Research shows that a number of enterprises across the EU (as many as 4 out of 10) are facing the challenge to find job applicants with the right skills. Common types of mismatches in labour markets across the EU include discrepancy between the workforce qualifications and the specific needs of particular sectors and occupations within economies, as well as imbalance between labour market needs and education provided. The emerging business issues (including those underscored by technological advancement, economic and political crises, and increasingly tangible effects of climate change, mass immigration, and income inequality and resource depletion – as reflected also in the new Sustainable Development Goals formulated by the UN with a global call for action) create new managerial and leadership challenges for companies and the necessity to develop new skills and knowledge in order to effectively address them. In turn, this presents a challenge, but also an opportunity, for education providers to develop new, more relevant, educational offerings, including through updates in curriculum, upgrade of teaching/learning tools and materials, as well as development of relevant teaching skills, based on recognition of specific business challenges and the consequent management and leadership development needs in companies.The overall aim of the project is to provide higher education institutions (HEI) with a comprehensive set of insights, guidelines and materials that would help develop more relevant and innovative management education offerings and study processes, based on the real needs of businesses and economies and as a result stimulate reduction of management skills mismatch across EU and provide enterprises with better skilled employees, decreasing their investments in new employee trainings and increasing their competitiveness on local, regional and international levels.The project aims at exploring, identifying and assessing management and leadership development needs by focusing on:- challenges faced by businesses (particularly with respect to management and leadership issues);- exploration, identification and assessment of management and leadership development needs and how they may help address challenges faced;- critical evaluation of the results achieved and impacts made by management education to date;- recommendations for learning partners, including specific guidelines, materials, and staff training.To achieve the aims and goals of the project, it entails to develop Intellectual Outputs “Cross-country report” and “Guidelines for management and leadership skills development”. Developed outputs will provide insights into current and future business challenges and related management and leadership development needs, as well as specific instructions, best practice examples and inspiration for HEIs for improving management education curricula, teaching/learning materials, as well as teaching tools, methods and techniques. This will help to provide more adequate and labour market needs-based education, contribute to skills mismatch and shortage reduction, as well as ensure long-term project results accessibility and usability across the EU.In order to prepare for Intellectual Outputs development, to present the aim of the project, exchange knowledge and collect best practices, as well as to engage more HEIs to join the project network and consequently use developed outputs, 5 Multiplier events will be organised at international level. In order to achieve the objective pursued, ensure project results implementation in education process and develop Intellectual Outputs, as well as to involve academic and administrative staff in learning, teaching and training activities relevant for the project implementation, 4 short-term joint staff training events will take place during the project implementation period.It is expected that the project will provide long-term results for HEIs by increasing competitiveness of directly and indirectly involved HEIs, improving the quality of the study process across the EU. Academic staff will be able to improve their knowledge and skills, develop new innovative study curricula, teaching materials and tools. The project implementation will help improve employability levels for students in EU and provide better skilled managers and employees for labour market. Labour market will be able to provide better business results and competitiveness positions, decrease their investments in new employee trainings and increasing their competitiveness on local, regional and international levels. In addition, the project will stimulate entrepreneurship development and growth in EU that in turn would result in increased welfare and economic development.