MK
- MK2025: Macedonia2025 received three participants from Serbia at the Leader Project in 2015. How did they relate their experience back in the organization and its members?
CANSEE: All the entrepreneurs/participants from Serbia who had been selected to attend the 2015 Leader Project in Macedonia found the experience invaluable. They emphasize a highly relevant and practical curriculum that has addressed many of the pertinent issues which affect management of small and medium businesses in emerging markets such as Serbia. Effective communication by LEADER instructors enabled them to gain a stronger understanding of the business concepts and management strategies as well as an opportunity to better confront challenges faced by aspiring entrepreneurs attempting to start ventures within challenging business environments.
2. MK2025: How do you think opening a Leader Project site in Serbia will benefit entrepreneurs in the country?
CANSEE: With a standing tenure of 25 years worldwide, LEADER Project has developed a finely honed curriculum which caters to issues and challenges for entrepreneurs and businesses in environments very similar to current Serbian market. Through relevant topics and focused instruction, local entrepreneurs will be taught skills and various tools essential to greater success in Serbian market. Knowledge acquired through the well structured coursework and unique international experience shall serve participants to perhaps broaden some horizons and thus gain competitive advantage. Adopting some of the practices and guidelines of business administration from more advanced economies invariably will create a core of business oriented professionals willing to affect change in the Serbian marketplace.
3. MK2025:.Besides being neighbors Macedonia and Serbia are also trading partners. How do you see the opening of a Leader Project site in a broader context of cooperation between the two countries and Canada?
CANSEE: Although trade relations between Macedonia and Serbia are solid, there is certainly room for improvement. Additionally, economic relations between both Macedonia and Serbia on one side and Canada on the other can be vastly improved. Opening of the LEADER Project in Serbia along with an already well established one in Macedonia eventually will produce a critical number of forward looking entrepreneurs/businesses with greater awareness and understanding of importance of strengthening economic and other ties with one another and Canada for mutual benefit. One hopes that presence of LEADER Project in Serbia will henceforth contribute to synergistic effect regionally that can result in increased economic base capable of influencing authorities to push for more intensive relations with Canada. Though the need for improved economic relations (trade, investment etc.) may be self evident, cooperation in the field of education and culture should not be neglected as they stand to benefit over time as well.