Fostering creativity,

entrepreneurship and mobility

EESC Europa Hearing

14 Jan. 2015

Entrepreneurship education – a definition

„All forms of education and training, both formal and

non-formal, including work-based learning, which

contribute to entrepreneurial spirit and activity with or

without a commercial objective“

ETF, ILO, UNESCO, UNEVOC and GIZ

“Ever tried. Ever failed. No Matter. Try again.

Fail again. Fail better.”

Samuel Barcley Beckett

Political Agendas

Political Agendas from a more liberal market economy to a

more social democratic model focus on

Free Enterprise

Business start-ups and SME promotion

Co-determinism

Universal social rights

Empowerment

Skills for entrepreneurship and mobility

Challenge of the decade: > 5.6 million young Europeans

unemployed (more than population of SK, SF, DK, Norway)

Era of globalisation demands mobility and soft skills

Employability is threatened by labour market mismatches:

inadequate skills, limited mobility and inadequate wages

Our current education system needs support

Impact of Entrepreneurship Education

Entrepreneurship education shows good results

due to a focus on soft skills

Problem-solving

Team-building

Transversal competences – such as learning to learn, social

and civic competence, initiative-taking, entrepreneurship

and cultural awareness

EE enables young people to start a successful business and

to become valuable contributors to Europe‘s economy.

Status quo of Entrepreneurship Education

Limited to a few secondary teachers

Entrepreneurial Learning is exclusive

VET lacks attention it deserves

Awareness of the benefits of EE needed

Educators need help to engage with it

90 % of teachers want more training in EE

EE is student-centered learning

EE is about engaging teachers with the

world outside school

We need to support schools and engage the business

community in education real economic impact

Entrepreneurship Education in Europe

*EE at school in Europe, Eurydice, 2012

If we teach today‘s students as we taught yesterday‘s we rob them of tomorrow (John Dewey)

9

Countries have a specific EE strategy*

15 Countries have included EE

in education policy documents*

21 Member States have recognised Entrepreneurship

Education in an EE policy*

Austrian Policy on Entrepreneurship Education

EE is part of a general lifelong learning strategy LLL strategy was adopted by the Council of Ministers in 2011, responsibility for implementation lies with the ministry of education, regions resp. social partners

National action plan on EE in all types of secondary education

Austrian Federal Economic Chambers: Adult Learning: Company start-up programmes, Entrepreneurship qualifying exam, start-up coaching, start-up counselling. Schools: Entrepreneur‘s Skills Certificate, Entrepreneurial Skills Pass, JUNIOR Achievement Austria

Public Employment Service Austria (Arbeitsmarktservice): Start-up programmes for unemployed

Austrian Policy on Entrepreneurship Education - No common national strategy!

Non-formal learning:

Austrian Youth Strategy is in alignment with the European

Youth Strategy 2010-2018.

Strategic Goals aim at increasing the number of

entrepreneurs below the age of 30, a minimum of 50 % of

all young people should have a practical entrepreneurial

experience (practice firme or mini company), 50 % of all

young people should engage in voluntary work.

Social partners engage in curriculum design

Especially VET schools cooperate with business, dual

apprenticeship, compulsory work placements, voluntary

cooperation, mini companies, Research projects

Austrian Policy on Entrepreneurship Education - Curricula

EE is explicitly recognised at all school levels

(Ministry of Education)

EE is a cross-curricular, cross-cutting principle

Primary education: EE is part of general studies

Lower secondary: EE is part of career and vocational

preparation as well as social science subjects

Upper secondary academic schools: EE is part of social

science subjects

Upper secondary VET and Dual Apprenticeship system: EE

and business education are formally integrated most

Austrian entrepreneurs graduate from the dual system

Challenges

No national interministerial strategy

Lack of EE strategy in initial teacher education and CPD

Unsystematic approach

Definitions unclear

Assessments are rare

Teachers’ attitudes, motivation and engagement are highly

diverse

Lack of coordination, standards and objectives

No impact studies

Solutions - recommendations

Collaboration between Ministries of Education, Social

Affairs, Economy, Finance and Social Partners and other

stakeholders National Action Plan on Entrepreneurship

Education

National coordinator Roll-out of Action Plan top down

and bottom up on all levels of education in all regions

EE Strategy for teacher education at all levels,

initial and ongoing

Ongoing Evaluation and Impact studies for all levels of

education as well as teacher training

European Entrepreneurship Education NETwork (EE-HUB.EU)

Aims:

A more systematic structure for the exchange of

information and experience

A framework for monitoring progress according to widely

agreed indicators

A supporting network and virtual hub for entrepreneurial

learning. Activities will cover the whole range of formal

education, from primary school to university, and the

network can establish working groups with specific focus.

Members: JA-YE Europe, expert advisors, council of MEPs,

private sector partners, selected ministries

EE initiatives of the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber (WKO)

at upper secondary level:

• Entrepreneur‘s Skills Certificate

• Entrepreneurial Skills Pass

• JUNIOR Company Programme (Mini Companies)

in Adult Education:

• Unternehmertraining (Business exam)

• Start-up Coaching and Start-up Counselling

in Higher Education

• Business Plan Competitions (I2B)

• Institute for Entrepreneurship and Innovation

at Vienna University of Economics and Business

Friederike Soezen Austrian Federal Economic Chamber

Wiedner Hauptstrasse 63 | A-1040 Vienna | Austria

friederike.soezen@wko.at | +43 590900 4086 | www.wko.at/bp