HWZ brings entrepreneurial education to Bhutan

(CONNECT) With its Bhutan Entrepreneurial Education Program (BEEP), the HWZ aims to promote sustainable business ideas in Bhutan. It was developed by the HWZ together with the Department of Employment and Entrepreneurship, which is part of the Ministry of Economy in Bhutan. Close cooperation with local partners is essential for the success of the programme, explains Dr. Hugo Bigi in an interview about the project.

"What makes BEEP special is the combination of Swiss economic expertise and Bhutanese culture, in particular the principles of Gross National Happiness," explains Bigi. He is a specialist lecturer and principal lecturer at the HWZ and head of the BEEP project. It aims to empower Bhutanese entrepreneurs to develop sustainable business ideas and promote economic growth that is both socially and environmentally responsible.

According to Bigi, each module is designed to match the Gross National Happiness values. Bhutan's holistic approach to development places prosperity, cultural preservation and environmental protection above economic growth. "In doing so," says Bigi, "we not only teach traditional business management skills, but also focus on innovation, digitalisation and ethical entrepreneurship." 

At the same time, the experiences in Bhutan, "the first CO2-negative country in the world" (Bigi), should also serve as inspiration for the HWZ and Switzerland, particularly with regard to the interplay between economic success and social responsibility. Bigi's ten-year goal is for BEEP to become "an independent centre for innovative, practice-oriented entrepreneurial education with a broad international network". ce/mm