Management Model and Collaboration Approaches for Innovation Joint Workshops and LCUF Networking Sessions have been held in Adana and Istanbul as 3 sessions within the scope of ENHANCER project, which is funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) in coordination with the Directorate General of Development Agencies under the Ministry of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Turkey.

One of the main objectives of ENHANCER is to contribute to institutions in the ecosystem in order to provide better services to Syrians under Temporary Protection and the host community with an aim to ensure establishment of businesses and their preservation through cooperation among the actors within the entrepreneurship ecosystem. Therefore, the project provides grants to improve current Common Use Facilities or establish new ones. Enhancing the number and quality of facilities supporting the businesses has become vital, considering that improving entrepreneurship in developing communities and especially for Syrians under Temporary Protection striving to integrate into these communities is challenging due to many factors including lack of investment opportunities. The Common Use Facilities were introduced as a success strategy that aims to enhance, improve and motivate entrepreneurship.

Common Use Facilities support existing businesses in the ecosystem and encourage potential new entrepreneurs to develop their businesses. Therefore, the project considers the Common Use Facilities as critical focal points serving as entrepreneurship centres where Syrians under Temporary Protection and their peers in the Host Community can interact and access the services they need.

The workshops consisted of 3 topics:

Management Model:

The session covered legislative analysis, needs assessment, survey and interview results under the analysis section. The next section built on a comprehensive management cycle from planning to continuous improvement. The last section established four different management models reflecting different needs and structures of LCUFs covering high level and management planning, implementation, performance evaluation and improvement. This vital section of the report provides a granular and adaptable approach for user friendly application by different organisations in addition to the four target LCUFs. Participants from 11 municipalities, 9 chambers of commerce and organized industrial zone and 17 universities and techno parks and representatives from 10 different development agencies and the Ministry of Science and Technology were present in the workshops.

Collaboration Approaches for Innovation:

The session covered importance of Innovation, understanding the Innovation-Basics, two modules of innovation: open and close innovation, innovation approaches, sources of innovation, innovation ecosystems, co-creation as an open innovation, understanding co-creation, obstacles, principles, design thinking, defining targets for co-creation, experimental simulation testing (workshop).

LCUF Networking:

ICMPD considers these beneficiaries as long-term stakeholders who extend ICMPD’s operability in provinces. In the meantime, the ENHANCER Project targets the sustainability of grant projects so that these institutions and facilities can continue to function after the project implementation periods. In addition to these, the follow-up project of ENHANCER PRO aims to support current stakeholders while improving grant mechanisms with the inputs of previous and current beneficiaries.

This workshop ocurred in three sections as below:

  • 5 minutes presentation of each beneficiary for their projects and outcome’s introduction
  • Group work for participants divided into  mixed groups, discussing, and answering total of 10 questions in 3 sessions.
  • Presentation of synthesized answers by the project team and open discussion session.

CONCLUSIONS OF THE WORKSHOPS:

  • The workshop ended with an open discussion where some specific topics/questions were highlighted and several clarifications have been raised by both project team and municipalities.
  • Apart from all the inputs that they have provided during the workshop, stakeholders expressed their satisfaction with this feedback mechanism and the workshop methodology. They have also declared that they are keen to take part in similar gatherings organised for ICMPD stakeholders.
  • The project team will continue with two more workshops in June for two other beneficiary categories: One for chambers and one for universities and techno parks.
  • They need financial resources to implement governance model.
  • They need more good practices for project implementation
  • There is a need for support, especially in determining KPIs. Although it is shown for CUFs, support is needed for their chamber’s own KPIs.
  • They need consultancy, coaching and psychological support to provide better services.

ENHANCER Project will continue to work in collaboration with the grant beneficiaries of Local Common Use Facility Grant Scheme and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Institution Grants to strengthen the interaction in between the grant beneficiaries to provide a better support to the entrepreneurs in Republic of Türkiye for sustainable employment opportunities and persistent growth of the economy.