On May 5 and 7, 2025 Victoria Harutyunyan, Ph.D. in Economics, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Economics, Law, and Management at Vanadzor State University, conducted a training course titled “Key Entrepreneurial Skills, Initiative, and Proactivity” within the framework of the Erasmus+ CBHE DeSIRe project (“Development of Soft Skills in Higher Education Institutions of Armenia and Georgia”).

Having participated in a training course at the Dresden University of Technology within the scope of the Erasmus+ DeSIRe project, Dr. Harutyunyan shared the knowledge and experience she had gained with 21 students and 23 staff at VSU. During the course, she introduced the concept of soft skills, their application in entrepreneurial activities, and the nine components of the Business Model Canvas.

Participants engaged in two dynamic group activities that encouraged collaboration and creative thinking:

• In the first group activity, participants brainstormed, shared, and gathered a variety of entrepreneurial ideas, reflecting their interests, insights, and innovative approaches to addressing real-world needs.
• In the second activity, they worked collaboratively to develop a Business Model Canvas, integrating the most compelling and original ideas into a structured business plan. This exercise allowed them to apply theoretical knowledge in a practical setting and gain hands- on experience in business planning.

The course fostered entrepreneurial thinking and encouraged creative approaches among the participants.