University of Naples Parthenope · Department of Business and Quantitative Studies
University of Naples Parthenope · Department of Business and Quantitative Studies
Activities
Missions
International missions are one of the instruments through which the DiSAQ UNESCO Chair translates its objectives into activities on the ground. They make it possible to strengthen collaboration with partner institutions, share knowledge and methodologies, engage local stakeholders and disseminate research findings across diverse contexts. The missions carried out in Europe and the MENA region have helped to expand the Chair’s international network and to bring its expertise on entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems into dialogue with local realities.
Within the INSAF-FEM project, the missions to Tunisia supported activities aimed at strengthening women’s entrepreneurial and digital skills and enhancing their employability. Direct engagement with Tunisian universities and civil society organisations contributed to knowledge transfer between universities and local communities, in line with the Chair’s objectives in the fields of gender equality, skills development and socio-economic inclusion in the MENA region.
Within the FOODCHASE project, the missions carried out in Portugal in 2024, Türkiye in 2025 and Greece in 2026 brought together project partners and local stakeholders from the agri-food sector. The meetings fostered knowledge exchange, the coordination of activities and dialogue on the needs and practices of the territories involved. They also strengthened the international network of actors through which the Chair promotes collaborative innovation and the development of sustainable ecosystems.
In January 2026, a mission to the École Nationale des Sciences Appliquées (ENSA) in Fez offered the Chair a further opportunity to disseminate its methodologies for the analysis and simulation of entrepreneurial ecosystems and to contribute to skills development in the MENA region.
Teaching activities
Within INSAF-FEM, DiSAQ contributed to the design of the training activities and of a model for transferring skills from universities to local communities. The team involved included Marco Ferretti, Chiara Cannavale, Lorenza Claudio and Nohaila Kartti.
The project adopted a train-the-trainer model: Master’s and doctoral students from the partner Tunisian universities followed a multidisciplinary programme so that they could share what they had learnt with civil society organisations. Among other topics, the training addressed entrepreneurship, business model development, social innovation, digital skills and online communication.
DiSAQ also helped to organise a training experience in Naples for four Tunisian students who received awards at the end of the project. The participants attended workshops on women’s leadership, carried out hands-on activities related to entrepreneurship and marketing, and met local companies, incubators and participants in the MEIM programme. These meetings gave them the opportunity to exchange experiences and entrepreneurial ideas.
Through SHIFT-MED, DiSAQ takes part in a collaboration between universities and partner organisations from Europe and the MENA region aimed at strengthening the capacity of higher education institutions to address the green and digital transition.
In May 2026, DiSAQ delivered training sessions with the international partners of SHIFT-MED. These activities form part of the project’s pathway, which promotes interdisciplinary programmes on sustainability, digital innovation and the new skills required by the labour market, while also strengthening the capacity of academic and administrative staff. From this perspective, lifelong learning enables individuals and institutions to update their skills and adapt to technological and environmental change, contributing to the transition towards more sustainable and digitally mature economies.
The Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Game (TEEG) is a research-based tool that combines simulation and experiential learning. It makes it possible to analyse entrepreneurial ecosystems and to explore the effects of different strategic and policy choices.
In January 2026, Marco Ferretti, Chiara Cannavale and Andrea Caporuscio held hands-on seminars at Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah University in Fez, Morocco, for Master’s and doctoral students, faculty members, ecosystem development professionals and public policymakers. The on-site activities were complemented by online training sessions with local Moroccan stakeholders.
Further on-site workshops are planned by the end of 2026 at the Universities of Sfax and Gabès, in Tunisia. Through these activities, the Chair shares a tool that helps participants assess possible interventions and design strategies for the development of entrepreneurial ecosystems.
SEA-EU 2.0 is an Erasmus+ alliance bringing together nine European universities. The University of Naples Parthenope contributes to the work package aimed at strengthening the relationship between universities and society, coordinated for the University by Marcello Risitano. Within this framework, the Chair organised a Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) on innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystems for students from the Universities of Split, Gdańsk and the Algarve. https://sea-eu.org/
MOOC
The UNESCO Chair has developed two MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses), free online courses available in Italian, English and French. The MOOCs offer the opportunity to explore entrepreneurship and innovation in depth, with flexible learning times and formats.
