Impresa in Aula
The “Impresa in Aula” initiative stems from the “Interreg Europe IEER – Boosting Innovative Entrepreneurial Ecosystems in Regions for Young Entrepreneurs” project, which involved the Marche Region, the University of Macerata and other universities in the Marche region – with the aim of innovating teaching methods through the application of methodologies designed to foster the acquisition of transferable and entrepreneurial skills (teamwork, a problem-based approach, a focus on problem-solving, and the development of creativity among students, lecturers and researchers alike) and to facilitate the connection between the education and research system and the entrepreneurial ecosystem, promoting an entrepreneurial culture at all levels.
In this context, the project represents the continuation of an initiative that has been running since the 2017/2018 academic year in collaboration with universities across the region.
From the 2025/2026 academic year onwards, the initiative has evolved into the project “Impresa in Aula – Didattica innovativa per l’imprenditorialità” (Siform Code 1113120, CUP I71B25000150002), promoted under the Marche ESF+ Operational Programme 2021/2027 (EDUCATION AND TRAINING AXIS OS4.e (2) Innovative Teaching – intervention areas 149 and 150) and implemented in collaboration with the four universities in the Marche region (UNIVPM, UNICAM, UNIURB and the University of Macerata).
The project offers an opportunity to develop entrepreneurial skills through a structured programme integrated into university teaching. The initiative involves both lecturers and students to transform innovative ideas into concrete business projects. The programme begins with an initial phase of lecturer training, designed to introduce innovative teaching methodologies and tools to help foster students’ entrepreneurial skills.
Subsequently, the selected lecturers form and coordinate one or more teams of students, who are guided through the development of an entrepreneurial idea. During this phase, the teams work, with the support of mentors and tutors, on defining the project, structuring the business plan and preparing their pitch. The programme includes opportunities for discussion and dedicated meetings, which help to enhance the quality and sustainability of the proposals.
The process culminates in the University Competition, during which the teams present their projects; the best are selected to progress to the regional competition, where they compete against teams from other partner universities. The various editions of the project run on a semesterly basis, allowing for continuous and progressive participation.
The planned intakes and their indicative timelines are as follows:
1. First semester of the 2025/2026 academic year (September 2025 – January 2026)
University competition: by January 2026
2. Second semester of the 2025/2026 academic year (February 2026 – June 2026)
University competition: by June 2026
Regional competition: by July 2026
3. First semester of the 2026/2027 academic year (September 2026 – January 2027)
University competition: by January 2027
4. Second semester of the 2026/2027 academic year (February 2027 – June 2027)
University competition: by June 2027
Regional competition: by July 2027
Overall, the initiative offers participants a practical, guided experience of entrepreneurship, enabling them to develop transferable skills, work in multidisciplinary teams and engage with a real-world competitive environment, thereby helping to transform ideas into structured and potentially viable projects.
