USC Successfully Integrates ECOVIP Online Entrepreneurship Course into General Education Program
Cebu City, Philippines — The University of San Carlos has successfully completed the first run of the ECOVIP Online Entrepreneurship Course, a key component of the Erasmus+ funded project “Fostering Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Ecotourism to Support Sustainable Development in Vietnam and the Philippines.”
Offered as a free elective under the course code SOEN 1 (Social Entrepreneurship), the blended (hybrid) learning program integrated ECOVIP’s specialized entrepreneurship modules into USC’s general education curriculum. A total of 70 students enrolled, with 40 from Tourism and Hospitality, 10 from ICT, 10 from Natural Sciences, and 10 from other programs. Of those enrolled, 86% successfully completed the course.
The program ran for 6 sessions totaling 15 training hours. Students explored key topics such as identification of social problems, design thinking, business model creation, and the development of innovative tourism-oriented business plans.
The course reached its highlight on May 11, 2024, with a vibrant SOEN Culminating Activity titled “Starting Up Innovative Ideas Through Social Entrepreneurship” held at the Michael Richartz Hall, USC Talamban Campus. The half-day event featured Pjotr Steinmetz, Founder of StellarPH, as the keynote speaker, who shared valuable insights on startup innovations, product development, and building thriving entrepreneurial ecosystems.
The programme included student presentations of data gathered during the course, the SOEN Competition where participants showcased their business ideas, and a forward-looking session on sustaining social entrepreneurship initiatives. The activity was organized by the School of Business and Economics (SBE) through its Center for Social Entrepreneurship, with support from the ECOVIP Project Team.
“This initiative demonstrates USC’s strong commitment to embedding entrepreneurship and sustainability into our academic programs,” said one of the course facilitators. “Students not only gained theoretical knowledge but were also equipped with practical tools to develop socially relevant business ideas.”
The successful first run of the ECOVIP Online Entrepreneurship Course, capped by a meaningful culminating activity, reflects the university’s proactive approach to internationalization, innovation, and producing graduates who are ready to address real-world challenges through sustainable and entrepreneurial solutions.
