Fostering entrepreneurial mindsets through education and learning European Commission Enterprise and Industry Directorate General Fostering entrepreneurial mindsets through education and learning Kirsi Ekroth-Manssila Deputy Head of Unit European Commission Enterprise and Industry Directorate-General

Political framework Lisbon Strategy for Growth and Jobs: Member States should reinforce entrepreneurship education Commission’s Annual Progress Report 2006: proposal to add entrepreneurship to all national school curricula Recommendation of the European Parliament and the Council: entrepreneurship is a key competence for all

What is “Entrepreneurship Education” ? To develop personal attributes and horizontal skills: creativity, initiative, risk-taking, autonomy, self-confidence, leadership, team-working… Awareness of self-employment and entrepreneurship as possible career options Learning by doing: work on concrete projects (e.g. students running mini-companies) Specific business skills: how to start and run successfully a company.

Entrepreneurship related skills Personal skills: Business skills: Team working Basic economics Communication Financial literacy Self-confidence Developing market research Taking initiative Drafting a business plan Problem-solving Raising finance Taking calculated risk Sales techniques Leadership Running a business meeting

Policy instruments Open method of co-ordination Tools: Expert groups, studies, dialogue with governments and stakeholders, benchmarking, monitoring of progress, organisation of events. Objectives: To promote the exchange and dissemination of good practice. To steer policy action in the EU Member States.

Some activities of the EC Education for Entrepreneurship, especially in primary and secondary schools. Expert Reports and Guide on Good Practice Student Mini-companies in Secondary Education. Expert Report and audiovisual material Commission’s Communication “Fostering entrepreneurial mindsets through education and learning” Ongoing project: Entrepreneurship in Higher Education, especially in non- business studies

Share of secondary schools participating in mini-company programmes

Commission Communication Commission Communication - COM (2006) 33 “Fostering entrepreneurial mindsets through education and learning“ Objectives: Set the scene, and showcase good practice Identify key issues to be addressed Suggest measures for a more systematic strategy Trigger action in the Member States

Some good examples Finland: entrepreneurship strategy was jointly developed by different ministries and organisations Luxembourg: programme for all primary schools has a section on starting up a business based on a cartoon Poland: entrepreneurship is a compulsory subject in all secondary schools Spain, Asturias: students run import-export mini-companies as part of the regional curriculum for secondary schools UK: pilots in schools and now dissemination; Science Enterprise Challenge introducing entrepreneurship in science and technological universities

Proposed action Develop a coherent framework Support to schools and teachers Participation by external actors and teachers Fostering entrepreneurship in higher education Share and disseminate good practice

Oslo Conference – October 2006 “Entrepreneurship Education in Europe: Fostering Entrepreneurial Mindsets through Education and Learning” http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/entrepreneurship/ support_measures/training_education/index.htm How to turn the action lines of the Commission Communication into concrete activities

The Oslo Agenda for Entrepreneurship Education in Europe A rich catalogue of initiatives, based on successful experiences in Europe Stakeholders can pick actions at the appropriate level Possible actors are indicated for each one of the proposed actions

Actions proposed Framework for policy development: Ensure political support at high level Better integrate entrepreneurship education into the Lisbon monitoring process Set up a European-wide framework of objectives Launch national strategies Create Steering Groups: European and national Ensure coordination at EU level in the evaluation

Actions proposed Support to educational establishments: Integrate entrepreneurship in curriculum Commission to support curricular reforms Support the use of practice-based tools Ensure sustained funding/support Build European and national platforms for exchange Develop research to assess the impact

Actions proposed Support to teachers and educators: Attach training to teachers to curriculum reforms Adopt innovative methods to train teachers Set-up incentives at school level to enable teachers Support the mobility of educators across Europe

Actions proposed Entrepreneurship activities in schools and in higher education: Raise awareness of the role of entrepreneurs Introduce innovative pedagogies into all courses Test entrepreneurial competences of students Link students to companies and business people Allow and support the spontaneous initiative of student associations Engage alumni in the activities

Actions proposed Entrepreneurship activities in schools (contd) Offer training to disadvantaged groups Integrate entrepreneurship across different subjects Bring entrepreneurs into the classroom, and involve students in enterprise projects Increase the production of European case studies Give entrepreneurship more academic esteem Embed evaluation into all programmes

Actions proposed Building links and opening education to the outside world: Encourage the creation of learning communities Businesses to donate a part of the working time of staff to activities in school / university Create label for “entrepreneurial schools” and “entrepreneurial universities” Establish entrepreneurship centres at a local level

Actions proposed Communication activities: Launch awareness campaigns: EU and national Celebrate entrepreneurship programmes that work well Establish awards to acknowledge enterprises that donate funds and time

Next steps Dissemination to policy makers in public administrations and to other stakeholders A source of inspiration for any strategy or specific measures to be implemented at national and regional level The Commission will use the Agenda to establish its priorities, and to draw ideas for future actions