Europe aspires to increase its share of the international students market, in which the number of internationally mobile students is predicted to rise to 7.2 million by 2025. Entrepreneurship, as a relative “recent” and potentially high attractive field of study, could represent a strategic subject to enhance the attractiveness of European higher education, especially towards those students coming from countries where entrepreneurship education is less developed.
Starting from the above considerations, this book aims: a) to present an extensive picture of entrepreneurship higher education in Europe; b) to analyze perceptions and intentions of potential target groups (i.e. foreign students); c) to design a suitable marketing strategy to improve the European entrepreneurship higher education offer and its share in the international students market, as a result of the previous analyses. To this aims, two different surveys have been managed.
On one side, primary data have been collected on the presence of entrepreneurship education activities – from the undergraduate to the post-graduate courses – within the universities of all the 27 European Union member States. On the other side, the real interest in pursuing some educational activities in Europe, especially related to entrepreneurship, has been assessed among students from extra-European universities. In particular, the same questionnaire has been submitted to a sample of students at higher education level in India, Singapore, China, Russia, Argentina, Brazil and Turkey.
Finally, as a result of the two surveys, a strategic marketing framework has been developed through the definition of products and segments (i.e. “product portfolio” of the European education offer and “emerging segments” in third countries) and the identification of market opportunities in order to define attractive educational products.
The results discussed in this book are a significant part of the research activity carried out within the three-years project “ENDEAVOUR: Entrepreneurial Development as a Vehicle to Promote European Higher Education”, co-financed by the Erasmus Mundus Programme in 2006.
Table of Contents
1. Entrepreneurship Education within the European Union: Assessing the Current Offer at University Level
1.1 Introduction
1.2 The higher education sector in the European Union
1.3 International students studying in the European Union
1.3 Entrepreneurship education in the European Union
1.4 An analysis of the overall offer from undergraduate level through to PhD
1.4.1 Undergraduate courses in entrepreneurship
1.4.2 Postgraduate courses in entrepreneurship
1.4.3 PhD programmes in entrepreneurship
1.4.4 Professional courses in entrepreneurship
1.4.5 Entrepreneurial leadership courses
1.4.6 Student’s extra-curricula activities
1.4.7 Entrepreneurial research centres
1.4.8 Entrepreneurial incubators
1.4.9 Industrial liaison offices
1.4.10 Spin-off companies
1.4.11 Patents and licenses
2. Entrepreneurship Education within the European Union: Excellence Cases, Shortages and Opportunities
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Excellence cases in the entrepreneurship education offer
2.2.1 Examples of excellence cases in the curricula education activities
2.2.2 Examples of excellence cases in the extra-curricula activities
2.2.3 Examples of excellence cases among the incubators
2.3 Excellence cases in the distance learning offer
2.4 Main limitations and shortages in the entrepreneurship education offer within the European Union
2.5 Key factors to improve entrepreneurship education within the European Union
2.6 SWOT Analysis of the entrepreneurship education offer within the European Union
2.6.1 Strengths of the European entrepreneurship education offer
2.6.2 Weaknesses of the European entrepreneurship education offer
2.6.3 Opportunities for the European entrepreneurship education offer
2.6.4 Threats for the European entrepreneurship education offer
3. Attractiveness of European Offer of Entrepreneurship Education: Assessing Foreign Students’ Perceptions
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Key findings from the survey in India
3.2.1 Interest in studying abroad
3.2.2 Destinations preferred for studying abroad
3.2.3 Knowledge of European languages and constraints against studying at EU institutions
3.2.4 Interest in entrepreneurship education abroad
3.3 Key findings from the survey in China
3.3.1 Interest in studying abroad
3.3.2 Destinations preferred for studying abroad
3.3.3 Knowledge of European languages and constraints against studying at EU institutions
3.3.4 Interest in entrepreneurship education abroad
3.4 Key findings from the survey in Russia
3.4.1 Interest in studying abroad
3.4.2 Destinations preferred for studying abroad
3.4.3 Knowledge of European languages and constraints against studying at EU institutions
3.4.4 Interest in entrepreneurship education abroad
3.5 Key findings from the survey in Brazil
3.5.1 Interest in studying abroad
3.5.2 Destinations preferred for studying abroad
3.5.3 Knowledge of European languages and constraints against studying at EU institutions
3.5.4 Interest in entrepreneurship education abroad
3.6 Key findings from the survey in Argentina
3.6.1 Interest in studying abroad
3.6.2 Destinations preferred for studying abroad
3.6.3 Knowledge of European languages and constraints against studying at EU institutions
3.6.4 Interest in entrepreneurship education abroad
3.7 Key findings from the survey in Singapore
3.7.1 Interest in studying abroad
3.7.2 Destinations preferred for studying abroad
3.7.3 Knowledge of European languages and constraints against studying at EU institutions
3.7.4 Interest in entrepreneurship education abroad
3.8 Key findings from the survey in Turkey
3.8.1 Interest in studying abroad
3.8.2 Destinations preferred for studying abroad
3.8.3 Knowledge of European languages and constraints against studying at EU institutions
3.8.4 Interest in entrepreneurship education abroad
4. Attractiveness of European Offer of Entrepreneurship Education: a Comparative Perspective across Seven Countries
4.1 Introduction
4.2 A comparative assessment of the findings in the seven countries
4.2.1 Interest in studying abroad and perceptions about Europe as a destination
4.2.2 Interest in studying entrepreneurship abroad and perceptions about Europe in this field of education
4.3 Attractiveness of European entrepreneurship education: final comments
5. Marketing Insights to Enhance the Attractiveness of European Offer of Entrepreneurship Higher Education
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Defining European portfolio in entrepreneurship higher education
5.3 Emerging segments in foreign countries for European entrepreneurship education
5.4 Identification of market opportunities in order to develop attractive educational product
5.5 Conclusions and marketing implications
Research Objectives and Key Topics
The primary objective of this work is to provide an extensive analysis of the current landscape of entrepreneurship education at the university level within European Union member states. Furthermore, the research aims to assess the perceptions and interests of potential foreign student target groups regarding European entrepreneurship education, ultimately seeking to design a marketing strategy that enhances the attractiveness of these programs and increases the share of international students in the European higher education market.
