On 16 and 17 October 2025, the Aix-Marseille University Institute of Technology hosted the closing meeting of IMPACT ACADEMY, European project co-funded by the Erasmus+ programme. This project, coordinated by the Department of Business and Administration Management in Aix-en-Provence, supported by the International Relations Department of Aix-Marseille University, and led for two years by a consortium of universities and impact entrepreneurship stakeholders, aims to promote inclusive, sustainable entrepreneurship in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

A European project for a different approach to entrepreneurship:

As the project reaches its completion, IMPACT ACADEMY will continue to thrive, thanks to its range of innovative educational resources that are accessible to all:

• a self-assessment tool to measure the social, environmental and ethical dimensions of projects (alignment with the SDGs);
• modular online training, consisting of 13 thematic modules (sustainable financing, circular economy, governance, impactful storytelling, etc.);
• a multilingual and inclusive OER platform, available in six languages and incorporating enhanced accessibility options.

These freely accessible resources are intended for teachers and students in higher education as well as entrepreneurs and trainers in the socio-economic world. They enable everyone to integrate the principles of sustainability and positive impact into their practices in a tangible way.

Two days of encounters, discussions and prospects

To mark the end of the project, IMPACT ACADEMY partners gathered at the Aix-Marseille University Institute of Technology for two days of discussions and reflection.

The first day began with a coordination meeting between partners, devoted to sharing experiences, presenting results and identifying new possibilities for collaboration.

In the afternoon, a Master Class reserved for partners and colleagues from Aix-Marseille University provided an opportunity to present the concrete achievements of the project, including the educational resources developed and how to use them in professional practice. The connected solidarity grocery store developed at the IUT is an example of learning by doing and social innovation where the project's resources can be put into application.

The day continued with the Impact Academy Conversations, two round tables open to the public on the theme:

“Learning and acting to transform: how the impact economy can shape the Europe of tomorrow”.
By bringing together around a hundred teachers, students, public stakeholders and innovative entrepreneurs, these talks provided an opportunity to exchange views and explore the means for making the impact economy a real catalyst for European transformation.

“From knowledge to action”

Speakers:

Aurélie Biancarelli, Deputy Mayor of Marseille in charge of Research and Higher Education

Angélique Vuilmet, Senior Lecturer in Management Sciences at the IUT amU, head of pedagogy for the Impact Academy project

Samuel Mercier, Professor of Management Sciences at IAE Dijon, specializing in corporate social responsibility and ethics

Benjamin Denjean, Entrepreneur, innovator, co-founder of Paysan Marin and Paysan Urbain

“Building an impactful Europe together”

Speakers:

Paul Bichat, Head of International and Mediterranean Outreach, Aix-Marseille Provence Métropole

Claire Pétréault, Founder and Content Creator, Les Pépites Vertes

Hortense Taillefait, European Project Manager, Mission Europe for Research

Florent Potart, Treasurer, Agoraé Solidarity Grocery store

Lionel Nicod, Director of the Aix-Marseille University Institute of Technology, Scientific and Technical Leader of the Impact Academy project

A convivial cocktail reception brought the inspiring day to a close, giving participants the opportunity to continue discussions and networking.

The following day, the coordination meeting continued in the form of a Partner Lab with consortium members to take stock of the project and discuss future prospects. This final exchange confirmed the collective desire to continue the positive momentum generated by IMPACT ACADEMY, to promote a more inclusive and sustainable European entrepreneurship, mindful of social and environmental issues.

For more information:

Visit: www.impactacademyproject.eu

Contact: erasmus-impactacademy@univ-amu.fr

About IMPACT ACADEMY

IMPACT ACADEMY is a two-year Erasmus+ project involving partners from France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Turkey, and North Macedonia. It focuses on embedding social impact and sustainability into entrepreneurship education in higher education through the development of tools, training materials, and open learning resources.