2023 was marked as the year when Western Balkans countries were creating new momentum in the promotion of entrepreneurial competences among young people and adults. At the regional conference in Ulcinj, stakeholders from 6 Western Balkan countries agreed that in the following years a greater cooperation focus would be placed on the promotion of entrepreneurial competencies throughout the entire cycle of education and training, both for young people and adults, and that special attention would be paid to the integration of entrepreneurial competencies into the education and training system in the Western Balkans and Turkiye.

Entrepreneurial competences are key competences for life in the modern world and for the development of a knowledge-based society. These competencies help the individual to manage his/her own development, actively participate in the community, participate in the labor market according to his/her interests and capabilities, and undertake various cultural, social and commercial endeavors. In other words, with these competencies, the individual creates new value.

Due to the great importance that entrepreneurial competencies have for growth and development, all stakeholders in the education and training system were seen as needing to take part in the process of promoting these competencies and their integration into the education and learning system. Promoters of entrepreneurship in the Western Balkans and Turkiye called on:

• line institutions to prioritize the integration of entrepreneurial skills in education and training in partnership with civil society, companies and educational institutions, and thus position their country among the champions in the promotion of entrepreneurship in the Western Balkans,
• educational institutions (secondary schools, faculties and centers for adult education) and companies to part take as stakeholders in the dialogue with line authorities on ways and modalities for the integration of entrepreneurial competences in the education and training

By successfully integrating entrepreneurial skills into the education and training system, young people and adults would develop entrepreneurial competencies during education or training and enter the world of work and entrepreneurship with stronger knowledge, skills and attitudes.

Further information was published on the project Facebook and Instagram pages.

The “BY LEAP” project was implemented with the financial support of the European Union through the Civil Society Facility and Media Programme 2018-2019. The project was led by Junior Achievement Serbia and implemented by a consortium of 8 institutions.