UMinho Staff Week 2025: University innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems

The University of Minho invites Arqus researchers, teachers and administrative staff to their “University Innovation and Entrepreneurial Ecosystems” Staff Week. It will take place in Guimarães (Portugal) from 16 to 20 June 2025. Registration is open until 18 April.

The main purpose of the Erasmus+ Staff Mobility Week on Innovation and Entrepreneurial Ecosystems is to provide participants with the knowledge and tools to understand, develop and implement effective innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems in their universities and learn from sharing the experience and the vision of the participants on such ecosystems, promoting the creation of synergies, partnerships and networking in this domain.

Master classes, seminars, on-site visits and training will cover the different dimensions of an innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem using the University of Minho and its partners as the case study.Participants will have the opportunity to propose and implement changes and improvements in the participants’ own universities, through the collaborative approach promoted by the programme.

The programme will be guided by experienced trainers and coaches. Teamwork activities will aim at the definition of the best practices in the field and the production of a strategic plan for more innovative and entrepreneurial European Universities. Both innovation and entrepreneurship aspects will be covered. As well as university-industry partnerships, how to turn university-based intensive knowledge and technologies into products and services, solutions for the community and businesses for the market. The ideas and contributions developed will be used to produce an e-book to enhance the contribution and diffusion of this programme and support further editions.

Who can benefit

Participants to this course are members of the academic community with an English level of B1 or above, looking to develop and/or improve their understanding and contribution to more effective and collaborative innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems linking universities and industry in different countries. Thus, they are very welcome: teaching staff, administrative staff & management, PhD candidates and researchers, etc. A maximum number of 20 participants will be accepted, priority will be given to those from Arqus universities.

How the programme is structured

This 5-day course is based on the historic city of Guimarães (Portugal). A welcoming session will offer an overview of the 5-day course. Participants will get information and will be invited to discuss the best practices, vision and trends related to innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystems in universities through seminars, master classes, visits and group work. The relationship industry-university, teaching issues and research opportunities in this field will be particularly explored. Invited keynote speakers, mentors and key players of the innovation and entrepreneurial ecosystem will assist the different activities.