From higher education to entrepreneurship - seminar Helsinki, October 6th, 2015

Entrepreneurship Education in Europe: Findings and Conclusions from Case Studies of 20 Universities Prof. Dr. Christine K. Volkmann Kathrin Bischoff MScBA

A study on behalf of the European Commission, DG Education and Culture

UNESCO Chair of Entrepreneurship and Intercultural Management University of Wuppertal

Agenda 1.

Background of the study

2.

Relevance of the topic

3.

Theoretical framework

4.

Research methodology

5.

Overview of the selected Higher Educational Institutions

6.

Findings

7.

Overall challenges of entrepreneurship education

8.

Tentative policy implications

9.

Limitations and contribution

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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1. Background of the study



Title: Supporting the entrepreneurial potential of Higher Education (sepHE)



Aim: To investigate the entrepreneurship education (EE) activities of Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) across Europe in order to develop a stronger evidence base of the entrepreneurial potential of higher education and derive lessons for policy development



Client: European Commission, Directorate-General Education and Culture



Team:





empirica GmbH (co-ordinator)



University of Wuppertal

Duration: December 2013 – May 2015

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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2. Relevance of the topic



EE encompasses “any pedagogical [program] or process of education for entrepreneurial attitudes and skills” (Fayolle et al., 2006, p.702)



Prior research emphasized the importance of EE for new venture creation, for establising entrepreneurial skills and strengthening entrepreneurial intentions (Von Graevenitz et al., 2010; Martin et al., 2013; Bae et al., 2014)



Governments across the globe have increased their support for EE and a magnitude of new entrepreneurship centres, departments and institutes have been established at HEIs (Kuratko, 2005; Wilson et al., 2009; Von Graevenitz et al., 2010; O’Connor, 2012)



The challenge remains for HEIs to move from educating about entrepreneurship to educating for entrepreneurship (Kirby, 2004)



EC seeks insights about drivers and barriers towards raising the entrepreneurial potential of HEIs (within EU’s “Entrepreneurship 2020 Action Plan”)

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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3. Theoretical framework I

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3. Theoretical framework II

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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4. Research methodology I Research approach:  Multiple, qualitative case studies of 20 HEIs across Europe  3 pilot case studies, 17 follow-up case studies

Case selection:  Selection of 20 HEIs as university cases in co-ordination with the European Commission and a peer group of experts on the basis of profiling templates of 40 HEIs  Rationale of case selection:  Novelty  Specific themes  Lacking publicity  Specific institutional aspects  Broad geographical coverage From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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4. Research methodology II Data collection: 

Fieldwork instructions and case study template as guidance for authors



Forms of data collection:  Primary interviews with EE actors at case universities  Secondary literature



Validation of the case studies through university gatekeeper

Cross-case analysis: 

Categorising and coding of items and qualitative statements in Excel and MAXQDA



Validation of cross-case analysis via four external peer group members and 13 additional expert phone interviews

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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5. Overview of the selected HEIs I

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5. Overview of the selected HEIs II Case

Theme focused

1

University of Bucharest (Romania)

Developing a strong and distinct position for providing entrepreneurship education

2

University of Cambridge (United Kingdom)

Persistently innovating entrepreneurship education models

3

University of Coimbra (Portugal)

Developing entrepreneurship education in a very traditional university

4

Dublin City University (Ireland)

DCU Ryan Academy: a public-private entrepreneurship education

5

University of Huddersfield (United Kingdom)

Entrepreneurship education across all Schools and how to train the trainers

6

Kaunas University of Technology (Lithuania)

Developing entrepreneurship education with support from experts from abroad

7

Technical University of Kosice (Slovakia)

Extra-curricular entrepreneurship education activities and start-up coaching within the region

8

Kozminski University (Poland)

Developing minds for ambitious entrepreneurship and training teachers at other universities

9

University of Liège (Belgium)

ULg VentureLab: establishing an entrepreneurial ecosystem at a university

University of Linz (Austria)

