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The partners of IMPACT ACADEMY, a project in the field of Higher Education co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission, are proud to announce the successful completion of Work Package 2 (WP2). As part of its ongoing efforts to improve professional education and skills in impact evaluation, IMPACT ACADEMY has developed the Impact Skills Framework, an innovative result that offers a strategic approach to mapping the key competences required in this field. The framework is designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of professionals involved in impact assessments across various sectors, ensuring that they are equipped to meet the challenges of sustainable development KEY ACHIEVEMENTS OF WORKPACKAGE 2 •    Competence Mapping A thorough examination of the skills needed in impact assessment, taking into account the main impact evaluation methods currently used by social enterprises. A detailed overview of the latter is available on the IMPACT ACADEMY Platform that allows university students and other users to delve deep into these methods. •    Impact Skills Framework The core achievement of WP2, this framework provides a structured, strategic approach to identify and map the competences needed for effective impact evaluation. It is based on a deep understanding of impact assessment methods and tools and incorporates both specific skills and transversal competencies that are essential for success in this field. The Framework is divided into four main competency areas: 1.    Human and Social Skills 2.    Civic Competences 3.    Statistical Skills 4.    Impact Evaluation Skills Each competency area is broken down into four levels of capacity—ranging from Basic to Expert allowing individuals to progressively develop their skills and advance in their professional journey. This structured progression ensures that professionals not only gain foundational knowledge but also acquire advanced skills to drive innovation and inspire change in the field of impact evaluation. The framework is now available for download and further exploration at this link For more information about IMPACT ACADEMY and its achievements, visit www.impactacademyproject.eu or contact us.

The partners of IMPACT ACADEMY, an Erasmus+ co-funded project in Higher Education, gathered for a face-to-face transnational project meeting on November 29, 2024, in Brussels, Belgium. The meeting opened with remarks from IHF and AMU, followed by a review of WP2 results, where partners discussed strategies to promote and increase the impact of the completed findings. This session sparked valuable conversations on disseminating results for maximum reach. The WP3.A1 OER Platform session, led by IWS, followed with an update on platform statistics, progress, and the next steps. This part of the meeting provided crucial insights into the platform’s development and its impact on the project, which was well-received by all involved. Later in the day, the WP3.A2 Training Course Development session took center stage, with each partner contributing a brief presentation of the training modules they had developed. This collaborative exercise was particularly beneficial as it allowed for joint assessments of each partner’s contributions, leading to valuable feedback and discussion on how to refine the materials. The session also explored next steps, including course adjustments, interviews, translations, and course delivery. A highlight of the meeting was the Performance & Optimisation session, which began with an ice-breaker game to foster a relaxed yet focused environment. This led into an interactive group activity where partners worked in two groups to brainstorm solutions to key topics raised in the National Agency's evaluation. The discussions focused on the effective use of the project training programme and involvement of socioeconomic stakeholders. The activity generated actionable ideas, specific targets, and communication strategies, paving the way for future optimization efforts. The WP4 and WP5 sessions, which focused on tools to assess entrepreneurial ideas and the project’s dissemination strategy, were also key moments of the day. UNISKOPJE presented the tool to assess how well entrepreneurial ideas align with the SDGs, while IHF shared updates on dissemination and valorisation efforts, including the preparation of guidelines for practitioners and policy recommendations. WP4 and WP5 sessions focused on tools for assessing entrepreneurial ideas aligned with the SDGs and updates on dissemination and valorisation efforts. WP1 Project Management involved reviewing interim report inputs to ensure data quality and completeness. The meeting concluded with a renewed sense of collaboration and alignment, with clear next steps for delivering training and valorising results. These activities are essential to ensuring the project’s long-term impact and sustainability. For more information about IMPACT ACADEMY and its progress, visit: www.impactacademyproject.eu  

The IMPACT ACADEMY Erasmus + Cooperation Partnership Project launch the online Open Education Resource Platform. IMPACT ACADEMY Platform is the main showcase of project’s results and its largest and most tangible channel for international visibility, and is available in 6 languages (EN, ES, IT, FR, MK, TR) with all of its content completely available for free, without requiring any kind of registration/identification by the user. Project website is now online at https://impactacademyproject.eu/  The current economic system is largely geared towards increasing economic growth at the expense of increasing social inequality and environmental degradation. Yet companies can have a positive impact on sustainable development goals. The role of Education is to facilitate these paradigm shifts, e.g. to support young people and students to acquire new skills, in our case Skills about the Impact economy. Indeed, the impact economy model is well-positioned to find an appropriate balance across all three pillars: economic, social and environmental. The two main General objectives of Impact Academy project are: • Building a Culture of Social Impact and Sustainability in Entrepreneurship education integrating research, experimentation, scientific knowledge into a unique and distinctive offer • Promoting the creation of a new generation of agents who are builders of a new, sustainable, fair and open world. The project officially kick-started on December 14th, 2023, with the first online transnational meeting during which partners had a great opportunity to discuss the overall project implementation schedule, define timelines and respective duties in the following months. One of the very first activities was the development, testing and implementation of the Open Educational Resources (OER) Platform. For the next two years, the Platform will host and integrate all the main achievements  of the consortium; each section of the IMPACT ACADEMY Platform is a stand-alone library of its corresponding output. For further information about IMPACT ACADEMY project: https://impactacademyproject.eu/ 

On December 14th, 2023, Consortium joined the virtual Kick-Off Meeting of the IMPACT ACADEMY project, a ground-breaking initiative in Higher Education co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Commission. This innovative project addresses a critical need in entrepreneurial education by focusing on the valorisation of impact skills and aims to empower small businesses to thrive in an ever-changing global landscape. Over the past decades, the importance of impact skills in building corporate resilience during crises has become evident. However, existing tools have predominantly targeted large corporations, leaving a void for emerging businesses seeking to integrate social, environmental, and economic dimensions for success. The question of how a new company can create a business plan that harmoniously incorporates these dimensions is at the core of the IMPACT ACADEMY's mission. The answer lies in the wider acquisition of Impact Skills, a crucial element often overlooked in European universities’ courses. In this framework, 6 partners representing different education systems across Europe decided to build a Consortium to address these challanges:     • Aix-Marseille Université, France     • DEMOSTENE Centro Studi, Italy     • Institut de Haute Formation aux Politiques Communautaires (IHF) asbl, Belgium     • Adnan Menderes University (ADU), Turkey     • The University of Tourism and Management Skopje (UTMS), North Macedonia     • Internet Web Solutions (IWS), Spain In two years of project’s implementation, partners will collaborate to innovate entrepreneurial education by:     • Developing an Impact Economy Programme in Higher Education to create a new generation of young entrepreneurs capable of seizing opportunities while prioritizing societal well-being. Partners will produce, test and validate a dynamic course designed to facilitate the acquisition of Impact Skills through engaging multimedia content     • Creating an Impact Skills Framework designed to equip entrepreneurs with the essential skills necessary for navigating the complex landscape of impact entrepreneurship     • Developing the SDGs 2030 Assessment Tool for assessing how well an entrepreneurial idea aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals The launch of the IMPACT ACADEMY project signals a transformative step towards a more inclusive and impactful entrepreneurial education landscape, ensuring that small businesses can thrive while contributing positively to society. For more information about IMPACT ACADEMY Project, please stay tuned to impactacademyproject.eu