TEACHYOURWORLD: THE EVALUATION OF A TRAINING PROGRAM FOR ENTREPRENEURS

This contribution presents an evaluation study conducted within TeachYourWorld, a cross-border Italian–French initiative supporting the digital and green transition of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The project is funded by the European Union through the INTERREG VI-A programme (ALCOTRA) and is coordinated by a consortium of Italian–French partners (Progetto Formazione Scrl, Confindustria Valle d’Aosta, Fondazione Brodolini Srl SB, Digital League – Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes), while the University of Valle d’Aosta is responsible for the evaluation activities. Nine SMEs from diverse sectors participate in tailored digitalization actions targeting production, organisational, and commercial processes, supported by senior experts and young trainees. The programme’s training component (the “Academy”) integrates intensive learning events (two Summer Camps) with specialised online and face-to-face activities (workshops and tech-clubs), designed on the basis of preliminary assessments of firms’ needs. Given this articulated structure, the evaluation framework includes participants’ emotional responses as part of training effectiveness. This approach aligns with research recognising emotions as relevant indicators of outcomes in work-related and entrepreneurial learning (Endres & Kleiner, 1990; Hökkä, Vähäsantanen, & Paloniemi, 2020). The study focuses on emotions typically linked to learning and performance—such as satisfaction, enjoyment of learning, hope, pride, anger, anxiety, shame, hopelessness, and boredom—due to their influence on motivation, engagement, and performance (Schutz & Pekrun, 2007). Emotional data are collected through semi-structured interviews and focus groups conducted with SME participants at different stages of the Academy. The poster will present preliminary findings from data gathered in spring 2026 and discuss implications for evaluating complex