The IRUDESCA project (from its Spanish acronym, Integración Regional, Universidad y Desarrollo Sostenible en Centro America) aims at strengthening relations between Central American and European universities and the social and economic fabric, as part of a new way of understanding economic models, based on cooperation, sustainability, respect for the environment and people as well as the role and responsibility of universities in the training of professionals and entrepreneurs committed to a smart economic growth of their countries. IRUDESCA focused on entrepreneurship education by providing training to entrepreneurs giving special attention to contents related with business cooperation, the creation of sustainable value chains at the regional level, and the improvement of productivity and competitiveness of micro, SMEs and cooperatives. The project proposed new methods of practical training and real case studies in business and industry (through the Work Package 2.4: Double Coach Assistance (GA) that aims at supporting the development of innovative ideas for sustainable projects and students international exchange between Central American partner universities and countries involving the companies related with the Business Entrepreneurship Projects), with a strong focus on regional integration. In short, IRUDESCA proposed University-Business Cooperation and new university guidance and tutoring services for the students, in collaboration with the business sector.The project focused its approach on the articulation of a European and Central American Universities Network that act in coordination in the definition and implementation of a common modular training program connected with the business and productive sectors of the participating countries.Thus, the project created two new modules of 90 hours each (with a 2 CAC - Central American Academic Credits - each), a transversal module of 45 hours (1 CAC), and an online training course for 24 teachers from the Project partners in Central America. Through these new modules, 240 students (20 students per University, 40 per country) have been formed. The modules focused on the topics of business innovation and value-chains development, creating eco-sustainable SMEs and innovative managerial skills. The modules had, as an educational methodology, the development of Business Entrepreneurship Projects (PEE, from its Spanish acronym). A Network of Coaches was organized based on a system of coaching structured with 2 coaches (1 academic + 1 business) with the role of advising students in the definition of the PEE and its implementation in the real economy of their countries. Students were divided into groups of 5 and each group will develop one Project (4 groups and 4 PEE per University). From the total of 48 Projects, the top 12 (1 Project per University) were selected by an Academic Committee (CA, from its Spanish acronym) and the students involved in these projects participated in an International Internship Program (PIP, from its Spanish acronym). IRUDESCA’s results have been transferred to other universities in Central and Latin America as well as companies and organizations in the productive sectors. This was accomplished (i) with the support of 6 National Working Groups (GTN, from its Spanish acronym) that established for the Project, (ii) through the dissemination of a Project’s Newsletter (Spanish + English + Portuguese), and the organization of 12 Communication Conferences (2 in each partner country) during the Project’s lifetime and a Final Regional Conference.

"In an apparent context of exit from the economic crisis of 2008, unexpected and surprising economic phenomena appear, unfold and develop, new models of production, organization and exchange of goods and services that in a much more horizontal, communitarian and self-managed way, point to an evolution of the traditional economy, based on the STATE-MARKET binomial, towards a Shared Economy or Common Good. Thus, what has been named Sharing Economy is a new concept that actually houses different concepts and business models and exchange, and that extend the traditional concept of Social Solidarity Economy. These emerging economic initiatives and business models require new skills, both for their development and for their management: renewed management methods, capacities to produce functionality, goods and services focused on the use and needs of people. Evolve the training programs of the Universities to this new business and economic reality, incorporating new content to train and train students capable of developing and managing this new type of business and economic initiatives is the goal to which the INICIA project aims to contribute, through the development of a course of ""Specialization in Management of Collaborative Economic Initiatives and Social Economy"", in order to improve the skills of their human resources and prepare them to face the challenges of these new economic models.The project will be carried out with the support and collaboration of European and Argentine universities that have experience in this subject.The main products of the project will be the creation of a Specialization Course, which will be taught in a first edition to 420 students and will be replicable at a regional level."