Educational Simulations of Sustainable International Business
The international cooperation partnership project entitled Simulation of Sustainable International Business (S.O.S. IB), supported by the Erasmus+ Programme, brings together three higher education institutions from the fields of accounting, finance and management as well as the Croatian Institute for Corporate Social Responsibility to develop digital simulations on the topic of sustainable international business.
The simulations will be performed in a purposely designed digital tool as well as adapted to a mobile game. They will enable (virtual) international collaboration of lecturers in the development of innovative teaching content and international collaboration of students in learning through practical simulated examples.
Just like the real thing! Teaching and learning through simulations provide an innovative, interactive and realistic learning environment.
TRANSVERSAL SKILLS ARE CRUCIAL
The business world is international, interdisciplinary and increasingly sustainability-oriented. It often requires transversal skills in addition to specialist knowledge. These are hardly acquired by students in traditional teaching processes.
DEVELOPING DIGITAL SIMULATIONS
Therefore, our international partnership is engaged in developing digital simulations of sustainable international business that will enable international collaboration of educators from different disciplines as well as international and interdisciplinary collaboration of students. We will simulate the operation of international companies with different business challenges in the fields of sustainability, accounting, management, finance, intercultural communication, etc. Educators will set the challenges and students from different disciplines will work together to solve them. In a later phase of the project dissemination, we will work with new partners to extend the simulated challenges to other areas of international business, or to upgrade and adapt the existing simulations.
S.O.S. IB partners met in Ljubljana
Erasmus+ international project Simulation of Sustainable International Business (S.O.S. IB),
VŠR’s project S.O.S. International Business selected in Erasmus+ call for proposals
We are very pleased to inform you that the VŠR
International Training S.O.S. IB
Between 13th and 18th June 2022, we have conducted international training in the framework of the European project S.O.S. IB.
Transnational meeting of S.O.S. IB partners in Bolgaria
One year after the meeting in Ljubljana, the project partners
S.O.S. IB meeting in Zagreb
The Simulation of Sustainable International Business (S.O.S. IB) project partners
Project S.O.S. International Business
To enhance the quality of teaching and learning practices as well as international and interdisciplinary networking of lecturers and students by introducing innovative teaching methods and tools.
The project aims to establish teaching practices that are based on the principles of innovative teaching and are supported by digital technology. They will facilitate peer-to-peer, international and interdisciplinary collaboration among students and educators in the filed of sustainable international business.
THE MAIN PROJECT OBJECTIVES:
- To develop a free digital tool for simulation of sustainable international business in higher education and in business training processes;
- To train teaching staff to use digital simulations and related methods of innovative teaching in their teaching processes and in introducing the aspects of sustainability into international business curricula;
- To develop and test the digital simulations of sustainable international business;
- To develop and deliver trainings about the use of the digital tool in higher education and business;
- To develop a free mobile game on sustainable international business;
- To conduct a case study of increasing internationalisation through digitisation of teaching practices in smaller higher education institutions—project partners.
The project runs for three years, from 15 December 2021 to 14 December 2024.
However, the project results will be used long after the official conclusion of the project.
Four main results will be developed as part of the project: a digital tool, simulations, a mobile game and a case study. All results will be freely available. We will also offer trainings in their use!
Main project results
- A digital tool for development and implementation of digital simulations of sustainable international business operations, which will be used in both higher education and business environments. The content of the simulations can be developed by anyone. A user guide (with some examples of simulations) will be included in the tool itself, and training will be provided.
2. Examples of simulations of sustainable international business, which will be tested in the teaching practices of the partner HEIs during the project lifetime and further disseminated among other interested HEIs and other stakeholders.
3. A mobile game on sustainable international business for individual learning. It will be based on gamification methods, but without the interactivity of simulations.
4. A study of the effects of introducing the digital tool (with innovative teaching methods) on internationalisation of small HEIs. A case study of partner HEIs, based on mixed methods from social sciences, will be conducted throughout the project. At the end of the project, the findings will be publicly presented and an open access online publication will be produced.
The project brings together three higher education institutions and one institute, as well as a number of other associated partners from the HE and business sectors.
In addition to the VŠR College of Accounting and Finance as the lead partner, the core project partnership consists of two higher education institutions from Croatia and Bulgaria (University of Applied Sciences RRiF, and VUM Varna University of Management), and the Croatian Institute for Corporate Social Responsibility (IDOP).
More than 30 associate partners (colleges, faculties, public institutions, companies and NGOs) from all three countries have already shown interest in the project and in using its results. We invite you to join us in using and disseminating the results as well!
Project is co-funded by the European Union under the Erasmus+ programme (KA2: Cooperation Partnerships in Higher Education). More about the Erasmus+ Programme.
At the VŠR College the project is coordinated by Barbara Drole and Mojca Mayr (contact: international@vsr.si).
Innovative, interactive and realistic digital learning environment
International collaboration in the development of educational content without the need for physical mobility
Interdisciplinary teaching and learning about sustainable international business
Mobile game—learning tool for individual learners
In 2024 we can provide training about the usage of the digital tool in your (internal) educational processes. We can also cooperate with other HEIs and develop new examples of sustainable international business simulations for your and our students, thereby strengthening collaboration within the HE sector. We also invite you to use the mobile game and read the findings of the study!
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