News

27.11.2015

Introduction and Implementation of Mentoring Programmes at Universities and Colleges Round table. SYNERGY University

On the 27th of November, 2015, the round table on Introduction and Implementation of Mentoring Programmes at Universities and Colleges in Russia was hold as part of the agenda of the Days of Mentoring in Entrepreneurship at the premises of Synergy University. The round table was organized by the Russian Association for Entrepreneurship Education, Synergy University and IBLF Russia.

The key objective of the event was to build awareness among the educational institutions members involved in entrepreneurship education of the mentoring as the instrument of non-financial support for startups and growing entrepreneurs. The organisers believed that universities and colleges could become the centres of implementation of the mentoring in entrepreneurship programmes since they have all necessary resources, namely the students and post-graduates (future budding entrepreneurs), and alumni some of whom are successful entrepreneurs and might go in for mentoring. Galina Zenkina, Executive Director of the Russian Association for Entrepreneurship Education welcomed the round table participants and told that this topic was fresh and very interesting and ambitious.

    

The round table was chaired by Boris Tkachenko, Head of IBLF Russia and international expert in mentoring in entrepreneurship. The key speakers were Guillem Aris, Director of Youth Business Spain Foundation, and Ivan Biryukov, General Director of the NGO Centre for Social Innovations “Opportunities Technologies”. Guillem told about his team’s experience in introduction and implementation of mentoring programme in Spain and cooperation with Youth Business International on development of mentoring in entrepreneurship, as well as Youth Business Spain partnership with universities in Barcelona and Madrid. Ivan took over and shared his experience in implementation of “Opportunities Technologies” programme designated to support youth projects and social entrepreneurs in the area of the help to the disabled and the peoples with special needs, in close liaison with the Bauman Moscow State Technical University and business community. Ivan pointed out that mentors often play a critical role in successful start and development of their young mentees’ business activity, and expressed appreciation to IBLF Russia and Youth Business Russia for fruitful cooperation in this sphere.

The participants of the round table, including representatives of specialized universities and colleges and even schools from Moscow, Nizhny Novgorod and other Russian regions displayed a keen interest in practical implementation of the mentoring programmes and received full clarification by the leading mentoring experts from Voronezh and Kaluga and the round table chairman.

As the follow up on the round table, the Russian Association for Entrepreneurship Education and IBLF Russia have agreed upon further cooperation on mentoring in entrepreneurship next year.