Kurssin kuvaus

Social enterprises are growing their importance as a tool for the development of rural communities across Europe and beyond. They are used to breaking the vicious circle many rural communities suffer such as: accessibility challenges due to long distance, ageing population, diminishing local services, the outmigration of the young, reductions in public financing, lack of jobs etc. Social enterprises and community-based social enterprises are ways to improve the livelihoods of rural residents. They can be used to create new, easily accessible services for the old and young in rural communities and to create new jobs and business opportunities and diminish social exclusion.

In the MOOC course Sustainable Rural Social Entrepreneurship (5 ECTS) you will learn to:

-          Recognize different approaches to local entrepreneurship and the special features of social entrepreneurship in the field of sustainable entrepreneurship.

-          Apply the tools of social entrepreneurship at practical and theoretical level. 

-          Integrate different approaches in the analysis of rural development.

-          Plan, organize and realize the sustainable development of local communities.

Students of all fields are welcome. A keen interest in rural development and social enterprises are required. Knowing the basics of business and entrepreneurship are recommended before starting the course.

MOOC course environment opens on 15 January 2024.

Course could have been completed  and credits earned 15 Jan 2024 – 31. August 2024. However, you are welcome  to explore the materials.

The course is organized by the University of Helsinki, the Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Estonian Universities of Life Science and Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies as a part of the Erasmus+ project Joint Master's Curriculum in Rural Community Development (RuralCOM).

  Welcome!