STEAM SKILLS DEVELOPMENT IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP EDUCATION

Abstract

The influence of multiple internal and external factors, which have an impact on the activity of higher education institutions in the Republic of Moldova, imposes the need to implement new teaching methods, able to create and develop in students the competences required by the current context. STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) competences contribute to the development of skills related to real-world problem solving, communication, collaboration, creativity and innovation, which are so necessary in an environment oriented towards digitalisation and sustainability. The article presents the results of a survey conducted with the purpose to identify STEAM skills gaps for students, teachers at the Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova and local practitioners, as well as the assessment of local learning needs consisting of digital and non-digital skills, entrepreneurship, creativity, innovation. The study is conducted in the framework of the Erasmus + Skills4future project "Developing and improving STEAM skills of students and teachers for curricular innovation and sustainable development of higher education institutions and local enterprises", No. ERASMUS-EDU-2022-CBHE-STRAND-2 -101081787. The overall objective of the project is to modernize the curriculum for students of the "Business and Administration" specialization, cycle I bachelor by integrating STEAM skills in several areas: economic, environmental and social. The study was carried out in 2023 and allowed to draw some conclusions and come up with recommendations for the development and modernisation of entrepreneurship education in the Republic of Moldova.