Sustainable Entrepreneurship: Focusing on Sustainable Business Solutions
Voices and impressions of Spring School 2024 from Basel
At the beginning of April 2024, students from Eucor and EPICUR universities traveled to Vienna for the five-day EPICUR Spring School “Sustainable Entrepreneurship” at the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (BOKU). Harry Bonetti, who studies Spanish and Sports Science at the University of Basel, summarizes his impressions as a participant of the Spring School: “The Spring School week was a unique experience where students from all over the world came together to develop solutions to problems for three existing sustainable companies. It was also, to a certain extent, a crash course in the world of entrepreneurship, which led us to develop an idea and a common thread for our own sustainable start-ups that can now be pursued further.”
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© Lena Peterstorfer -
© Lena Peterstorfer -
© Lena Peterstorfer -
© Lena Peterstorfer
Finding solutions together to real business challenges
The companies Viva con Agua, Protect Our Winters and Beetle for Tech confronted the students with real-life challenges. Experts supported the students in their search for sustainable solutions by introducing them to design thinking methods and entrepreneurial processes. The instructors also provided pitch coaching to prepare the students for presenting their innovative ideas at the end of the Spring School. Laura Engist, computer science student at the University of Basel, on the Spring School program: “The keynotes, input sessions, the guided ‘free’ work and the many thought-provoking impulses helped us a lot and I was impressed by the ideas presented by all the groups.” Florian Biedermann, a student of sustainable development at the University of Basel, added: “I was particularly enthusiastic about the workshops on group work, strengths/weaknesses analysis and personal development. These were very instructive and inspiring.”
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© Lena Peterstorfer -
© Lena Peterstorfer
Expert input, moving stories and intercultural exchange
Sarah Blümli, a student of sustainable development, and Jakob Selke, a sociology and mathematics student, appreciated not only the input from entrepreneurs and moving stories told by climate activists, but also getting to know a new city/university and the intercultural exchange with international students. Furthermore, the students were able to acquire skills in project management and working in international teams as part of this unusual teaching format. At the end, the participants from Basel recommended that all students attend a Spring School.
Thanks to the financial support of Movetia, the Swiss Agency for Mobility and Exchange, as part of Eucor's association with the EPICUR alliance, students from the University of Basel were also able to take part in this EPICUR Spring School.