The international summer school “Innovating with Purpose: Entrepreneurship for Local Communities”, which brought together students from five European countries in Celje from 31 August to 4 September 2026, concluded at the International School for Social and Business Studies.
The summer school was attended by ISSBS students and students from its partner higher education institutions: Politehnica University Timișoara in Romania; ESTG Felgueiras, part of the Polytechnic of Porto in Portugal; Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Poland; and the University of Naples Federico II in Italy.
The central challenge of this year’s summer school was to develop ideas for an intergenerational centre that would bring together young people, older adults, and various local initiatives. Working in international teams, the students explored users’ needs, developed business models, and sought inclusive, practical, and sustainable long-term solutions for the local community.
The five-day programme combined teamwork and fieldwork, expert-led sessions, and opportunities to learn about the local environment. Participants joined a guided tour of Celje, visited Celje Castle, and attended a welcome evening. The main part of the programme focused on developing and testing business ideas in teams with the support of advisers.
At the end of the summer school, the teams presented their final solutions to their peers and local partners. The presentations demonstrated how students from different academic and cultural backgrounds can combine knowledge, creativity, and entrepreneurial thinking to address concrete challenges facing the local community.
The summer school was organised in cooperation with two local partners, the City Municipality of Celje and the Celje Youth Centre. In this way, the programme connected the international academic environment with local stakeholders and enabled students to gain practical experience in a real-world setting. Participants had the opportunity to develop their entrepreneurial and intercultural competencies, strengthen their teamwork skills, and exchange knowledge.
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