Private Sector for Development
Automotive Excellence Centre in Kragujevac
The World Bank, OECD and SPARK started supporting a newly founded Automotive Excellence Centre led by the Regional Chamber of Commerce in Kragujevac, Serbia. Through this project SPARK will support
Business Day supported by BSC Kragujevac
a study into the automotive industry in Central Serbia, and assist ISO certification of 6 automotive components manufacturing companies in the region. Find out more @ www.bsckragujevac.org
BSC Kosovo expands training to young entrepreneurs with USAID
This autumn the Business Start-up Center Kosovo is providing a USAID-funded training programme, besides their regular ongoing activities. Through this programme a large group of youth will be offered the opportunity to open and expand their own business. Find out more @ www.bsckosovo.org
ICT Business Development in the West Bank
Birzeit University is setting up an ICT Business Start-Up and Pre-Incubation Center in Ramallah, supported by SPARK and the Business Start-Up Centre in Kragujevac, Serbia. Through business management skills training for students and a business plan competition, the new centre aims to create employment opportunities for young people, by assisting them to start up their own companies. More information @ http://home.birzeit.edu
BSC training participants
BSC Bar at the Adriatic Fair in Budva
Business Start-Up Centre Bar participated in a fair of Small and Medium Enterprises in Budva from 28 to 30 October 2009. The fair is set up in cooperation with the Directorate for Development of Small and Medium Enterprises of Montenegro and “Inventivnost” Incubator from Podgorica. With the help of BSC Bar, 23 BSC Bar Business Plan Competition contestants had an opportunity to present their business to the Montenegrin and regional market, as well as to establish new business contacts at the fair.
Education for Development
Introducing Entrepreneurial Teaching Methods in Macedonia
Teaching staff from the University “St. Kliment Ohridski” in Bitola, Macedonia improved their entrepreneurial teaching methods during a workshop at the end of October in Amsterdam. They strive to make the curriculum of their university more entrepreneurial, thereby encouraging more youth in the Bitola region to start their own enterprises.
International Business College Mitrovica
The opening of a brand new international Business College in Mitrovica is rapidly approaching. Building plans have been completed and an EU curriculum partner has been identified that will be issuing double degrees. A donor has been found for scholarships for prospective students, bringing a quality EU degree in reach for all. Thousands of youth from Kosovo and the region have pre-registered and shown their interest to enroll. More information @ www.ibcmitrovica.eu
Business supported by BSC Zenica
First regional Southeast European Master in Entrepreneurship
A one year regional, South East European (SEE) Master program in entrepreneurship (60 ECTS) at the University of Novi Sad has started in cooperation with UNESCO Chair of Entrepreneurship and six SEE universities. This course is intended for ambitious, risk-taking bachelor students who seek new challenges for themselves and their environment. More information @ www.unescochair.uns.ac.rs
eD Conference 2009
Around 150 experts from over 20 nations from across Europe, Africa and the Middle East gathered in Rotterdam on 29-30 October 2009 to discuss entrepreneurship development. They exchanged good practices as well as lessons learned from failures through actively participating in interactive workshops, simulation games and open debating space. Find out more @ www.eD2009.org
BSC Kragujevac information and interested students
Balkan Snapshots Film Festival
For the fourth time this year, Balkan Buro together with Mara Foundation organised the Balkan Snapshots Film Festival in Amsterdam. During the festival, a debate and lectures supported by SPARK explored the issue of development aid and cooperation in the Western Balkans. Find out more @ www.balkansnapshots.com
Success Story
“Pikasu EM” by Marjan Milosevski
If anyone had suggested to Marjan Milosevski ten years ago that by the time he is 26 he would be an owner of a bakery and a cake shop, he would have never believed it. After finishing the School of Agriculture and Agronomy, he started working in bakeries just to finance his education. He worked his way up in the industry to become a confectioner-baker. But it was only until after entering the Business Plan competition at BSC Bitola that his life truly changed. Marjan was awarded first place and won office space in the Business incubator, an opportunity for a micro-credit of 10.000 Euros at a
very favourable interest rate, free consultancy worth 2.000 Euros and help in registering his own company. Now he is employing ten people in his bakery ‘Pikasu EM’ and is already making plans for expanding his business further.
Success story BSC Bitola
