Simulation of Sustainable International Business

<< Background >>The Erasmus+ higher education cooperation project Simulation of Sustainable International Business (SOS IB) was implemented by 3 higher education institutions and the institute for corporate sustainability from Western Balcan. The project was the respond to the identified needs of partners’ institutions to enhance access to higher education internationalisation through the integration of digital solutions into teaching practices. Concretely, 2 partner HEIs faced challenges in internationalisation through physical mobility due to employed, family-oriented students and business-engaged lecturers. Their focus on accounting and finance further limited curriculum internationalisation due to national regulations. The third, a highly internationalised management-focused HEI, leveraged the project to enhance digital support for internationalization at home.Based on above needs assesments, SOS IB project aimed to, and successfully established e-learning practices by employing innovative pedagogy and digital simulation in the field of sustainabile international business. The topic of sustainable international business was chosen based on its relevance for partner institutions and broader society.<< Objectives >>Pursuing its core aim, the SOS IB project successfully achieved all 10 objectives. The consortium:(1) Designed, developed, and tested the SOS IB digital platform, enabling sustainable international business simulations and fostering collaboration among lecturers and students.(2) Trained lecturers in digital simulations and innovative e-learning methods for international business.(3) Trained teaching staff to integrate sustainability into the international business curriculum.(4) Developed and tested simulation cases on sustainable international business for HE teaching.(5) Created a methodological guide for integrating digital simulations, used in student training.(6) Developed content for a mobile game on sustainable international business for distance learners.(7) Designed and implemented the technological solution for the mobile game.(8) Created and delivered daily training modules for lecturers using the digital simulation.(9) Monitored, analyzed, and interpreted synergies, challenges, and best practices in digitalizing learning for internationalization in smaller HEIs.(10) Disseminated project information, program details, and results per the dissemination strategy.<< Implementation >>SOS IB project’s activites were grouped in 5 working packages (WP): Management, Techological development, Content development, Trainings, and Disemination. Within WP MANAGEMENT, the consortium implemented the preparatory activities (legal, administrative, infrastructural), administrative and financial management and monitoring, managed internal cooperation and communication, ensured quality monitoring of all activities and results development, organised and implemented transnational project meetings, internal evaluations, and took care of logistics and organisational aspects of other activities (trainings, multipliers, team meetings,..) along with the reporting.Within WP TECHOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT, the consortium designed and technologically developed the digital platform for simulation of sustainable international business (SIB) in higher education and the mobile game for distant adult players, along with several rounds of testing, technological upgrades and improvements. Within WP CONTENT DEVELOPMENT, the consortium conducted a needs analysis on the integration of sustainability in teaching and business practices at the involved HEIs, developed 11 digital simulation cases on the topic of sustainable international business for higher education use, and the simulation content for the mobile game. Such content development relied on substantial research in various business areas and related sustainability practices, innovative pedagogy principles with the focus on e-learning, digital simulation, and extensive testing accros various groups that leaded to content improvements. This work package also included an impact case study analyzing the effects of the SOS IB e-learning practice on the internationalisation of the three participating higher education institutions.Within WP TRAININGS, the consortium implemented a week-long international training for pedagogical staff and experts, produced online tutorials and guidelines for future users of the SOS IB e-learning practice (lecturers and students). These resources covered key areas such as e-learning with a focus on digital simulations in HE, storytelling, intercultural communication, and sustainability. Additionally, the consortium carried out 10 inter-/national training sessions and knowledge transfers to support the broader usage of SOS IB e-learning practice.Within WP DISEMINATION, the consortium carried out dissemination and promotion activities, showcasing both the project and its results through various channels, events, and occasions, reaching diverse target audiences within and beyond the consortium. This work pachage contributed various promotional materials, project webpage in English and Slovenian, three promotional social media campaigns, and six multiplier events (2/6 were international, 5/6 covered results 1,2,3 (platform, simulation cases & game), and 1/6 covered result 4 (impact case study)). << Results >>THE SOS IB project produced 4 key RESULTS with the following outputs: RESULT 1: DIGITAL PLATFORM FOR SIMULATION OF SUSTAINABLE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS with Privacy policy, Terms & conditions, Data Protection Impact Assessment, lecturers’ & students’ surveys.RESULT 2: 11 SIMULATED CASES OF SUSTAINABLE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS with summaries of all cases, international training programme & materials (PPTs, videos, photos) on e-learning, innovative pedagogy & simulations in HE, storytelling, European Green Deal, needs analysis about state of addressing sustainability in consortium HEIs, 10 inter-/national trainings & knowledge transfers with recordings, PPTs & photos, 2 content variantions for 2 of final simulation cases & 1 preliminary case, assessment rubric, students certificates, list of films on sustainability, guides (videos, PPTs) with navigation maps for lecturers & students (on simulations, sustainability, technical instructions, grading, intercultural communication, storytelling) in English and (partially) Slovenian (see also Annex 1)RESULT 3: MOBILE GAME ABOUT SUSTAINABLE INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS with 5 content variations & around 300 ballance sheets & income statements, 11 final outcomes table, sustainability & profitability index calculations at each level of the decission tree, survey for players (see also Annex 2)RESULT 4: CASE STUDY ON E-LEARNING AS A DRIVER OF INTERNATIONALISATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS with datasets (2 bibliometrical, 1 baseline measurement & 1 student survey dataset), qualitative data from interviews & focus group (18 interviews recordings, transcriptions, translations & 18 anonymised versions for coding, 4 coding tables with instructions & 24 filled in coding tables, focus group recording), to all data connected (partial) analyses with graphs, etc., literature review spreadsheet, leaflet with summary of key findings with dedicated infographics in English, Slovenian, Bolgarian.The SOS IB project has moreover contributed to other outputs (promotional brouchures & leaflet, images & videos for social media campaigns, project websites in English & Slovenian, photos, video recordings, agendas, PPT presenations, etc.) through its dissemination and monitoring activites, as well as at transnational project meetings.