BUSINESS Columbus Project is a new initiative aimed at students and graduates of our university, through which people interested in starting their own companies will have easier access to funds for this purpose. So far, they could apply for an allocation of approximately 20 thousand PLN from the District Labor Office or grants offered by other EU projects. However, these projects were not aimed at students of MUS, who consequently had difficulty in obtaining grants.

BUSINESS Columbus project from the point of view of the university is a pilot project. It will include support for 15 people meeting certain criteria concerning in particular:

• Age up to 30 years,
• Location: Szczecin, district of Police or Goleniow;
• Status of extramural students of graduates of MUS;
• Remaining unemployed.

The criteria in question are based on the requirements of the competition for this type of project and on research conducted in 2012 by the MTTC/CTTM on a number of 178 students interested in starting their own business. The main objectives of the project were also discussed with the student government.

If the project receives funding, which will be known at the end of July and August, the recruitment for the project will begin in December this year. The persons selected to participate in the project, among others, on the basis of discussions with a professional counselor, and on the basis of their idea for a business, shall undergo a forty hour training on starting and running a business. Next, they will be to prepare a business plan with the help from the 10-hour individual consultations with experts in various fields. First companies will be set up in May 2014, the young entrepreneurs will not, however, be left without support - still being able to take advantage of the 20 hours of individual counseling.