On 24 November 2025, the STEAM Center of the Faculty of Economics, Engineering and Applied Sciences at Cahul State University “B. P. Hasdeu” hosted the Exploitation Workshop entitled “Higher Education as drivers for entrepreneurship and innovation”. The event was organized within the ERASMUS-EDU-CBHE project “Developing and improving STEAM competences of students and teachers for curricular innovation and sustainable development of higher education institutions and local businesses” (Skills4Future), with the aim of capitalizing on the project results, facilitating the transfer of best practices, and strengthening cooperation between the university and the economic sector.
The workshop was structured into two thematic sessions, fully aligned with the overarching objective of demonstrating how higher education contributes to innovation and the development of entrepreneurial skills.
Session 1 – Fostering Innovation and Entrepreneurial Excellence through University–Industry Collaboration, moderated by academic staff, highlighted the strategic role of the university in stimulating innovation and strengthening collaboration with industry. Discussions focused on models of integrating STEAM principles into university governance, support mechanisms for innovative students, and examples of best practices generated within the Skills4Future project.
Session 2 – Integrating Entrepreneurial Skills and Innovation Practices to Enhance University Impact brought together representatives of the regional economic environment, who shared practical insights into local entrepreneurial dynamics and the competencies required for the transition to Business 4.0.
Mr. Nicolae Minciună, Director of the Winemaking Cluster of the Cahul Region, delivered a presentation offering an applied perspective on the role of clusters in fostering innovation, outlining the specific features of the regional vitivinicultural ecosystem and the particularities of entrepreneurship in this sector. In turn, Mr. Artur Nebunu, Director of the Cahul Business Incubator, emphasized the importance of the incubator for the development of entrepreneurial initiatives and the added value of its collaboration with the university.
Overall, the workshop demonstrated – through its structure and content – that the university remains a key actor in sustainable regional development, acting as a driver of innovation and entrepreneurship. The event provided an interactive space for dialogue among academia, the private sector and local authorities, contributing to:
- promoting an innovative organizational culture grounded in quality and responsibility;
- strengthening university–industry partnerships;
- integrating new entrepreneurial practices into students’ learning pathways;
- preparing the university and the regional community for the challenges and opportunities of the Business 4.0 era.
