Case study 7.3: Fostering Entrepreneurship Education
Part of the EU’s growth strategy is a reassertion of the determination to develop and promote
entrepreneurship more fully within the EU. While these have been sustained objectives for a
sustained period, economic crisis has provided renewed emphasis on the attainment of this
objective. Central to the realisation of this objective is the establishment pf a stronger culture
of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial mind-sets of Europeans right across all income and
age spectrums. Entrepreneurship education is key to realising this objective. There is across
the EU a broad consensus on the aims of entrepreneurship education, both in terms of generic
capabilities (such as self-confidence, adaptability, risk assessment, creativity) and of a set of
more bespoke business skills and knowledge. However, turning discourse into policy requires
that entrepreneurship education moves from the periphery of the curriculum to its core at all
levels and types of education.
Despite consensus on the required action, implementation has been very uneven across the
EU. Only a small number of countries have coherent and consistent strategies. In general,
states have a generic framework for action with many setting ill-defined targets and
indicators. The focus tends to be on entrepreneurial competences across the entire student
population. Approaches tend to be ‘bottom-up’ with minimal government intervention: the
wide range of practice and approaches reflects a lack of consistency towards the subject both
within and across states. Current practice regarding the process of entrepreneurial education
in Europe is characterised by:
the pivotal role played by teachers in initiating the subject;
the absence of a systemic approach in the curriculum;
the use of a wide variety of resources of varying quality by teachers;
the key role played by private associations and organisations;
recognition that only businesses can offer real, practical experience;
the importance of regional and local bodies in providing links between educators and
business.
The above indicates that much entrepreneurship education tends to be ad hoc and is
frequently a reflection of the idiosyncrasies of a particular educational establishment. The
removal of such inconsistencies requires teaching methods to reflect experiential learning;
that students learn in businesses and that governments facilitate and co-ordinate curriculum
changes. The emergent consensus for greater co-ordination and coherence has led to the
suggestion for a more prescriptive approach to entrepreneurship education which embeds it
throughout all stages of the system with a shift from how to run a business towards
developing a more general set of competences. The aim is to achieve a greater consensus
among all relevant stakeholders and involve them in establishing learning objectives and
outcomes, targets and indicators.
In the light of these changes – and despite the very strong local dimension of
entrepreneurship education – there was seen to be a role for supranational bodies in
supporting a coherent and co-ordinated approach. The European Commission’s role falls
into one or more of the following functions. First, it can act as a catalyst to stimulate and
spread best practice, including acting as a de facto monitor of the system. Secondly, it can
establish a platform through which educators, businesses and other stakeholders can interact
to share experiences as well as facilitate new links and strategies. Thirdly, it can act as an
enabler by mobilising resources through its own and member states programmes to support
educational activities within this domain. Fourthly, through the establishment of a European
Centre for Entrepreneurship Education, it can act as a core vehicle to oversee and implement
other activities as well as act as a nexus for local, regional and national bodies. Finally, the
Commission has the opportunity to lead actions through its Directorates, especially the
Enterprise and Industry and Education and Culture Directorates which can better co-ordinate
actions within the Commission.
Case question
Can entrepreneurship be taught?
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