Inspiring teaching and a support network for academic entrepreneurs

10

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

partnership

in

10

5. Overview of the selected HEIs III 11

University of Ljubljana (Slovenia)

Implementing the Design-Thinking entrepreneurship education

12

University of Lüneburg (Germany)

Developing a comprehensive approach for diverse target groups

13

University of Lund (Sweden)

Embedding context

14

EM Lyon (France)

Educating entrepreneurs as a prime objective of a private business school

15

Polytechnic University of Milan (Italy)

Lessons learned from experience-based entrepreneurship education

16

University of Osijek (Croatia)

Developing entrepreneurship education from scratch over time

17

Erasmus University Rotterdam (Netherlands)

Building the Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship and advancing curricular corporate entrepreneurship

18

University of Southern Denmark (Denmark)

IDEA centre for promoting entrepreneurship education across the university

19

Tampere University of Applied Sciences (Finland)

Education in team entrepreneurship

20

University of Valencia (Spain)

Developing entrepreneurship education culture with regional enterprises

entrepreneurship

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

education

approach

in

a

and

in

regional

business

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6. Findings a. Overall findings b. Curricular activities c. Extra-curricular activities d. Institutional aspects e. Stakeholder outreach f.

Impact measurement

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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6. Overall findings:

EE development stage Heterogeneity of EE establishment with regard to:  Length: Duration of EE experience  Comprehensiveness: Breadth of curricular and extracurricular activities  Interdisciplinarity: Diffusion into faculties and target groups  Anchoring: Internally – university management support and student demand; externally – co-operation with external stakeholders

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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6. Overall findings:

Examples of insightful approaches  Dublin City University Ryan Academy: Co-operating with large enterprise for EE  Kaunas: Targeted involvement of foreign experts (Finland, US) for establishing and developing EE  Ljubljana: Applying the Design-Thinking approach to EE teaching to stimulate creativity  Osijek: Establishing EE from scratch in environment (remote, post-socialist, post-war)

a

difficult

 Rotterdam: Self-sustainable Entrepreneurship Centre through paid EE (training, coaching) for business target groups (SME owners, entrepreneurial managers in larger corporations) From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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6. Overall findings:

Entrepreneurship education drivers 0%

10%

20%

Government

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90% 100%

56%

Business Other external

30%

28% 11%

University teachers

83%

University management

56%

Students

56%

Base: 18 universities; multiple answers possible From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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6. Overall findings:

Entrepreneurship education barriers  Reservations against entrepreneurship as profit-oriented, conflicting with neutrality and independence of science  Perception that entrepreneurship – as a practical field – cannot be taught at universities due to their academic/theoretical focus

 Different cultures in academic disciplines  Students may prefer becoming employees, not selfemployed

 If EE is theme of single chair/institute, university-wide expansion of EE is challenging  EE often personnel-intensive – online/blended education not yet common From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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6. Findings on curricular activities:

EE formats offered 0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Degree programmes Specialisation within degree

50%

Tutorials

70%

80%

90%

100%

53% 35%

Courses Parts of courses

60%

88% 47% 41%

Base: 17 universities; multiple answers possible From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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6. Findings on curricular activities:

Types of EE teachers 0%

10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

University professors

100%

Academic staff other than professors

81%

Entrepreneurs*

56%

Other business people*

56%

External trainers*

19%

* = with formal role, not only as guest speakers Base: 16 universities; multiple answers possible From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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6. Findings on curricular activities:

Examples of curricular EE 

Bucharest: New Masters programme „Entrepreneurship and Business Administration in the Energy Sector”



Košice: Student teams develop own firms in simulated company registration in co-operation with National Bank of Slovakia and Slovakian Ministry of Economics



Linz: Students develop products and business models for startups based on university patents with patent scouts



Lund: Masters Programme in Entrepreneurship with two tracks, New Venture Creation + Corporate Entrepreneurship and Innovation



Tampere: Proacademy programme where students spend 2.5 years working as team entrepreneurs, setting up a real company

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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6. Findings on extra-curricular activities:

