25 May, 2023

Women Entrepreneurs in Regional Inclusive Entrepreneurial Ecosystems - WeRin - is
a forward-thinking European initiative with a team of partners who are passionate about increasing the share of female graduate entrepreneurs.

The Hincks Centre were delighted to host the WeRin International Capacity Building Session on Gender, Inclusivity and Entrepreneurial Ecosystems on May 23, 2023. It was wonderful to welcome our WeRin partners - the majority of whom travelled from other countries. The two-day event took place on MTU's Bishopstown Campus. 

Our thanks to Dr Lorna Treanor, University of Nottingham, and Professor Helle Neergaard, Aarhus University, who gave inspirational keynote addresses and to everyone who participated to make this an event to remember.

The following article, written by Hugo Buitrago, Accreditation Council for Entrepreneurial and Engaged Universities (ACEEU), appeared in the 5th Issue of the WeRin Project e-zine. 

Developing Capacities for Fostering Inclusive Entrepreneurial Ecosystems

The WeRin project successfully launched the WeRin International Capacity Building Session on gender, inclusivity, and entrepreneurial ecosystems in May 2023, hosted by Munster Technological University in Cork, Ireland.

The two-day face-to-face session discussed the implications of inclusive entrepreneurship for education and support programs. This capacity-building session aimed at developing the necessary skills to design and deliver more inclusive programmes in diverse European regions as a measure to promote the active consolidation of inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems.

The WeRin International Capacity Building session is the first step towards the development of the WeRin local capacity-building sessions in the five countries represented in the project: Croatia, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Turkey. Local sessions will transfer the knowledge and outcomes of the project to a wider regional entrepreneurial ecosystem. They will be delivered to educators, trainers and programme managers involved in promoting and supporting entrepreneurship.

The WeRin International capacity building event in Ireland gathered student entrepreneurs, educators, and programme managers in the field of entrepreneurship. It provided training on the pedagogical skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary for utilising the WeRin Toolbox and delivering the WeRLearnin Approach, particularly emphasising the WeRin Principles which are 100% inclusivity, relatable role models, realistic picture of entrepreneurship, opportunity-driven entrepreneurship, visibility of support and finance, and structural ecosystem change. Each principle was enhanced with valuable resources, insights, and feedback to define the key dimensions of inclusive entrepreneurship.

The event had inspirational keynote speeches such as “Women’s Entrepreneurship and Neoliberalism” by Dr Lorna Treanor from the University of Nottingham and “Understanding Women in Entrepreneurship: Inclusive Strategies for Education” by Professor Helle Neergaard from Aarhus University.

The WeRin International Capacity Building Programme was an enriching experience for both the project team and the external participants. It fostered valuable discussions within the consortium, addressing the project's principles, future steps, networking opportunities, and most importantly, enhancing the commitment to promoting women's entrepreneurship in diverse regions.

Click here to view / download the full e-zine. 

We invite you to explore the resources on the WeRin Knowledge Port, which is specially designed according to the six WeRin Principles: https://werinproject.eu/activities/knowledge-port/

For more information on the WeRin project click here to visit our project page on our website.

https://werinproject.eu/

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.