Contribution of Professional Training to Graduate Entrepreneurship Development

Transcription

1 Let s join our strengths together! ECQA Conference 2010 Contribution of Professional Training to Graduate Entrepreneurship Development Dr. Kerstin Siakas, Associate Professor Alexander Technological Educational Institution of Thessaloniki, Department of Informatics Budapest, 30 th September and 1 st October 2010

2 Agenda: Entreprenurship Self Employment Why is entrepreneurship important? Comparing statistics from Europe USA Greece The Third mission of universities A survey of Self-Employed Graduates ATEI Thessaloniki, Greece Professional training for improved competencies Future plans of ATEI and the role of ECQA ECQA Conference - Linking Innovation to Industrial Growth and Success 2

3 Why is Entrepreneurship important? The creation of new firms is crucial for 1. regional development and 2. the vitality of national economies Developing new entrepreneurs is seen as a major strategic task in the policy programmes of many countries and in the European Union Policy makers play a fundamental role in supporting entrepreneurship and new business ventures. ECQA Conference - Linking Innovation to Industrial Growth and Success 3

4 The role Higher Educational Institutions in supporting entrepreneurship The third mission of universities 1. Entrepreneurship study programmes and courses at all educational levels 2. Entrepreneurship education embedded in the learning outcome 3. Complementary study programmes Entrepreneurship Forum, special seminars regarding entrepreneurship topics, with invited expert speakers 4. Support programmes, coaches and mentors with the ability to provide feedback in a constructive and relevant manner ECQA Conference - Linking Innovation to Industrial Growth and Success 4

5 External factors from the environment that influences entrepreneurship Push factors: Unemployment; Redundancy; Recession; Blocked promotion; Frustration with previous employment Pull factors: Independence autonomy; Being one s own boss; Self-realisation; Family tradition (having self-employed parents); Profit motive. ECQA Conference - Linking Innovation to Industrial Growth and Success 5

6 Eurobarometer, 2007 Entrepreneurship in Europe vs. USA For 01/2007 in total people was interviewed by telephone being an employee being self-employed ECQA Conference - Linking Innovation to Industrial Growth and Success 6

7 Views on entrepreneurship in Greece Eurobarometer, 2007 being an employee being self-employed 2/3 of the entrepreneurs are push entrepreneurs, having created their business due to necessity rather than to opportunity and thus considered to have a low risk-tolerance 7

8 Reasons for choosing self-employment Europe Greece Personal independence 66% 63% Free choice of place and time of working 30% 25% Better income prospects 21% 13% ECQA Conference - Linking Innovation to Industrial Growth and Success 8

9 A Study at ATEI of Thessaloniki, Greece Aim of the study: to explore the degree self employment of university graduates Research methodology: a large institutional survey Research tool: a structured questionnaire carried out by telephone interviews Research population: 1541 graduates of five consecutive years from 20 departments and 5 faculties were interviewed 197 self-employed graduates 9

10 Graduates professional status Percentage (%) Employed 71.9% Self-employed 12.8 % Unemployed 8.4% Inactive 6.9% Total The majority of the self-employed graduates are satisfied with their professional career 10

11 SELF-EMPLOYED - Kind of enterprise Enterprise started from scratch after graduation Percentage (%) 56.7% Family enterprise 37.1% Other case 6.2% Total ECQA Conference - Linking Innovation to Industrial Growth and Success 11

12 Statistically significant factors Gender: Men are much more self-employed (17.9% vs. 9.1%) Department of study: Some specialisations demonstrate significantly higher self-employment than others Accounting 41.8% Marketing 35.2% Nursing 26.2% Tourist industry 25.5% Degree grade: Graduates with lower degree grade seem to be more involved in entrepreneurship Postgraduate studies abroad play a significant positive role towards entrepreneurial activities ECQA Conference - Linking Innovation to Industrial Growth and Success, Budapest

13 Promoting Entrepreneurship by the University The ATEI of Thessaloniki EPEAEK II programme Supporting Entrepreneurship Ideas in Higher Education Initial Project Extension of Project Entrepreneurship start-up support Advice Services (personal / groups) Information & knowledge transfer website / leaflets / seminars / information days Collaborations universities, entrepreneurship promoters, companies Research Entrepreneurship included in curricula (university wide) Two optional courses - Basic and Advanced ECQA Conference - Linking Innovation to Industrial Growth and Success 13

14 ATEI Thessaloniki Future plans regarding ECQA - Short Term EU Project Manager To provide training to students at the department of Informatics + Erasmus students within existing courses To give them the opportunity to take exams to become certified EU Project Managers (optional) Innovation Manager To provide training to students, graduates and Erasmus students within the frame of the university Innovation and Entrepreneurship project To give them the opportunity to take exams to become certified Innovation Managers (optional) ECQA 14 Conference - Linking Innovation to Industrial Growth and Success,

15 ATEI Thessaloniki Future plans regarding ECQA - Long Term Take part in more existing job role committees Networking to create new job roles (project applications) Translate material into the Greek Language Involve other departments in the University Become Certified Training Body Search for possibilities to involve industry and other learning institutions Dissemination of the ECQA scheme 15 ECQA Conference - Linking Innovation to Industrial Growth and Success, Budapest

16 Further work Replication of the survey with an extended questionnaire aiming to capture time trends, more detailed enterprise analysis inclusion of additional factors, such as influences from personal advice services influences from the attendance of university courses on entrepreneurial issues influences from professional courses, such as ECQA ECQA Conference - Linking Innovation to Industrial Growth and Success, Budapest

17 Contacts: Dr. Kerstin Siakas Alexander technological Education Instituion of Thessaloniki Department of Informatics P.O. Box 141, GR-57400, Thessaloniki, Greece Tel.: Fax.: Mobile:

18 This publication was developed within LLP project Dissemination of European certification schema ECQA Nr LLP AT-KA4-KA4MP This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views solely of the author and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.