OREN | Training for rural entrepreneurs to develop sustainable businesses

The OREN project aims at strengthening and improving the rural system, building and transferring a dynamic capability, which can help rural players to trig experience and interaction for sustainability, increasing the business skills of rural entrepreneurs, by promoting continued education and training in advanced aspects of business management. In the last months, partners have analysed the rural context of 5 countries (Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Italy, and Spain) and interviewed many rural entrepreneurs in order to identify the common obstacles, challenges and opportunities rural entrepreneurs face, and, subsequently, to provide a comprehensive and updated analysis in terms of the competences and skillsets they need to develop sustainable businesses. Based on this analysis, OREN will provide an interactive learning environment that will train rural entrepreneurs in advanced managerial and business skills through the delivery of a set of viable rural business models, simulation models, and mathematical tools, along with managerial courses geared toward rural players. These first results have been presented for the first-time during a Multiplier event in Rome on 10 July.