SPEAK BUSINESS: STRATEGIC PLANNING AND PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR CROSS-BORDER AREAS (KA4049)
Funded by Karelia CBC 2014-2020

Objective of the project

Improving business management skills for establishing and promotion of cross-border cooperation in the field of social entrepreneurship and business.

Main activities

• Developing study programme devoted to project management and strategic planning in cross-border areas, including practical issues of social entrepreneurship, international businees & sales. • Establishing a capacity building center with teachers trained to teach project management and strategic planning courses • Training target groups on project management, social entrepreneurship and international business, conduct regular international exchange of trainees / interns • Conducting research on the obstacles and potential for international business of the programme area from the prospective of business, and business education.

Achievements

Speak Business project contributed to the development of business management skills of young professionals in the field of economics and international business, and social entrepreneurship, fostered conditions for the cross-border cooperation in Programme area by: - Capacity building organized for the teachers (higher and extended education) in project management and strategic planning and development of international networking opportunities (establishment of contacts, exchange trips, building partnership network). - Establishment of the Capacity building Center for Project Management and Strategic Planning. The Center joins experts, consultants and public representatives. It is aimed at education and expert support for the development of local and CBC initiatives. The center uses the newly developed training programme for project management and strategic planning, gathers groups for trainings, and ensures capacity building for teachers. - The experts of the Center are teachers of the Karelian branch of the RANEPA - project team. The consultants of the Center are specialists of state authorities, local self-government, representatives of business and non-profit sector, social entrepreneurs who have experience in the development and implementation of projects. Public representatives of the Center are project participants who have completed training in the courses for "Project Management and Strategic Planning", "Project Management in cross-border cooperation", and also successfully passed certification in the field of project management under the PM-Standard system. Thus, the center itself becomes the platform for networking and cooperation of various PM actors, also offering help in finding Finnish partners for CBC projects. The Center has received the status of a Regional Certification Center in the field of project Management under the PM-Standard system. The only Regional Certification Center of PM STANDARD in the Republic of Karelia. - Developing an educational programme devoted to project management and strategic planning in cooperation of partners from the Russian and Finnish side and implementation of the programme by all 3 partner educational organizations. Parts of the Programme are available on-line as a study course and for further use; digilearning course (lectures content, videos, presentations, tasks, additional literature, didactical bases and educational platform) was created. - Developing educational materials and a media library of video lectures. - Developing educational-methodical manual for students enrolled in higher education programs" "Strategic planning and project management for cross-border area" (RANEPA). - Carrying out a research to analyse bottlenecks and chances related to international business and sales, and competitive resources of target areas to be used for regional development and CBC cooperation. - It should be mentioned that all project partners are interested in continuing cooperation in the implementation of other joint educational, research projects, joint events, etc.. A memorandum has already been signed between Karelian branch of RANEPA and Karelian education development Fund.