On May 20, 2025, the University of Rome Tor Vergata (UTV) hosted the Closing Lab of the Erasmus+ Project OBCD – Open Business for Community Development, marking the conclusion of a three-year collaborative effort dedicated to fostering innovation, openness, and sustainability in social enterprise and community-based business models.
Bringing together academics, students, and practitioners, the event offered an opportunity to present the project’s key outputs, engage in cross-sector dialogue, and reflect on the next steps for education and practice in the social economy. At the University’s Economics Faculty, the event involved the course Contemporary Management from the Master of Science in European Economy and Business Law, as well as Management Innovation from the Bachelor’s Degree in Global Governance.
A Blended Morning of Insight and Exchange
The morning session, conducted in a blended format both online and in person, featured presentations from the Italian OBCD team alongside contributions from external experts.
Emma Ricci from Base3 presented the OBCD eLearning Platform and MOOC, which together provide two modular, freely accessible training programs aimed at equipping managers and administrative staff in social enterprises with practical and strategic skills.
Natalia Gusmerotti and Sophia Bombardelli from UTV followed with an overview of the Social Impact Measurement Toolkit, a user-friendly resource developed to support organizations in capturing and enhancing their social impact through structured, adaptable methods.
The presentations were complemented by a lively and thoughtful discussion featuring distinguished speakers:
- Prof. Corrado Cerruti (University of Rome “Tor Vergata”) on digital transformation and higher education
- Prof. Francesco Testa (Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna) on sustainability and impact innovation
- Prof. Daniele Binci (Università degli Studi Niccolò Cusano) on open innovation and applied research
- Dr. Giuseppe Gizzi (AGCI – Associazione Generale delle Cooperative Italiane) on cooperative development and social enterprise ecosystems
- Dr. Gianni Petiti (Binario95) on community-based entrepreneurship and social inclusion
This mix of academic and professional perspectives reinforced the project’s interdisciplinary focus and its ambition to bridge theory and practice in tangible, meaningful ways.
Networking and Shared Commitments over Lunch
Participants then moved to a one-hour networking lunch, which featured vegan and sustainable menu options. This moment provided a relaxed but valuable space for informal conversation, knowledge sharing, and relationship-building among attendees from different institutions and sectors.
A Practical, In-Person Workshop on Measuring Impact
The afternoon session was held entirely in person and featured a 90-minute interactive workshop titled “Measuring Social Impact for Sustainable Innovation.” Designed to be hands-on and collaborative, the session brought together students from the OBCD program, faculty members, and field professionals.
Through mixed-group exercises and case study simulations, participants explored how to apply the OBCD social impact approach to different case (social, environmental or hybrid) scenarios. The workshop was a success and ended in the presentation of the group results and a closing discussion.
Looking Forward
At the conclusion of the day, all participants received a Certificate of Attendance and an OBCD Kit to support continued learning and dissemination of the project’s values and tools.
Although this event marked the formal close of the OBCD project, its outcomes—open platforms, learning resources, and impact tools—will remain available to the wider community. More importantly, the relationships, insights, and shared commitments formed throughout the project promise to carry its vision forward.
