A representative of the NGO Mladiinfo Montenegro attended the National Conference on Entrepreneurial Learning in Montenegro at the University of Donja Gorica on October 14, 2020. The event was organized by the Student Business Center, as part of the BY LEAP project funded by the European Union through the Civil Society Facility and Media Program 2018-2019.
“The goal of the project is to network the main actors who in Montenegro, but also in the Western Balkans and Turkey, are working on linking the education system with employment policy and the development of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial learning”, said Nikola Micunovic from the Student Business Center.
In his introductory speech, professor Veselin Vukotic spoke about entrepreneurship and misconceptions related to that concept.
“Entrepreneurship is not the same as business. Entrepreneurship is awakening and business is motivation”, said Vukotic.
The conference had three panels and a lecture on the promotion of the importance of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial participation of young people through the participation of representatives of civil society organizations. They also talked about creating a quality network and exchanging experiences between the public, private and civil sectors. The topic of the first panel session was “Development of entrepreneurial learning through the conceptual design and implementation of the educational program in Montenegro” where it was said that “Education is important and crucial but not enough and that you can be born as an entrepreneur, but you can become an entrepreneur as well.”
“If we want changes to happen, we must also educate people who teach the younger generations, because in order for the changes not to be wrong, they must be complete and from the roots”, is one of the messages.
The second panel session dealt with the topic “Development of entrepreneurship as a competence in youth employment in the Montenegrin economy.” The program of the Employment Bureau for giving grants for self-employment was presented, but there was also talk of social entrepreneurship.
During the third panel, where the topic was “Development of entrepreneurial learning through the work of teams in startup and innovation centers”, it was said that people have ideas but not ways to present them. The participants of the conference were introduced to the Science and Technology Park and IPC Tehnopolis, but also to private institutions and organizations that support youth entrepreneurship, such as the Mtel digital factory, NEST and the Entrepreneurial Nest.
“Entrepreneurship is not an occupation but a way of thinking, a view of the world, a synergy of an individual that must not be equated with business. What is also important to mention is that entrepreneurial development does not have the possibility to rely only on the domestic market”, are some of the conclusions of the conference.
