In collaboration with the Employment Service of the Republic of Slovenia, the Centre for Business Excellence at the Faculty of Economics of the University of Ljubljana and the City Municipality of Murska Sobota, BTC is continuing the BTC Campus entrepreneurship and educational programme again this year. Now in its twelfth year, the programme, which successfully connects the business community, academia and the public sector, enables the unemployed and other employment seekers to acquire entrepreneurial skills, develop competencies and create new career opportunities. By expanding its programme to Murska Sobota, BTC is enhancing access to knowledge and entrepreneurial opportunities throughout Slovenia.
This year’s BTC Campus will take place at two locations: in Ljubljana and in Murska Sobota. In Ljubljana, the programme began on 16 October at the ABC Hub in BTC City Ljubljana and will run through 27 November. In Murska Sobota, it will begin on 17 October at Murska Sobota Castle and conclude on 14 November. At each location, 30 unemployed individuals and employment seekers will participate. Under the guidance of lecturers from the Centre for Business Excellence at the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana, Blaž Zupan, PhD, Rok Stritar, PhD, and Marjan Kramar, they will acquire practical knowledge and develop entrepreneurial skills.
Over the past few years, BTC Campus has established itself as an effective programme for fostering entrepreneurial thinking and bringing different generations together. Over 440 individuals have participated in the programme’s past eleven editions. The results confirm that the project makes a significant contribution to the personal growth of participants, the development of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and social inclusion.
This year’s programme includes two initiatives that tie together current trends and BTC’s strategic guidelines. In Ljubljana, participants will focus on the topic of BTC City as a “City of Well-being,” which explores the development of BTC City as a space for health, physical activity, eating healthy and well-being. In Murska Sobota, participants will seek solutions within the framework of the “Cross-Border Retail & Experience” initiative, dedicated to the development of cross-border shopping and tourism experiences, with an emphasis on the opportunities provided by the BTC City Murska Sobota location.
Prior to the start of this year’s programme, Jože Mermal, Chairman of the Board of Directors at BTC, pointed out: “BTC Campus is a fine example of how, through collaboration among various partners, we can create opportunities for individuals’ personal and professional development. Over the past twelve years, the programme has helped numerous participants develop entrepreneurial courage and self-confidence, and acquire knowledge that leads to new career paths. We are pleased that this year the programme is taking place in both Ljubljana and Murska Sobota, as thereby we are expanding access to knowledge and entrepreneurial opportunities throughout Slovenia. This year’s initiatives, dedicated to well-being and cross-border cooperation, beautifully illustrate that an entrepreneurial mindset begins with the people, communities and ideas that bring us together.”
Greta Metka Barbo Škerbinc, Director General of the Employment Service of Slovenia: “BTC Campus, with which we have been participating as a partner for many years, is a very intensive programme that enables employment seekers to develop or strengthen their entrepreneurial competencies, and for many of them, it opens up new employment opportunities. Each year, approximately thirty highly motivated participants are given the opportunity to participate, which is crucial because, given low unemployment rates, structural imbalances and smaller groups of young people entering the labour market, many employers are facing a major problem of a shortage of suitable personnel. In particular, the demand for workers with specific skills is growing, and this trend will only intensify in the future due to factors such as an aging population, the digital and green transitions, artificial intelligence, and so on. Therefore, initiatives like BTC Campus are very welcome.
To everyone starting this programme, I hope you make the most of this supportive environment and the exceptional experience of your mentors to discover your potential and pursue further professional and personal opportunities. Experience attest to the fact that employment seekers with an entrepreneurial mindset and competencies are more successful in tackling the challenges of a rapidly changing job market, which is why BTC’s contribution to promoting entrepreneurship and future economic development is extremely important. This is another reason why I believe that we must continue to foster an entrepreneurial mindset, as it is one of the key competencies of the future.”
Maša Madon, Director of the Centre for Business Excellence at the Faculty of Economics, University of Ljubljana: “The BTC Campus is a practical programme that emphasizes the importance of entrepreneurial knowledge and the design thinking methodology for an individual’s career development – whether on an independent entrepreneurial path or within larger companies and organisations. It is an excellent example of a partnership between educational, public and business institutions that empowers young employment seekers at the start of their career paths. It provides participants with concrete knowledge, entrepreneurial experience, self-confidence, drive and courage to more easily and successfully plan their own course in a dynamic and often unpredictable business environment.”
Damjan Anželj, Mayor of the City Municipality of Murska Sobota: “At the City Municipality of Murska Sobota, we are pleased to be supporting the BTC Campus programme, which enables young people from the Pomurje region to acquire entrepreneurial knowledge, develop practical skills and create new opportunities for employment and their own entrepreneurial paths. The programme represents an important step toward strengthening employability of young people, fostering innovation and connecting the business sector, educational institutions and the local community.”
Support for the project is in line with the goals of the Sustainable Urban Strategy of the City Municipality of Murska Sobota, which aims to develop the city as an educational and economic hub of the region, promote sustainable economic development and create opportunities for young people. We believe that the BTC Campus programme will contribute to greater vitality in our city and strengthen the entrepreneurial spirit in the Pomurje region.”
BTC Campus 2025 continues the tradition of successful collaboration between the business sector, educational institutions, public institutions and local communities. With a focus on advancing people’s lives and their potential, the programme reaffirms BTC’s values, which are rooted in innovation, collaboration and sustainable progress. Through its projects and partnerships, BTC helps create an environment in which knowledge, entrepreneurship and collaboration enable the shared development of all stakeholders.
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