Event formats offered 0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Start-up competition and awards Entrepreneurship clubs

80%

90% 100%

73% 27%

Entrepreneurship fairs

55%

Lectures or workshops (series)

73%

Lectures or workshops (single) Other

70%

64% 45%

Base: 11 universities; multiple answers possible From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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6. Findings on extra-curricular activities:

Examples of extra-curricular EE 

Cambridge: Enterprise Tuesday (evening lectures series by entrepreneurs), Enterprisers (four-day project for PhDs and Post-Docs raising self-efficacy and creativity), Ignite (one-week programme for nascent or early stage entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs to develop networks), EnterpriseWISE (focus on female entrepreneurs)



Kosice: AZU (“activity increases success”) – workshop series and business plan competition with the idea to attract students to entrepreneurship as a means for developing personal skills (“learning through entrepreneurship”)



Rotterdam: Get Started – training and coaching programme for rotating groups of start-up entrepreneurs by peers and experienced entrepreneurs in a flipped-classroom approach



Valencia: “Professors’ Summer School Promotion of Entrepreneurial Spirit” – EE training for lecturers from non-business faculties

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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6. Findings on institutional aspects:

EE part of university’s strategy EE does not play a role in the university's strategy; 13% EE is not explicitly mentioned but plays a role implicitly; 20%

EE is key part of university's strategy; 47%

EE is mentioned but not very prominently; 20%

Base: 15 universities From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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6. Findings on institutional aspects:

Type of co-ordinating EE

Decentral 19%

Mixed 25%

Central 56%

Base: 16 universities From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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6. Findings on institutional aspects:

Examples of EE co-ordination units 

Central - Southern Denmark: IDEA entrepreneurship centre coordinates EE across the university and employs most EE teachers



Central – Rotterdam: Entrepreneurship centre within the faculties tied to Rotterdam School of Management and Erasmus School of Economics



Central – Tampere: A dedicated unit named Y-kampus has been set up in 2012 for mainstreaming EE in all of the university's course programmes



Mixed - Huddersfield: Enterprise Team in charge of coordinating teaching the teachers – teaching as such is however largely decentral



Decentral – EM Lyon: Ten entrepreneurship teachers from different departments; Whole university dedicated to educating entrepreneurs

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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6. Findings on external stakeholder outreach:

Forms of stakeholder involvement 0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Lecturing, presenting

70%

80%

90%

100%

87%

Providing finance

Other

60%

93%

Mentoring, coaching, advising students

Board membership

50%

40% 7% 33%

Base: 15 universities; multiple answers possible From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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6. Findings on impact measurement:

Impact measurement methods 0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

Keeping track of start-ups from the university

No impact evaluation methods

70%

80%

90% 100%

40%

13%

Course evaluation including impacts on entrepreneurial thinking/behaviour Other

60%

67%

Student or alumni surveys including entrepreneurship issues External entrepreneurship surveys

50%

47%

7%

20%

Base: 15 universities; multiple answers possible From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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7. Overall Challenges of EE

(1)

Overcoming reservations against EE

(2)

Assuring sustainable finance for EE

(3)

Assuring quality of entrepreneurship teaching

(4)

Assuring quality of extra-curricular EE

(5)

Assuring strong networks with external stakeholders

(6)

Measuring outcomes and impacts of EE

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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8. Tentative policy implications Overview: (1)

Promoting establishment and development of EE

(2)

Fostering knowledge exchange about EE

(3)

Supporting EE in structurally weak regions

(4)

Supporting EE teacher networks and EE quality

(5)

Creating positive legal framework conditions for EE

(6)

Ensuring EE sustainability

(7)

Supporting extra-curricular EE platforms

(8)

Developing quality assurance for extra-curricular EE

(9)

Improving EE impact assessment

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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8. Policy implication 1:

Promoting EE establishment/development  Objective: Reaping more benefits of EE  Rationale: Ample examples from case studies that EE helps develop entrepreneurial mindsets, skills and behaviour  Targeted actors: Policy makers on all levels – European, national, regional, local. Also professional associations of universities, teachers, researchers