MOOC 01
It guides participants from the initial business idea to the testing of a business model. Its 20 learning units, organised into four modules, cover idea generation, business design, building a partner network and validating the proposition in the market.
MOOC 02
It focuses on local and regional innovation ecosystems. The course addresses topics such as territorial competitiveness, sustainability, technology transfer, governance and social innovation, including in-depth sessions on cultural heritage, tourism, port logistics and internationalisation. (Currently being published online.)
Each learning unit includes a short video lecture, a core reading, a quiz and an in-depth video. The courses can be taken independently or used as supplementary resources within university and professional training programmes.
Publications
DiSAQ’s research on the themes of the UNESCO Chair translates into scientific articles, book chapters and institutional reports. The publications collected in this section address, from different perspectives, entrepreneurial and innovation ecosystems, inter-organisational collaboration, inclusion, digital transformation and sustainability.
SLIOB Reports
The Observatory on Local Innovation Systems (SLIOB) contributes to the scientific activities of the DiSAQ UNESCO Chair through open-access studies on regional ecosystems. Its reports provide data and analyses of value to researchers, institutions and local stakeholders, drawing also on collaboration among scholars from Mediterranean countries.
Ferretti, M., Cannavale, C., Claudio, L., Zone, S., Franzese, G., Ernez Mrabet, M., & Rivieccio, G. (2025). Female entrepreneurship in mediterranean ecosystems. A comparative analysis of Italy and Tunisia.
The report compares women’s entrepreneurship in Italy and Tunisia, offering evidence that helps to understand the opportunities and obstacles faced by women entrepreneurs in the two contexts. It was produced by Marco Ferretti, Chiara Cannavale, Lorenza Claudio, Giorgia Rivieccio and Giuseppe Franzese, together with Salma Zone of the University of Monastir and Molka Ernez Mrabet of the University of Gabès.
Calza, F., Simoni, M., Cannavale, C., Parmentola, A., Tutore, I., Claudio, L., & Costagliola Di Fiore, M. (2021). Il ruolo delle università nello sviluppo dei Sistemi Locali di Innovazione.
The volume examines the contribution of universities to the development and coordination of regional innovation ecosystems. The authors are Marco Ferretti, Chiara Cannavale, Adele Parmentola, Michele Simoni, Lorenza Claudio and Michele Costagliola di Fiore.
Pietronudo, M. C., Ferretti, M., & Risitano, M. (2025). Green Innovation Ecosystem. Un’analisi degli ecosistemi green per la Blue Economy.
The report examines the green transition in maritime sectors, focusing on ecosystem governance, the sustainability of port activities and experiences in Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. It was produced by Maria Cristina Pietronudo, Marco Ferretti and Marcello Risitano.
Through these studies, SLIOB helps to connect research on territorial dynamics with the decisions of institutions, businesses and other actors in innovation ecosystems.
Conferences
The activities promoted by DiSAQ in line with the objectives of the UNESCO Chair include the organisation of, and participation in, international conferences. These events provide opportunities to present research findings and to engage with scholars and practitioners on innovation, entrepreneurship and sustainable development. Within some conferences, dedicated thematic sessions focus specifically on the Chair’s research areas.
20–23 May 2026
Digital Transformation Society 2026 The Digital Transformation Society 2026 conference provides a forum for scientific exchange on digital transformation and its implications for organisations and society.
10–12 September 2025
Hosted by the University of Naples Parthenope, the 22nd Annual Conference of the Italian Marketing Association (Società Italiana Marketing) explored the relationship between marketing and innovation, with a focus on new entrepreneurial ideas and value creation for businesses and society.
26–28 October 2023
Hosted in Naples by the University of Naples Parthenope and co-organised with DiSAQ, the annual conference of the International Association of Cross-Cultural Competence and Management (IACCM) explored responsible management, social sustainability, diversity and inclusion in organisations.
In brief
Taken together, these activities show how the Chair’s international cooperation extends beyond academic mobility: the missions combine skills development, dialogue with local stakeholders, the dissemination of innovative methodologies and the building of lasting institutional relationships. The Chair adapts knowledge and tools to different contexts, while keeping the Mediterranean and the MENA region at the heart of its work.