- State-of-the-art assessment of entrepreneurship education across the 27 EU member states.
- Identification of excellence cases, limitations, and key opportunities for improvement.
- Cross-country comparative analysis of foreign student perceptions in seven non-EU nations (India, Singapore, China, Russia, Argentina, Brazil, and Turkey).
- Development of a strategic marketing framework (product portfolio and target segments) for European higher education.
Auszug aus dem Buch
1.4 An analysis of the overall offer from undergraduate level through to PhD
Given the general trend towards entrepreneurship education across the EU, it is not surprising that more and more universities and Higher Education Institutions are offering far more courses, and the numbers of students taking entrepreneurship related courses are increasing at the same time. For example, in Spain 90% of universities and Higher Education Institutions offer a variety of elective courses in “New Firm Start-up”, although the majority of these courses are only offered to business students, for example at the University of Extremadura and the University of Cadiz Business School. While in France, entrepreneurship education is mostly delivered in management and economic universities: 90% of the universities and IUT offer a programme in French language.
Generally, across EU Member States, there is a shortage of entrepreneurship related courses, from undergraduate level right through to a PhD programme, within non-business disciplines. The majority of entrepreneurship related courses found today are taught in business schools as a stand alone subject/module to a selected number of students studying a range of business related courses, either at undergraduate or postgraduate level. As also noted in previous studies (Oslo, 2006), entrepreneurship education is not integrated into the mainstream curricula throughout many universities, with the exception of a few who have been teaching in this particular area for a number of years. Although, it is argued that entrepreneurship should not only be taught in business schools but also expanded and integrated into other academic fields (European Commission, 2008a; 2008b) like, for example, Technology and Science Departments (Oslo, 2006), where innovation and creativity is a key requirement in their working environment. A working balance, therefore, is required between their scientific knowledge and entrepreneurial skills in order for them to survive and be successful in their field today.
Summary of Chapters
1. Entrepreneurship Education within the European Union: Assessing the Current Offer at University Level: This chapter provides a detailed overview of the current entrepreneurship education offer across 27 EU countries, ranging from undergraduate to PhD levels, based on survey data and secondary research.
2. Entrepreneurship Education within the European Union: Excellence Cases, Shortages and Opportunities: This section analyzes best practices, identified through excellence cases, while performing a SWOT analysis to highlight critical shortages and improvement factors in the European offering.
3. Attractiveness of European Offer of Entrepreneurship Education: Assessing Foreign Students’ Perceptions: This chapter presents the empirical findings from student surveys conducted in seven non-EU countries, investigating their interests, preferred destinations, and knowledge regarding European entrepreneurship programs.
4. Attractiveness of European Offer of Entrepreneurship Education: a Comparative Perspective across Seven Countries: This chapter offers a comparative assessment of the survey findings across the seven non-EU target countries, identifying common patterns and behavioral trends among foreign students.
5. Marketing Insights to Enhance the Attractiveness of European Offer of Entrepreneurship Higher Education: The final chapter proposes a strategic marketing framework for European institutions, defining product portfolios and market opportunities to better attract international students.
Keywords
Entrepreneurship Education, Higher Education, European Union, International Students, Student Mobility, Marketing Strategy, University Incubators, Spin-offs, Comparative Study, Educational Product Portfolio, Skill Development, Entrepreneurial Spirit, Academic Research, Market Attractiveness, Knowledge Transfer.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this publication?
The work primarily focuses on mapping the current state of entrepreneurship education at universities across the European Union and exploring how to make these programs more attractive to international students.
What are the core thematic fields covered in this study?
The study covers the provision of entrepreneurship courses, extracurricular activities (like business plan competitions), support for spin-offs, and the specific needs and perceptions of students from seven key non-EU nations.
What is the central research question or goal?
The goal is to understand how European universities can better integrate entrepreneurship into their curricula and successfully market their offerings to "extra-European" students as a competitive educational destination.
Which scientific methodology was utilized for this research?
The authors employed a structured questionnaire-based survey across all 27 EU member states to collect data on the current offer, combined with in-depth student surveys in seven specific countries (India, Singapore, China, Russia, Argentina, Brazil, and Turkey) to analyze foreign perceptions.
What topics are examined in the main body of the work?
The body of the work treats the current institutional offer, case studies of excellence in teaching and incubation, a SWOT analysis of the European system, and a marketing-oriented analysis of student segments and "product portfolios."
How would you characterize the defining keywords of this research?
The research is defined by the intersection of higher education policy, entrepreneurship, international student marketing, and institutional strategic management.
How do European universities currently differ in their approach to entrepreneurship?
The research finds that while some countries (like the UK or Finland) have highly integrated approaches, many others still treat entrepreneurship as a peripheral, business-school-only subject, lacking consistency across other departments.
What role does the ENDEAVOUR project play in this context?
The ENDEAVOUR project served as the research framework for this study, co-financed by the Erasmus Mundus programme, with the mission of promoting European entrepreneurship education as a vehicle to boost the attractiveness of European higher education globally.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Angelo Riviezzo (Autor:in), Alessandro De Nisco (Autor:in), Maria Rosaria Napolitano (Autor:in), 2012, Entrepreneurship Higher Education in Europe, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/204563