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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8. Policy implication 2:

Fostering knowledge exchange about EE  Objective: Enhance existing EE offers or to help establish new ones  Rationale: Case studies revealed high interest to learn from other universities / high fluctuation of teaching staff  Targeted actors: Policy makers on all geographical levels and entrepreneurship-related European and national professional associations

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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8. Policy implication 5:

Creating legal framework conditions for EE  Objective: For the sake of practice-oriented education, students’ involvement in commercial activities and involving real entrepreneurs as teachers should not be impeded

 Rationale:  At the University of Ljubljana, students lose benefits when engaging in commercial activities

 At the University of Osijek, Croatian law requires university teachers to have doctoral education

 Targeted actors: National policy makers

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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8. Policy implication 6:

Ensuring EE sustainability  Objective: Ensuring sustainable EE funding over longer period of time  Rationale: Ensuring resources for EE is often very problematic, e.g. after fading out of public programmes  Targeted actors: National and regional policy makers

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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8. Policy implication 7:

Supporting extra-curricular EE platforms  Objective: Support extra-curricular EE platforms addressing universities on regional, national or international level

 Rationale: Nationwide or international activities (e.g. Junior Achievement, Start-Up Weekend) allow HEIs new to EE to initiate and showcase EE on campus  Targeted actors: Education policy makers geographical levels and professional associations

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

on

all

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9. Limitations and contributions I

Limitations:  Cases have dedicated focus  Cases not necessarily representative  No one-size-fits-all approach for EE

From higher education to entrepreneurship – seminar ▪ Helsinki, 10/6/2015

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9. Limitations and contributions II

Main contributions:  Implications for future research: Replication of study with further HEI, research on impacts of university regulation, resource setting, and support structures on characteristics/ quality parameters of EE  Implications for entrepreneurship educators:

Exchange of best practices and inspiration through insightful EE approaches  Implications for policy makers:

Reflection on current legislation and strength of EE support

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Thank you for your attention! For more information, please visit: http://www.sepHE.eu Prof. Dr. Christine K. Volkmann Kathrin Bischoff MScBA Chair for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development & UNESCO-Chair for Entrepreneurship and Intercultural Management Schumpeter School of Business and Economics Bergische Universität Wuppertal Gaußstr. 20 42 119 Wuppertal Fon: +49 202 439 3980 Mail: [email protected] Mail: [email protected]

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List of references Bae, T. J., Qian, S., Miao, C., & Fiet, J. O. (2014). The Relationship Between Entrepreneurship Education and Entrepreneurial Intentions: A Meta‐Analytic Review. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 38(2), 217-254. Fayolle, A., Gailly, B., & Lassas-Clerc, N. (2006). Assessing the impact of entrepreneurship education programmes: a new methodology. Journal of European industrial training, 30(9), 701-720. Kirby, D. A. (2004). Entrepreneurship education: can business schools meet the challenge? Education+ training, 46(8/9), 510-519. Kuratko, D. F. (2005). The emergence of entrepreneurship education: Development, trends, and challenges. Entrepreneurship theory and practice, 29(5), 577-598. Martin, B. C., McNally, J. J., & Kay, M. J. (2013). Examining the formation of human capital in entrepreneurship: a meta-analysis of entrepreneurship education outcomes. Journal of Business Venturing, 28(2), 211-224. O'Connor, A. (2013). A conceptual framework for entrepreneurship education policy: Meeting government and economic purposes. Journal of Business Venturing, 28(4), 546-563. Von Graevenitz, G., Harhoff, D., & Weber, R. (2010). The effects of entrepreneurship education. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 76(1), 90-112. Wilson, K. E., Vyakarnam, S., Volkmann, C., Mariotti, S., & Rabuzzi, D. (2009, April). Educating the next wave of entrepreneurs: Unlocking entrepreneurial capabilities to meet the global challenges of the 21st century. In World Economic Forum: A Report of the Global Education Initiative.

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