A Varna Free University project encourages students to do business across borders
A joint project between Varna Free University “Chernorizets Hrabar” and Coventry University “Innovative Model for Knowledge and Innovation Transfer” supports young people in Varna in order to implement their business ideas in the labour market. Over 100 students from VFU took part in the project, with the idea of developing innovative technologies reaching nearly 500 of the university students. This is what the project coordinator and Head of the Institute of Technology at VFU Prof. Theodora Bakardzhieva, PhD said in an interview for Darik Radio.
Ways of financing students’ ideas are currently being sought, one of them being the so called crowdfunding, where everyone who wishes to help the implementation of a specific business idea can contribute. “Even minimal sums of say 5 or 6 dollars are also welcome. This is how companies like Google and Pebble have started. We have created the VFU Starter platform, where students can post their ideas in a web media and show them to potential investors. If Google and Pebble have succeeded, why shouldn’t we have confidence in the success and application of our platform?” said Prof. Bakardzhieva.
Varna Free University has chosen to work on a joint project with Coventry University because it is the most enterprising university for 2013 and the most modern one for 2014. It incorporates institutes for serious games, applied entrepreneurship, applications in medicine etc. Coventry University has initiated the study of the successful practices in the field of digital competences, and the transfer of key benefits to entrepreneurial technologies in Bulgaria.
Another important goal is enriching the existing educational practices at VFU by designing an action model and a plan. “The idea involves master classes which will train students in order to equip them with new practical skills and financial expertise. The most successful master class, Business Angels, focused on start-ups. We are trying to prepare our students to develop innovative projects”, added the project coordinator.
During the three visits to Coventry, students presented some of their projects. These ideas, some of which were focused on information technologies, Start-up companies and youth labour recruitment agencies, were discussed within international teams. The VFU students were mostly impressed with the existing technological park.
“The meetings and discussions held during the visits brought about new project ideas. Coventry is a town situated close to Shakespeare’s native town. Therefore, what their students had developed were Shakespeare-related tourist applications for mobile devices. Living and working in a tourist region, we could also think of similar ideas. We can make use of what new technologies have to offer – mobile apps which will impress foreigners.” added Prof. Bakardzhieva.
Five students from China arrived at the beginning of March to study at VFU. They are here under an international cooperation programme with the University of Shanghai. Chinese students are interested in international business, project management and the new European programmes.
“These five students are the first to arrive, but as of the autumn we have signed agreements for joint master programmes. The master programmes will last a year. The university’s ambition is to offer also bachelor and PhD programmes. Bulgarian students have also been sent to Shanghai”, said the Head of the Institute of Technology at VFU.