Research Project Sustainable Entrepreneurial Skills (ESKI)

Sustainable Entrepreneurial Skills (Sustainable ESKI) is an applied research project focused on the integration of sustainability competencies into higher education. This project investigated how entrepreneurship education can contribute to societal transitions related to sustainability, circularity, and social innovation. The methodologies, sustainability checks, and pedagogical frameworks developed demonstrate that students develop sustainable competencies most effectively when sustainability is not presented as a separate topic but is integrated into authentic real-world problems and entrepreneurial challenges.
 

The insights from the research project have directly led to the redesign of the Odisee-wide elective course “Entrepreneurial Skills (ESKI) ” into “Sustainable ESKI.” The research findings were translated into concrete teaching practices in which students evaluate their own business ideas against the SDGs, the circular economy, social entrepreneurship, and sustainable value creation. Through interdisciplinary project work, coaching, blended learning, and practice-oriented assignments, students develop not only entrepreneurial competencies but also systems thinking, strategic thinking, and a long-term vision for sustainable innovation. In this way, Sustainable ESKI serves as an inspiring example of how applied research can strengthen educational innovation.
 

The project also yielded a series of recommendations for faculty and researchers who wish to integrate sustainability into their teaching or research activities. Key lessons include weaving sustainability as a common thread throughout the curriculum, having students work on their own real-world cases, consciously organizing interdisciplinary collaboration, and providing sufficient space for coaching and reflection. Furthermore, it appears that brief, concrete sustainability checks, a strong connection to the professional field, and a balance between theoretical input and practical application are crucial success factors for effectively developing sustainability competencies. These insights offer valuable guidance for colleagues who wish to embed sustainability in education, research, and knowledge translation.