Developing Creative Economy in Central Asia, South Caucasus, Ukraine, UK

A new British Council programme, "Creative Spark: Higher Education Enterprise Programme" brings together representatives from the UK and all programme countries involved in Georgia for the first time on 20-21 November to kick off their plans.

Each of the 35 new international partnerships between higher education and creative institutions in the UK and Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine and Uzbekistan will be granted a maximum of £50,000. The winning partnerships, including Georgian cultural institutions are: Creative Georgia and Tbilisi State Academy of Arts to partner with Advantage Creative; Georgian Technical University with Keele University; Creative Georgia with University of East Anglia, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University and V.Sarajishvili Tbilisi State Conservatoire with University of Essex Change School and Ilia State university with University Of The West Of England in Bristol.

This initiative has been developed in response to an underdeveloped creative sector and a demand for entrepreneurship training in these countries. The UN has previously recognised the creative economy as being one of the most rapidly growing sectors of the world economy. Creative Spark aims to give the next generation opportunities to develop skills required to compete in a global job market.

"During my time in Georgia, I observed that the creative economy sector has a large, untapped potential. We would like to see the vast experience of Great Britain to be diffused in Georgia. This will bring huge economic benefits to Georgia, open employment opportunities and evolve a strong community in the future", said Justin McKenzie Smith, the British Ambassador to Georgia.  

The partnerships will focus on giving young people improved access to international networks, markets and resources. Over the course of this year, partners will work together and deliver enterprise skills training packages to students and creative entrepreneurs. Topics covered will range from pitching ideas and starting a business, to protecting intellectual property and securing financial support. Skills will be developed further through a ‘video pitch’ competition, open to 100,000s of students across the programme countries next summer. Prizes will be UK-based professional development courses.

The British Council will deliver an English Learning Programme with a range of new digital language learning content. This will include online learning packs on the English Channel platform, online courses and new Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) focused on English for entrepreneurship.

By Anna Zhvania