Development of Bachelor Degree Program Entrepreneurship in Applied Arts and Design

The project "Development of Bachelor Degree Program Entrepreneurship in Applied Arts and Design" is financed by structural instruments of the European Social Fund. The project duration is 18 months. The project partners are the following:

• Vaasa University of Applied Sciences, Finland
• Association of Former Students of the Applied Arts and Design School in Zagreb – UBU

The main project objective is to develop and implement a new interdisciplinary university curriculum/study program in the field of applied arts & design based on occupational and qualification standards in order to raise entrepreneurial competences of Croatian graduates and increase their (self-) employability.

An estimated total eligible costs of the project is 304.937,73 EUR, while 94,68% is financed by the European Social Fund.

The project will be implemented through the following activities:

1. Conduct needs assessment and analysis of the existing situation at the Croatian labour market in the area of applied arts and design;
2. Develop new Occupational and Qualification Standards and the new Curriculum and submit for approval and accreditation;
3. 3 Pilot teachers' training in secondary schools of applied arts and design with the purpose of introducing entrepreneurship-driven courses into regular school curricula;
4. Design and develop teaching materials for the courses in line with the new curriculum developed and ready for use in Croatian and train VERN’s teaching and non-teaching staff to use the teaching materials;
5. Establish a Project website with a web forum for social dialog to foster partnerships between graduates and labour market stakeholders;
6. Organize visibility events and produce visibility materials.

PREDICTED RESULTS:

1. Needs assessment and analysis of the existing situation at the Croatian labour market in the area of applied arts and design conducted.
2. New Occupational and Qualification Standards and the new Curriculum developed, approved and accredited.
3. Entrepreneurship-driven training introduced for schools of applied arts and design at the level of secondary education.
4. Teaching materials for the courses in line with the new curriculum developed and VERN’s staff trained for their usage.
5. Web forum established within the Project webpage for dialogue between students and social partners at the labour market.
6. Final dissemination event organized.