“Lucian Blaga” University in Sibiu was the host of the mixed intensive program (BIP) “Practical Business Skills: Developing an entrepreneurial mindset”

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The Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Program (BIP) was organized by the “Lucian Blaga” University of Sibiu – ULBS in partnership with Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences – SeAMK (Finland), Technische Hochschule Würzburg-Schweinfurt – THWS (Germany) and Uniwersytet Opolski (Poland).

On this occasion, 35 students (11 from Finland, 12 from Germany, 4 from Poland and 8 from Romania), together with 9 teaching staff, participated in the activities of the face-to-face activity week in Sibiu (between 22-26 April 2024).

Students learned about business models and how to evaluate a business opportunity, basics of multicultural marketing and finance, how to present their ideas in an international context, respectively in a sales pitch approach.

The program also included two online sessions, during which the students were divided into teams. This year’s case study focused on the Sibiu Christmas Market, with students analyzing Christmas shopping trends, the factors that influence purchasing decisions, and whether there is (or is not) a preference for sustainable products, the role social media in promoting such an event, as well as what type of traders participate in such a fair. Each team produced a report, highlighting the specific elements of that country, from a food and non-food point of view.

The face-to-face activities in Sibiu started with the presentation of the conclusions of the first documentation stage. Work in international teams followed. The students were grouped in mixed teams, with members from each country, receiving the task of analyzing, with the help of the Lean Model Canvas, the opportunity to be (or not) present with a stand in the Christmas Fair in Sibiu.

In addition to the intense work to understand the local specifics, the details regarding the organization of the Christmas Fair, the viability of their idea, as well as the preparation of the pitch presentation, the students had presentations and the opportunity to interact with the organizer of the Christmas Fair in Sibiu, as well as with a local company, which participated in the last edition of this fair. In addition, the students went on a documentary visit to a local entrepreneur, brewer and participant in several events, where they could observe the brewing process and find answers to their questions thanks to the vast experience of the entrepreneur with whom they dialogued.

Thus, in addition to obtaining the 3 ECTS credits, the students involved in the program had the opportunity to discover new habits, to work in multicultural teams, alongside new colleagues (similar to the current work environment), to test dishes specific to the host country and learn more about local culture and products.

One of the student teams stated that “they learned to listen to the opinions of others and to choose the best ideas for solutions, even if at the beginning they had communication problems”. Another student said that “the program felt like real working life, where people from different backgrounds come together to solve projects through good cooperation and communication”.

As for the perception of the teachers involved, Saija Råtts (Senior Lecturer at Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences – SeAMK in Finland) believes that “joining such projects and intensive mixed programs (BIP) is always a great way to learn”.