The Creative Spark Poltava program has been extended to 2021

Poltava University of Economics and Trade in partnership with the University of Portsmouth (UK), NGO “Center for Adult Education in Poltava” since 2019 is the executor of the local project of the British Council program “Creative Spark: a program to support entrepreneurship in education.”

This initiative is working in Ukraine for the third year and aims to support international university and institutional partnerships for the development of entrepreneurial skills and creative economy in seven countries: Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia with the support of the United Kingdom.

During the project implementation, the Creative Spark Poltava team researched and understood the need and reality of the creative sector development in Ukraine, developed a database of beneficiaries in the region interested in project products, developed educational projects and ensured their effective implementation at the local level.

During the 2019-2020 project year, the project team conducted a number of educational activities aimed at the commercialization of creative industries and the study of English. Among them: internships for teachers at the University of Portsmouth and the visit of the British project partner Giovanna Radulovich, who together with a colleague conducted workshops for students and teachers of the university; joint round table “Cooperation Business Universities Britain-Ukraine” and the development of the British-Ukrainian course “Creative Entrepreneurship”, public lectures by well-known Ukrainian speakers, namely Andriy Dligach, Kateryna and Jean Smotrychiv; training events from the British Council – studying the course “Intellectual Property” from the World Intellectual Property Organization, learning English, studying at the London Metropolitan University Business School, regular online workshops by experts from Britain and the Eastern Partnership countries.

The main component of Creative Spark is conducting educational activities to develop entrepreneurial skills in students and creative entrepreneurs. Thus, the Creative Spark Poltava team conducted training on the course “Creative Entrepreneurship” for foreign students of Poltava University of Economics and Trade, winter camp “Creative Entrepreneurship” for Ukrainian students of the university, where for 3 days participants pumped skills of entrepreneurship and pitching ideas; four two-day trainings on creative entrepreneurship for young entrepreneurs and those wishing to start their own business from Poltava and Poltava region, Creative Spark Marathon – a five-day online event for students of university branches in Belgorod-Dniester, Nikolaev, Cherkasy and local distance learning centers in Zhytomyr, Kropyvnytskyi, Sumy, Novomoskovsk, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Kherson. The Creative Spark Marathon was also held in open access for everyone. Thus, more than 500 participants took part in Creative Spark Poltava events.

After completing the educational component, participants had the opportunity to refine their own business ideas, receive mentoring support from project teachers and participate in the local competition Big Idea Challenge 2020.

According to the results of the competition and crash test of the project with the participation of British colleagues, successful entrepreneurs of Ukraine, 19 projects were selected from Poltava region, which took part in the Big Idea Challenge – a video pitch competition at the international level.

Creative Spark participants also shared their own business project ideas and presented projects during the annual student conference “Topical issues of science development and quality assurance of education”, which was held as a result of research and were published in the conference proceedings.

All the results of the project can be found on the official website and in the report.

The project year is over, but work continues.

The project proposal for 2020-2021 was approved by the British Council, so the implementation of the Program will last another year.

Among the planned activities:

English language training (Creative Spark English Club for PUET students and online courses from the British Council);

-training in intellectual property from the World Intellectual Property Organization;

-development of a distance course “Creative Entrepreneurship”;

-preparation of scientific papers focused on publications in scientific journals;

-organization and holding of Creative Spark Bootcamp for project participants;

-launching of Creative Business Hub on the basis of Poltava University of Economics and Trade;

-selection, mentoring support for participants of the international competition Big Igea Challenge 2021.

This year, the Creative Spark Poltava team became the national program champion and will represent the interests of the Program and will work with the British Council to form and strengthen a network of partners. This is an opportunity for Creative Spark partners to be not only executors of individual projects on the ground, but also to work with the network to synchronize all institutions.

The experience gained from British partners inspires the implementation of successful practices in Ukraine. Participation in the Program allows you to join a large international network, which can contribute to changes in the creative industries.

Participation in the program “Creative Spark: Higher Education Enterprise Program” for students is a unique chance to gain knowledge from leading Ukrainian and British experts and get support to start your own business!

For teachers it is an opportunity to learn from British colleagues and introduce new approaches to the educational process, for entrepreneurs it is an opportunity to get new relevant knowledge from experts for free.

And for Poltava University of Economics and Trade – this is another proof of international recognition and a step towards further integration into the international educational space.