1 1. Understand the importance of Soft Skills • Planning and management; • Spotting opportunities (IO); • Cooperative learning;
Soft & and Entrepreneurial Skills in education/ • Creativity; • Vision (IO); • Brainstorming;
entrepreneurial teaching; • Adaptability; • Valuing ideas (IO); • Case studies;
skills 2. Identify skills to improve in the educators • Problem solving • Mobilizing others (R);
through the self-assessment; • Cooperating with others; • Learning through experiences (IA)
3. Apply it in class context with the • Self-management;
introduction of the different facilitation • Communication;
techniques; • Growth mindset;
• Conflict management
M2 1. Understand the need • Effective leadership; • Self-awareness and self-efficacy (R); • Game based learning;
Mentorship of guide students through • Negotiation; • Ethical and sustainable thinking (IO); • Inverted classroom;
skills a mentoring process; • Self-awareness efficiency; • Valuing ideas (IO); • World café.
2. Identify and develop • Empathic listening; • Working with others (IA);
mentorship skills through • Giving & receiving • Spotting opportunities (IO).
the mentoring program; feedback.
3. Implement mentorship
skills learned in the class.

M3 1. Understand the importance of • Giving & receiving • Spotting • CBL (challenge based learning);
Ecosystem collaborating with industry to approach the feedback; opportunities; • Company/employer visits
interaction real life to students; • Problem solving; • Learning Focus group;
2. Identify relevant industry partners that can • Communication; through experience; • Job shadowing.
improve the knowledge of the students; • Cooperating with others. • Valuing ideas.
3. Establish collaborative partnerships with
industry to develop visits and training as
facilitation techniques;

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4.2. PR3: FEEF BLENDED EDUCATION where a selection of facilitation techniques are
TRAINING ITINERARY AND MATERIALS. described in detail, including reflection questions on
which future skills are trained by using the technique.
Working with the basis of the principles defined Additional features will be added to further elaborate
by the FEEF methodology, and in close synergy with on extra skills to be trained by these techniques.
the MOOC designed in PR2, the consortium has
created a tool-kit for teachers and educators to By implementing the facilitation techniques in
succeed in developing classes using facilitation their classes, teachers will help reducing the gap
techniques. between academic world and real-life and as a
consequence, extra skills will be developed.
The FEEF tool-kit is based on innovative
educational and didactic approaches and learning A short understanding of the facilitation
activities that aim at providing teachers with a new techniques that will be described in detail (how to
set of skills and competences that they can put in implement & evaluate) can be found in the toolkit &
practice in their classes and work as coaches/ MOOC.
facilitators to the students’ needs. The main element
of innovation is its focus on enhancing the role of the • Focus group: brings together a small group
educator to become a facilitator/mentor to their of people to answer questions in a moderated
students. This will promote a deeper awareness of setting.
the teaching process, so that the educator can make
adjustments to the curriculum versus following a • Bridging café (world café): a FEEF technique to
prescribed path. Also, the teacher will be able to bring together people from business & academia
identify new ways to structure the most effective to discuss pre-defined topics
activities and routines, to develop or incorporate new
strategies for student achievements and to foster • Challenge-based learning: is a technique for
higher levels of engagement and career vision. learning while solving real-world challenges in a
collaborative and hands-on way.
The material can be used and adapted by the
teachers and educators according to their needs and • Game-based learning or gamification: the use
availability of infrastructure. We will also provide of game design elements in non-game learning
educators, as mentioned before, with entrepreneurial contexts; lessons from the gaming domain are
mindset and soft skills like problem-solving, critical applies to change behaviors in non-gaming
thinking, teamwork, creativity, that will help them to situations. Gamified learning improves student
successfully engage their students in the learning attitude, engagement, and performance.
process.
• Job shadowing: students observe someone
4.2.1. CREATING A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE AND A within the industry within their day-today role in
TOOLKIT. order to understand how they do their job and
what life is like in a workplace. It aims to get an
In PR3 we have developed a toolkit which can be insight rather to hands-on experience.
used by other educational institutions and educators
as a reference on how to design, adapt, implement • Inverted (or flipped) classroom: a blended
and/or measure facilitation programs. learning method in which a self-directed learning
phase (individual phase) takes place before the
The toolkit is a step-by-step practical guide classroom-learning phase. It gives a twist to

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ITINERARY

lessons by converting lectures into e.g. videos 4.2.3. PILOT

that students watch at home, while practical

exercises happen in class where teachers can In the pilot phase each participant of the staff
solve any problems or doubts. training has implemented one or more facilitation
techniques in his or her classes. The results of these
• Company/employer visits: a way for both pilot were discussed during the local multiplier events
students and professionals to network, and where the participating teachers and business people
provide them with a unique opportunity to gain shared and discussed their findings on the tested
insights into how various companies operate in facilitation techniques. This feedback was further
different markets. analyzed by the WP leaders and was integrated in final
deliverables.
• Cooperative learning: a technique that involves
students working together to meet their learning
goals in learning teams or groups. Teachers make
each member of the group in charge of the
academic performance of the others about a
certain aspect.

• Case studies: In the case study, the students

are presented with a case that involves a problem
situation (usually fictitious) and they have to
work out a solution to the problem.

• Brainstorming: one of the most creative ways

of problem-solving, either come up with a new
idea or build on an existing idea.

4.2.2. TESTING WITH A STAFF TRAINING

In a 3-day multi-stakeholder learning activity we

have presented the three project results of our FEEF
program (methodology, digital training resources and
tools, and blended training resources and tools) to an
international team of teachers from each partner
institution. This pilot was a validation of our project
results. The findings and feedback coming from these
participants were analyzed by the WP leaders and
were integrated into the final deliverables, seeking
for the best result and efficiency of the outcomes.

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 21 . ANNE5

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