What is Green Tech Entrepreneurship Challenge Hub?
Smion is the coordinator of the “Green Tech Entrepreneurship Challenge Hub for work-based learning“, project, which seeks to enhance the capacities of secondary vocational schools in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and foster entrepreneurship and innovation in green technology among both teachers and students.
Launched in December 2023, the project has developed the Challenge Hub, a platform focused on challenge-based learning. The platform will facilitate innovation competitions, connecting educators with industry partners while offering students valuable educational content on entrepreneurship and green technology.
About the Green Tech competition
From September 16 to 24, students engaged with video lessons and knowledge quizzes on the Challenge Hub platform, where they worked on solving challenges provided by two companies, SIKA BH and BN-Step. On September 25, they presented their solutions at the International Burch University. The event was opened by the university’s Rector, Prof. Dr. Mersid Poturak, followed by remarks from Miro Hegedić and Dario Zorić, who provided insights into the project and competition. After the welcoming addresses, high school students delivered their ideas through brief pitch presentations.
About the participating teams
A total of 60 students from three different schools took part in the competition, forming 15 teams. An expert jury, composed of representatives from the organizing bodies and companies, evaluated and selected the best teams.
Winners of Challenge 1 (SIKA BH):
- Team 9 (Secondary Technical School of Graphic Technologies, Design, and Multimedia Ilidža)
- Team 4 (Secondary School of Economics Sarajevo)
- Team 1 (Secondary School of Economics Sarajevo)
Winners of Challenge 2 (BN-Step):
- Team 3 (Secondary School of Economics Sarajevo)
- Team 15 (Secondary School of Transport and Communications Sarajevo)
- Team 2 (Secondary School of Economics Sarajevo)
What did the students think of the competition?
The students found the Challenge Hub platform user-friendly and easy to navigate. One student commented, “I think the platform is very well designed; everything is clearly explained, and we learned something new through the competition.” Another participant added, “I found the platform engaging and easy to use. Its main advantages are accessibility and simplicity.”
Value and objectives of the project
The first competition was held under the GTECH project, enabling high school students to showcase their innovative and entrepreneurial skills through a challenge-based learning approach.
One of the key objectives of the project is to provide mobile training for secondary vocational school staff in Croatia and Slovenia, equipping them with professional skills in challenge-based learning, entrepreneurship, and building industrial partnerships.
Additionally, the project aims to propose policy changes and an action plan based on a GAP analysis to further promote practical education in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The expected outcomes of the project include:
- Development of entrepreneurial and technical skills in young people, leading to the formation of a qualified workforce.
- An opportunity to identify potential future employees who understand the real needs of the industry.
- Improvement of technological solutions through creative and innovative approaches by students.
Six organizations from Croatia, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, each with extensive experience and expertise in working with educators, are collaborating to provide knowledge and support throughout the project. These are FabLab Sarajevo, Secondary School of Economics Sarajevo, International Burch University (IBU), Electromechanical School Varaždin, Geacollege and Smion.
As project partners, we are excited to follow the students’ progress as the project continues. Stay updated by following us on social media: (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok)