DOBA Faculty of Applied Business and Social Studies (DOBA) is an independent private higher education institution from Maribor, Slovenia established in 2003. It is a modern business school dedicated to the development of innovative individuals and online learning. Under its mission of spreading knowledge and connecting people who believe in success, it offers graduate and post-graduate, master’s and PhD study programmes in business & management, marketing and applied psychology in a fully online mode focusing on the development of entrepreneurial and innovation competencies along with ICT-supported approaches to teaching and learning, such as collaborative and cross-curricular learning, micro- and mobile learning. With 2000+ students from 46 different countries on annual basis, DOBA is the largest online education provider in SE Europe and it offers study programmes in four different languages. DOBA employs 35 staff members and works with 100+ teachers, and 150+ online tutors on a regular contractual basis.
DOBA’s study programmes have been developed through the cooperation of academics and practitioners and are updated annually to be in line with current and future trends. DOBA places a strong emphasis on practical learning experiences and offers a rich learning experience to its students through various types of cooperation with companies. Visiting lectures given by various national and international experts contribute to the enrichment of its programmes.
DOBA’s international environment provides students with a unique experience and opportunity to internationalise at home and virtually work with other students who bring new ideas and their own professional and cultural experiences to enrich the learning process. This virtual cultural exchange provides an added value to the programmes and offers numerous opportunities for networking and strengthening both business and private connections.
DOBA’s graduates have found employment at renowned companies and other organisations around the world, such IBM, Microsoft, Coca-Cola, Ericsson, Tesla, NATO, Court of Justice of the European Union, etc.
DOBA’s R&D work is carried out under its Business Institute and the E-Learning Institute. It addresses the challenges of applied business and social studies, sustainable business and entrepreneurship, management 3.0, innovation management and innovation ecosystems.
The mission of the E-Learning Institute is to contribute with its R&D work to the further development and high quality of e-Learning at DOBA as well as to strengthen DOBA as a carrier and promoter of e-learning in Slovenia and the Western Balkans as an educational institution with international recognition and reputation.
Student holistic support model was recognized as one of DOBA’s main strengths. In 2018 and 2021 DOBA was awarded the EOCCS/EFDM (Online Course Certification System/European Foundation for Management Development) certification for its high-quality implementation of online learning.
JO Consulting is a consulting company with expertise in EU and structural funds, active in Italy and Europe since 1998 and specialised in business plan development and in European projects preparation and implementation. JO Consulting is focused on business consulting & support to startups and aspiring entrepreneurs, ICT & e-learning technologies, web & mobile applications development, marketing and communication. Its European Project Office has been working with EU-funded projects for more than 22 years, both as coordinator and partner. The projects where JOC is involved are mainly focused on training and transfer of knowledge about entrepreneurship, with a particular focus on the integration of disadvantaged groups of people such as young unemployed people, women and those living in peripheral communities. Its core business is based on VET and development of web-based solutions for collaborative learning and educational content management with a special focus on the development of hard and soft skills in several fields. JOC operates in Sicily, the largest Italian island, currently having very difficult social situation and large social disparities, high level of unemployment both among young people and adults. JOC offers a concrete support to startups and aspiring entrepreneurs that want to start their journey towards entrepreneurship, offering consulting services to companies, associations and public bodies to get structural funds made available by several Regional, National and European calls for proposal.
JOC is part of JO Group, a cluster of companies and nonprofit organisations focused on research and development in ICT (virtual reality and augmented reality, blockchain, artificial intelligence and big data), development of LMS and serious games, SCORM conversion, e-health, agritech, software for environmental technologies, app and web application development, business consulting on structural funds and European projects, international digital marketing and the promotion of digital transformation and EU citizenship.
Certified European Business Innovation Centre located in Spain, CEEIM’s mission is to support and promote entrepreneurship, especially focused on technology, and innovation. Non-profit private Foundation with 15 years of experience, creating and implementing innovative methodologies in the field of business creation and consolidation, specifically meeting startups’ needs. We have 23 technology-based companies hosted in our incubator, and we also work with more than 100 entrepreneurs per year. We provide business growth support, guidance, training, mentoring, and additional services such as technology transfer, market information, management and human resources, intellectual property, private investors networking (being the facilitator of the Regional Business Angels Network), funding schemes and subsidies, or internationalization… through our different programmes, courses or events.
CEEIM has a strong position within the regional ecosystem as we are part of the Regional Digital Innovation Hub and the Regional Incubators Network, and we are also active at national and international levels being Information Point from the Economy Ministry for R&D, and a member of Spanish National association of Business Innovation Center (ANCES), and the European Business Innovation Center (EBN).
CEEIM counts also with a vast experience in EU Projects (SMP, H2020, COSME, INTERREG, ENI CBC MED, ERASMUS +…) implementing methodologies for supporting entrepreneurs and business creation, funding access scheme for SMEs; boosting the integration of sustainable and social aspects in business models; exploring co-creation approaches to develop innovative solutions; etc.
Institute of Entrepreneurship Development (iED) is an award-winning Greek non-profit organisation committed to the promotion of innovation and the enhancement of the entrepreneurial spirit. Established in 2005, in Larissa, Greece, iED is a certified leading Center of Excellence in European entrepreneurship and a fast-growing Digital Innovation Hub, registered as a member of the European Commission’s catalog of DIHs.
iED recognizes entrepreneurship as a crucial factor for the future of sustainable development and cohesion of societies. It conducts research and provides innovative solutions that facilitate the growth of entrepreneurship and promote employment across Europe. Our main aim is to produce and transfer know-how, boost cognitive processes and enhance the effectiveness and viability of all types of enterprises.
Istanbul University is one of Turkey’s oldest and most prestigious educational institutions, founded in 1453. With its rich history, Istanbul University continues to be recognized as a center for education and research, both nationally and internationally.
Academic Programs and Faculties
Istanbul University offers a wide range of academic programs, providing students with opportunities for specialization in various fields. With faculties spanning Natural Sciences, Social Sciences, Health Sciences, and Humanities, the university offers a diverse educational experience.
Istanbul University has a total of 138 undergraduate programs (114 formal and 24 open education) and 26 associate degree programs. In terms of postgraduate programs, there are a total of 356 master’s and 220 doctoral programs, 281 with theses, 63 without theses, and 12 distance master’s programs.
Beyond academics, Istanbul University provides students with a vibrant social experience and numerous campus facilities. Modern libraries, laboratories, sports facilities, and cultural activity areas offer students extensive opportunities for personal and academic development. The central location of the university allows students to benefit from the historical and cultural richness of the city.
International Collaborations and Exchange Programs
Istanbul University actively engages in international collaborations with numerous universities worldwide, providing students with opportunities for education abroad. Through exchange programs and international projects, students gain a global perspective and exposure to different cultures.
Our university has 221 cooperation agreements with a total of 65 countries within the scope of international academic cooperation.
Istanbul University as a Research University
Istanbul University has directly reflected its research-oriented management philosophy in its basic principles and values and has chosen to share it effectively with all stakeholders, especially the academic staff of the university, at different times and grounds and through appropriate methods. In 2021, in the ranking of research universities shared with the public, Istanbul University ranked fifth among the top 20 state universities with a total score of 54.72.
It is seen that Istanbul University is the only Turkish university in the top 500 in the ARWU (Academic Ranking of World Universities) 2022 ranking, where the world’s most successful universities are ranked. CWTS LEIDEN was another prestigious rating organization where Istanbul University was among the top 500 universities in the world.
Social Contribution
Our units that stand out in the institutional structure in the realization of the social contribution policy are as follows: Continuing Education Center (SEM), Career Development Application and Research Center (KAGEM), Language Center, Children’s University, Disability Application and Research Center (ENUYGAR), Women’s Studies Application and Research Center, Museum and Cultural Heritage Management Application and Research Center (MÜZEYUM), Social Responsibility Research and Application Center (Sociology Research Center), Observatory Application and Research Center, Islamic Economics and Finance Application and Research Center, and Ottoman Period Music Application and Research Center (OMAR).
Between 2019 and 2022, the IU Women’s Studies Research and Application Center has carried out many events, webinars, and collaborative projects and contributed to the successful completion of a total of 60 graduate thesis studies. Among the prominent events were the Women in Economy, Health, Politics Panel, Women’s Role in Working Life in Istanbul Conference, International Panel on Combating Violence Against Women, Gender Justice Congress, Community Vision Document, and Action Plan Workshop, while the 360 Degree Friendship Project, White House Project, and GEP Plan stand out within the scope of collaborative projects.
Skills Zone Malta is a training hub of professional trainers in the field of Entrepreneurship, personal development and soft skills, training people in both f2f and online environment. With 19.6 million tertiary education students in 2016 in the EU, employers are valuing more and more soft skills skill sets mainly in Entrepreneurship, Conflict Resolution, Wellbeing, Communication Skills, Emotional Intelligence, Problem Solving, Presentation Skills, Time Management, Interpersonal Skills, Marketing, Goal setting, Social media and Leadership & Management.
Maryrose, the brain behind setting up Skills Zone Malta used her twenty years of experience in entrepreneurship and EU funding programmes to tap this growing niche and managed to create an exciting pool of experts in entrepreneurship, personal development and empowerment in order to that enable people to navigate their environment, work well with others, perform well, and achieve their full potential.
As the whole team believe in experiential learning, our soft skills training courses involves “learning by doing” using state of the art infrastructure for performing hands on exercised and real-world simulations. This extensive hands-on experience in SOFT SKILLs training ensures that one absorbs the knowledge and skills they will need to apply at their place of work or to start up their own enterprise. We also offer tailored made course according to the needs of the individual and compliment it by a mentoring Programme of not less than 3 months.
Skills Zone Malta, specialises in skills gap analysis, training content and also both training in virtual classroom, f2f or blended learning. This hub is made up of more than 20 experts in different subjects including digital skills, upskilling and reskilling, focusing mainly on women. We also offer one to one tailored made packages involving one or more experts and a number of hours of mentoring services.
