University and business learning for new employability paths in food and gastronomy

FOODBIZ aims at promoting acquisition of relevant skills and competences related to employability in higher education students through their active involvement in community learning activities, allowing them to:

• learn in context;
• establish links with enterprises and other stakeholders of the territory to which the university belongs;
• understand the economic strengths and opportunities of the territory in relation to agri-food and food tourism;
• reflect about their own competences, motivations, and ambitions;
• contribute to community development and job creation.

FOODBIZ supports innovation and creativity of students and all players involved through regional partnership: the project aims at promoting co-creation of knowledge between students, business players, researchers/universities, other stakeholders concerned, and policy makers for local development in the field of agri-food and food tourism.

Higher education students could be key players of innovation, and key mediators between research, business, and local development: they represent the educated workforce of the future, and to be employable and active contributors of economy, they should acquire skills that are relevant to the labour market. However, in addition to what the universities are used to do (courses on soft skills, career development support and career guidance, entrepreneurship courses etc.), they first need to understand and know their own contexts and communities, relate with business players, policy makers, other stakeholders, and create synergies with them since the study years.

The project aims at implementing an action where the students are active in the community to which their belong during the study years, bringing into the university the knowledge of the community and vice-versa, and co-creating with other players, as peer, new knowledge and innovation. The key element of the project is therefore the concept of co-creation, which takes place when all the subjects involved establish a dialogue, reciprocal understanding and common goals.

Lead Partner:

Project Partners:

FOODBIZ project is co-funded by the Erasmus+ Programme of the European Union under the Strategic Partnerships for Higher Education action.

For more information about FOODBIZ project please visit www.foodbiz.info