Advancing Sustainable Innovation through Collaborative Competency Development: Survey insights
Intellectual Output 3 (IO3) focuses on conducting comprehensive quantitative research through a questionnaire-based survey. This research aims to identify the essential competencies required for professionals in three key communities: environmental engineers, public procurement officers, and SME entrepreneurs. The findings will inform the design of targeted educational modules in the next project phase (IO4).
The survey involved professionals from diverse EU countries, collecting data on competencies related to traditional skills and green lever applications. The analysis highlighted key competencies such as stakeholder management, change management, and product optimization, which are crucial for achieving innovation, quality, and sustainability.
Key Objectives
- Quantitative Competency Analysis: Assessing competencies necessary for promoting sustainable innovations.
- Collaboration and Co-creation: Facilitating interaction between environmental engineers, procurement professionals, and SMEs.
- Educational Design Preparation: Laying the groundwork for developing competency-based educational modules.
Key Findings
- Competency Overlaps: Significant overlaps in essential competencies across all three communities, emphasizing the importance of stakeholder management, communication, and sustainability practices.
- Performance Correlations: Positive correlations between competencies like change management and performance outcomes such as innovation and sustainability.
- Community-specific Insights: Identification of competency gaps and strengths within each community, guiding the development of tailored educational content.
Future Directions
The next phase (IO4) will focus on creating modular online courses based on the findings from IO3. These courses will aim to bridge competency gaps and enhance collaboration among professionals in public procurement, environmental engineering, and SMEs. The ultimate goal is to equip these communities with the skills necessary to drive sustainable innovation and contribute to the broader objectives of the EU's Green Deal.