SELF: Solo-entrepreneurship in Post-pandemic Europe

𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐀𝐯𝐞𝐢𝐫𝐨

The SELF Project successfully delivered its final dissemination event on April 22, 2026, at the University of Aveiro (ISCA-UA), bringing together students, academic staff, and institutional stakeholders to explore innovative approaches to solo-entrepreneurship and future-ready skills.

Organized within the framework of the University of Aveiro’s internationalization strategy, the event, titled “UA-MOVE: Tools for Future Students,” highlighted the project’s key outcomes and contributions to higher education, particularly in fostering entrepreneurial competencies and supporting transitions between academia and the labor market.

A central moment of the session was the dedicated panel on the SELF Project, which featured a live demonstration of the SELF Digital Warehouse, one of the project’s flagship outputs. This digital platform was presented as a tool to support autonomous learning, skills development, and upskilling/reskilling pathways aligned with evolving market demands.

The panel discussion addressed critical themes, including the integration of EntreComp into higher education curricula, the role of solo entrepreneurship as a viable career pathway, and the growing importance of digital tools in enabling flexible, personalized learning experiences.

The event also reinforced the relevance of collaboration between higher education institutions and external partners in promoting innovation and enhancing student employability.

As the SELF Project approaches its conclusion on April 30, 2026, this dissemination event marks a key milestone in ensuring the visibility, transferability, and long-term impact of its results.

More information about the SELF Project is available at: https://www.solobiz.eu/

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐛 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐌𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐚́𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐚

Internet Web Solutions, in collaboration with its associated partner Arrabal-AID, successfully organized the Multiplier Event of the SELF project on 1 July 2025, aimed at young aspiring entrepreneurs. The event was structured in four separate sessions, held across two locations in the center of Málaga.

Three sessions took place at Galerías Goya, with 20, 12, and 7 participants respectively, while the final session was held at Calle Dos Aceras, hosting 16 participants.

During the sessions, attendees had the opportunity to learn in detail about the SELF project, the consortium and associated partners involved, the project’s objectives, and planned activities. Particular attention was given to the training programs developed, which are available on the SELF OER platform.

The OER platform, showcased during the event, is free, open, accessible 24/7 both online and offline, available in five languages (EN|ES|IT|PT|SK), and includes audio content in all languages, making it a versatile and inclusive tool for young entrepreneurs.

The Multiplier Event provided a valuable opportunity for networking, learning, and exchanging ideas, equipping participants with the knowledge and tools to enhance their entrepreneurial skills within the European digital landscape.

To learn more about the SELF project, visit www.solobiz.eu

The SELF project consortium is proud to announce the publication of its Work Package 5 results:

📘 SELF Mainstreaming Strategy & Operational Guidelines
📗 SELF Solo-Entrepreneurship and Self-Employability Manifesto in Higher Education

👉https://solobiz.eu/guidelines.php?lang=EN

These outputs support Higher Education Institutions in embedding solo-entrepreneurship into teaching and institutional strategies, helping students develop key skills such as financial literacy, client acquisition, digital transformation, and self-efficacy.

By translating EU entrepreneurship frameworks like EntreComp into practical tools, SELF promotes more inclusive and future-oriented career pathways for students and emerging entrepreneurs.

👉Explore more: www.solobiz.eu

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝟓𝟎𝟎 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐦

March 31, 2026, Malaga, Spain – The SELF project (Solo Entrepreneurship in Post- pandemic) Europe), coordinated by the University of Malaga (UMA), continues to advance successfully in its Test & Validation (T&V) phase , already reaching more than 500 participants throughout Europe in its pilot actions of training in individual entrepreneurship.
This phase is a key element of the project, as it allows for the validation of the quality, relevance, and applicability of the training content developed, ensuring its suitability to the real needs of students, entrepreneurs, and future self-employed professionals.
During this phase of the project, the following aspects stand out:

𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥-𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐬:
The pilot projects are being developed in different European countries and in multiple formats (face-to-face training, academic sessions and online learning), allowing the materials to be tested in diverse educational and professional environments.

𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬:
The project set a minimum goal of validating the training with 200 participants. However, the results achieved so far far exceed this figure, with more than 500 people trained, demonstrating the high interest in self-employment as a professional alternative in Europe.

𝐃𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬:
The validation phase has involved a wide variety of profiles, including university students, vocational training students, entrepreneurs and potential entrepreneurs, as well as professionals in the educational field, ensuring a complete evaluation from different perspectives.

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤:
The Test & Validation process includes the systematic collection of feedback from participants, which allows for the improvement of training content, optimization of the learning experience, and assurance of the program's pedagogical quality.

𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦:
The training program is supported by a digital platform of open educational resources (OER), which facilitates access to content, self-assessment tools and skills certification, reinforcing the digital and innovative dimension of the project.
Towards the consolidation of the training model
The results obtained in this phase will allow the training materials to be refined and improved before their final implementation, guaranteeing their quality, transferability and scalability in different educational and professional contexts.
The SELF project is thus moving towards the consolidation of an innovative, open and accessible training model, aimed at promoting self-employment and strengthening entrepreneurial skills in Europe.

𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅
The SELF project is funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ program. Its aim is to promote individual entrepreneurship in post-pandemic Europe by developing innovative, high-quality, and accessible training materials tailored to the needs of higher education students and emerging entrepreneurs.

For more information about the project and to access the training platform, please visit:
www.solobiz.eu

Germán Gémar, coordinator of the SELF project and professor at the Universidad de Málaga, had the pleasure of taking part in the programme Más de Uno Málaga on Onda Cero, where he spoke about the European project Solo-entrepreneurship in Post-pandemic Europe and its free entrepreneurship training programme.

The project offers short, interactive and accessible modules in several languages, designed to help anyone interested acquire key competences to start, manage and grow their own professional project.

SELF (https://www.solobiz.eu/) promotes open learning, practical tools and a European perspective on solo entrepreneurship, with the aim of fostering self-employment and professional autonomy in a post-pandemic context.

Listen to the full interview and find out more about how this programme can support entrepreneurs and professionals at any stage:
https://www.ondacero.es/emisoras/andalucia/malaga/audios-podcast/mas-de-uno/universidad-malaga-desarrolla-imparte-programa-gratuito-emprendimiento_20260223699c4ae91817b41eb65e5b49.html

La Universidad de Málaga desarrolla e imparte un programa gratuito sobre emprendimiento En Mas de Uno hablamos con Germán Gémar para conocer detalles del programa 'SELF' del que es coordinador y que desarrolla la Universidad de Málaga.

𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐰𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐨 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐈𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐎𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓

“SELF: Solo-entrepreneurship in Post pandemic Europe” was presented at Opportunity Morning 2025, a lively street event held in the Mangas Verdes neighbourhood of Málaga that celebrates innovation, youth engagement, and access to opportunities. The event transformed the neighbourhood into an open air platform where local organisations, companies, educational institutions and associations presented their services, projects, and resources directly to young people and community members.

SELF, an Erasmus+ funded initiative focused on advancing solo entrepreneurial skills among higher education students and young adults across Europe, was featured by IWS as one of the projects presented at Opportunity Morning 2025, with presentations and engagement activities highlighting its objectives and resources. The project introduces an innovative learning framework designed to cultivate initiative, creativity, and practical competences for solo entrepreneurship, equipping learners to navigate the changing world of work and pursue self employment confidently.

At the event, SELF representatives showcased the project’s results, including collected best practices and case studies, and open training modules, all freely available on the project’s Open Educational Resources (OER) platform. The platform provides a comprehensive digital space hosting 7 training modules and supporting materials that help learners build key entrepreneurial skills, such as creativity, problem solving, and project planning. These resources are available in five languages and include interactive components, certificates of competence, and accessibility features to ensure inclusivity for diverse learners.

SELF engaged directly with youth participants, educators, and local stakeholders, offering insights into solo entrepreneurship and highlighting how empowering young people with entrepreneurial mindsets can expand their professional horizons. The project’s presence at Opportunity Morning reinforced its mission to bridge education and real world application, supporting young people in exploring self employment pathways and contributing to sustainable local and European economies.

Learn more about SELF and access the platform: www.solobiz.eu

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The SELF Project – Solo-entrepreneurship in post-pandemic Europe is moving ahead with Work Package 4 (WP4), a key step in empowering higher education students with entrepreneurial skills through the innovative concept of solopreneurship.

WP4 focuses on two main actions:
1️⃣ Launching and maintaining the brand-new Open Educational Resources (OER) Platform
2️⃣ Testing training modules with students to gather feedback and improve the materials

The OER Platform is a free, open, and accessible space hosting 7 training courses + 1 introductory module, available in 5 languages (EN, IT, ES, PT, SK). Learners can access the content anytime – online or offline – and download it in Word, PowerPoint, or PDF.

💡 Key features:
-Interactive tests and certificates of competences
-Glossary of key terms and feedback form
-Accessibility options: audio playback, text–background contrast, and adjustable font size

These tools make learning inclusive, practical, and adaptable to diverse needs, ensuring no one is left behind.

🔗 Explore the platform and start learning: www.solobiz.eu

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LinkedIn: SELF – Solo-entrepreneurship in post-pandemic Europe
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🌍 How can we empower young people to take charge of their future in a fast-changing world?

The SELF project – Self-Learning Entrepreneurship Platform, funded by Erasmus+, is answering this question. Led by the University of Aveiro (UA), the project develops entrepreneurial and socio-emotional competences in higher education students, preparing them to turn ideas into action.

UA recently completed Work Package 3, creating innovative training modules based on the EntreComp framework. These digital, multilingual, and adaptable resources focus on creativity, problem-solving, and project management – all designed around real student needs.

By bridging education with real-world challenges, SELF helps young people grow into autonomous and resilient citizens ready for tomorrow.

🔗 Learn more: www.solobiz.eu

𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐧𝐚 𝐓𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐬, 𝐢𝐧 "𝟗𝟎 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐬𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞" 𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐚 𝟏 𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐨

SELF PROJECT PROMOTES ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN YOUNG PEOPLE IN HIGHER EDUCATION

On the 8th of November 2024, the researcher Ana Torres (INESC TEC, ISCA-UA) was interviewed by the programme "90 seconds of science" of the national radio station Antena 1 (Portugal), as a local coordinator at the University of Aveiro of the Erasmus+ SELF project – Solo-entrepreneurship in Postpandemic Europe, within the framework of k-action - 2 KA220-HED - Cooperation partnerships in higher education. The project is led by the University of Malaga (Spain), with the University of Aveiro among the partners of 7 participating organizations from 5 different countries (Portugal, Spain, Italy, Belgium and Slovakia).

In the interview, the researcher disclosed that the SELF project is an initiative that aims to develop entrepreneurship in young people in higher education, as well as promote innovation and initiative among young adults in transition to the labor market. In this sense, the SELF project's mission is to promote the individual capacities of young people in higher education in order to better prepare them to integrate the job market, based on the new challenges and employment paradigms created in post-pandemic Europe.

This project also aims to help young people overcome the fragmentation of the job market that currently exists in Europe, providing them with skills and digital tools that allow them to work remotely anywhere in the world.

In this sense, this project offers training through e-learning programs, as well as the creation of a platform called "SELF Digital Warehouse", where educational tools and resources will be provided and where the results of the project will also be disseminated.

The SELF project – Solo-entrepreneurship in Post-pandemic Europe is funded by the Erasmus+ programme.

