Throughout six editions, the programme Entrepreneurial Education - The Path to Success involved the participation of nearly 500 teachers and 13,000 students from 45 schools across the archipelago, representing a total investment of the Government amounting to 450 thousand Euros.
 
This programme is directed to students of all levels of education - basic education, secondary school and vocational training - and aims to instil in young people the entrepreneurial spirit as well as to encourage initiative, cooperation and competitiveness. This year's edition of the Regional Ideiaçores Competition takes place today at the University of the Azores in Ponta Delgada. It is one of the highlights of this programme, involving teams from 33 schools and a total of 93 participants, who will present the best business ideas before a specialised jury.
 
At the opening session, the Regional Assistant Secretary of the Presidency for Parliamentary Affairs stressed that "education for entrepreneurship is now an invaluable resource in the education of children and youth due to its investment in people and the acquisition of tools to enhance creativity, initiative and decision-making capacity.
 
"The importance of the promotion of entrepreneurship in today's world challenges us to invest in the promotion of persistence as well as of creative and innovative speech, promoting not only a more active and committed society in the creation of employment and new companies but also the development of innovative solutions for new challenges, problems and needs," said Isabel Rodrigues.
 
In her speech, the Regional Secretary conveyed her belief that this project, already consolidated, "has planted the seeds for a sustainable development of the archipelago and an increasingly prosperous and fairer future in the Region."
 
In turn, the Regional Secretary for Education and Culture stressed that "knowledge and innovation are the cornerstones of development," stressing that schools "are the house of knowledge" and the companies "the hostel of innovation."
 
However, Avelino Meneses said the "production of knowledge requires a good deal of innovation, while the encouragement of innovation derives from the use of knowledge," defending that "there must be a good inter-relation between schools and companies."
 
"The knowledge produced by the innovation system will only have a significant impact on the economy with the cooperation between schools and companies. It will only be possible to disseminate a culture of innovation that contributes to increased competitiveness and sustainability of companies with the cooperation between schools and companies," said the government official.
 
In this context, the Regional Secretary stressed that companies are required to demonstrate "greater openness in order to streamline the transfer of technology and the admission of graduates and students." In turn, schools "are required "to change attitude so that tomorrow's graduates may have an entrepreneurial spirit instead of begging for jobs."
 
If this convergence of positions is to happen, "it will be beneficial for schools insofar as they will demonstrate, once more, their public utility, while companies will be able to face the challenges of the knowledge society."
 
"In this challenging times the Welfare State and public administration are facing, there is only one opportunity for citizens' initiative: to become entrepreneurs," the Regional Secretary for Education and Culture said, adding that "the entrepreneurs that are able to create their own job as they are also able to create jobs for others."