Download Fostering Entrepreneurship in Higher Education

Fostering Entrepreneurship in
Higher Education – a EU
perspective
Simone BALDASSARRI
Unit E.1
Entrepreneurship
Definition of Entrepreneurship
Entrepreneurship refers to an individual’s ability to turn ideas into
action.
It includes
• creativity,
• innovation and
• risk taking,
• as well as the ability to plan and manage projects
in order to achieve objectives.
This
• supports everyone in day-to-day life at home and in society,
• makes employees more aware of the context of their work and better
able to seize opportunities,
• and provides a foundation for entrepreneurs establishing a social or
commercial activity
(2006 Recommendation on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning)
Overview
• Entrepreneurship is not sufficiently integrated in the
curriculum of HEIs
• The majority of entrepreneurship courses are offered in
business and economic studies
• Chances of being exposed to EE are higher when the
student is enrolled in a business school or a multidisciplinary
institution with a business school.
• More than half of the student population in Europe do not
have access to Entrepreneurship Education
More data from the 2008 European Survey
• Only 1/4 of specialized and 1/3 of multidisciplinary
institutions without a business school offer entrepreneurship
• Entrepreneurship most commonly offered to undergraduate
or graduate students, fewer courses for PhD students
• Entrepreneurship education is still immature: often person
driven and depending upon the efforts of individuals
• In only 20% of HEIs the teaching staff must undergo training
in order to teach entrepreneurship.
• Less than 1/3 of staff teaching entrepreneurship had
practical experience with entrepreneurship outside academia.
Teaching tools
• There is a gap between methods applied and those that are
seen as the most effective
• Experience-based
methods
are
crucial:
pedagogies (lectures) are not the most effective
traditional
• Most effective methods indicated: group techniques for new
business ideas, case studies, business planning workshops
• Essential element: crossing boundaries between disciplines,
and multi-disciplinary collaboration
Problems/Obstacles
• Shortage of funding
• Too few professors of entrepreneurship
• Little incentive and reward for teachers
• Faculties and departments tend to work separately
• Mobility between HEIs and business is low
• HEIs are not sufficiently involved with their alumni
Actions for HEIs
• Set up a strategy or action plan
• Create an entrepreneurial hub
• Offer introduction to entrepreneurship to all, and
opportunities to follow more specific courses
• Set up incentives to motivate and reward staff
• Encourage the spontaneous initiative of students
• Award credits for activities and practical work