➡️ Link to the interview: https://lnkd.in/dckUEpFC

➡️ To learn more about SELF, visit: www.solobiz.eu

𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐀𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐞: 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞

The University of Aveiro, leading Workpackage 3 (WP3) in the Erasmus+ funded project "SELF - Solo Entrepreneurs Learning Framework," proudly announces that all training modules in English for the project are now complete. This significant milestone marks a pivotal moment in the development of educational content aimed at enhancing students' entrepreneurial skills across Europe. This completion is not just about the availability of content; it is about empowering young entrepreneurs with the tools they need to succeed in a rapidly evolving world.

This initiative aligns with the EU's holistic approach to support self-entrepreneurs, focusing on young people, higher education students, and graduates by addressing socioeconomic disparities and enhancing essential skills. WP3 specifically aims to:
-Consolidate Training Material: Develop and refine educational content for HE students, emphasizing skills, attitudes, and knowledge crucial for aspiring solo-entrepreneurs.
-Strengthen Entrepreneurial Competence: At a transnational level, enhance opportunities for entrepreneurial competence building, upskilling, and reskilling.
-Promote Innovative Pedagogies: Implement trans-disciplinary approaches and student-centered curricula to support the acquisition of forward-looking skills and entrepreneurship.

With these targets in mind, WP3 has achieved the following Key Achievements of WP3:
-Completion of English Training Modules: Each module, designed as micro-credentials, addresses specific entrepreneurial competencies from EntreComp, offering concise educational content, now fully available in English.
-Innovative Learning Approach: These modules have been crafted to foster a new generation of self-employed professionals, ready to navigate a digitally unified European labor market, by enhancing self-employment pathways for higher education students.

The next phase of WP3, will involve translating these modules into partners' national languages, ensuring that the educational materials are accessible and useful to students in their local contexts across the participating countries. This step is crucial for the broader dissemination and application of the training program, contributing to the project's overarching goals of promoting innovation in entrepreneurship education and supporting a co-participated educational approach between higher education institutions and the private sector.

𝐌𝐚́𝐥𝐚𝐠𝐚 𝐇𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐨 𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐀𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞 🙌

October 17, 2024, Málaga, Spain – The University of Málaga (UMA) hosted the second transnational meeting of the SELF project, an innovative EU-funded initiative focused on promoting self-employment and supporting solo entrepreneurs through targeted training tools and educational resources.

The SELF project, coordinated by the UMA, involves institutions from five European countries. It aims to map solo entrepreneurship trends and develop a comprehensive training framework that supports sustainable growth in self-employment. This project stands out for its commitment to providing open educational resources (OER) and accessible digital training materials.

𝐌𝐞𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬
During the meeting, project partners reviewed progress across work packages (WP) and outlined upcoming steps. Key points included:
a) 𝐖𝐏𝟐: 𝐌𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐱𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 – EDUCatt, responsible for WP2, presented 19 case studies that will be sent to IWS for inclusion on the SELF open educational resource platform.
b) 𝐖𝐏𝟑: 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭 – The University of Aveiro is leading the implementation plan guiding the creation of training modules, designed as micro-credentials. These materials will be available in multiple languages and aligned with recognized competencies to facilitate self-paced learning.
c) 𝐖𝐏𝟒: 𝐃𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦 – IWS shared the current status of the SELF learning platform, which will feature interactive modules, self-assessments, and competence certificates.

𝐍𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬
All the partners are working to increase the visibility of the SELF project by posting on social media, sharing press releases, and linking to the project on their websites. Partners are also identifying Associate Partners to expand the project’s outreach across their respective countries.

𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐄𝐋𝐅 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭
The SELF project is funded by the European Union and is dedicated to creating self-employment opportunities through accessible, high-quality training tools. All materials developed under SELF are freely available under a Creative Commons license, encouraging adaptation and dissemination to support entrepreneurs everywhere.

👉For more information on the project, please visit www.solobiz.eu.