Entrepreneurship Education at different locations The case of Upper Austria

Transcription

1 Entrepreneurship Education at different locations The case of Upper Austria ESF-funded project FHB 2020 Mission: Entrepreneurial University Workshop, 5 th May 2014 University of Applied Science Brandenburg Norbert Kailer Professor and Head of the Institute for Entrepreneurship and Organizational Development, Johannes Kepler University Linz (Austria) Board Member, Academic Pre-Incubator Akostart Upper Austria, Linz 1

2 Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU) Approx students (business administration, law, technology & natural science) Entrepreneurship institute (5 internal + 10 external lecturers) Major Entrepreneurship and Organizational Development on bachelor level and master level (16 hours, approx. 30 ECTS) Also entrepreneurship and business planning courses for engineering students, academic staff, arts students University of Fine Arts Linz (UFG) : approx Students University of Applied Science Upper Austria (FH OÖ) : approx students Campus in Linz, Wels, Hagenberg, Steyr Transfer Center for Entrepreneurship (Dr. Gerold Weiß) Academic Pre-Incubator Akostart Upper Austria (non-profit organization, founded by JKU/IUG, FHOÖ & UFG), coaching, networking + free co-working space in Linz Actually approx. 30 student enterprises High-Tech-Incubator tech2b in Linz, (Austrian academia2business program) 2

3 Entrepreneurship Education at JKU: Some results More than 100 graduates (50 % of all business graduates) with major in entrepreneurship per year exams per year About 200 IUG-graduates run their own businesses One third of all students intends to be entrepreneur 5 years after graduation (start-up 28 %, succession 5 %) (GUESSS 2012) 5,3% of students are active entrepreneurs (Austria: 3,3%, international: 2,5%) (GUESSS 2012). 30 % of alumni 35+ years have entrepreneurial experience (JKU Alumni Survey 2010) 3

4 Target Groups Students and staff interested in start-up and business succession + active student-founders Students as start-up consultants, f.i. in banks, incubators, chambers of commerce, technology centers, consultancies, other organisations supporting start-ups Alumni: networking events, further training, alumni-entrepreneurs in courses (role models, solving practical problems of start-ups in seminars) 4

5 Some Guiding Principles Graduates of the entrepreneurship programmes should personally know relevant experts from the regional support infrastructure (chamber of commerce, banks, incubators, consultants) and entrepreneurs as role models and should have access to relevant networks (f.i. Junior Chamber Network) Should know entrepreneurs and student-entrepreneurs as testimonials and mentors should develop and practice entrepreneurial competencies (f.i. business planning, field studies, projects for start-ups) 5

6 Intensive Cooperation with Entrepreneurs important role of testimonials Entrepreneurs from the whole life cycles (studententrepreneurs, experienced entrepreneur, business successor, start-up-teams) and from all industries relevant for academics Field studies (students interview entrepreneurs) Entrepreneurs as mentors, problem statements Own student and alumni-entrepreneurs as role models 6

7 Intensive Cooperation with regional/national Start-Up Support Organizations Chamber of commerce: entrepreneurs training center (WIFI), start-up center Junior Chamber (Young entrepreneurs network, in Upper Austria) Local high tech academic incubator (tech2b), founder centers, technology centers, pre-incubator Akostart Business-plan-competitions ( i2b ), young entrepreneurs / innovators awards 7

8 Broad Range of Support Courses (up to 200 participants) involving entrepreneurs, experts and field interviews Seminars focussing on special entrepreneurial competences for young entrepreneurs (f.i. sales strategy, creativity, law issues for business succession, reputation management, self management, business planning, financial planning) Interdisciplinary seminars (entrepreneurship, arts and and engineering students, innovation lab ) Most important: extra-curricular activities! 8

9 Extra-Curricular Activities JKU-Start Up Center: organizes all extra-curricular activities of the entrepreneurship institute (f.i. networking events: founders café, founders dialogue ) and is first contact point for all interested students Academic Pre-Incubator Upper Austria ( Akostart OÖ ): Association of U of Linz, U of Applied Science Upper Austria, U of Fine Arts Linz; contact point for potential founders, networking, business plan coaching, matching of team partners. Networking activities with enterprises, VC capitalists etc. Support of student-organized initiatives: Akostart- Meet-Up (student groups within the Pre-Incubator), JKU pond race charity event, JKU founders fair (with Junior Chamber JKU) 9

10 Overview of the Activities of the Entrepreneurship Institute 12

11 13

12 Lessons Learned from trial-and-error practice and evaluation Students prefer a start-up in teams (this is not really easy!) Students want to start-up after some years practical experience Anticipated hindrances: financial risk, lack of capital, lack of a reliable business idea When graduation and/or the start-up is close, the demand for tailormade individual support is rising (f.i. mentoring, business plan coaching, personal coaching/life planning) Focus on student entrepreneurs: forming interdisciplinary teams, active support and coaching High motivational impact of student enterpreneurs among friends In the long run: Up to 30 % of all JKU graduates become entrepreneurs (age 30-40) -> stay in contact with your alumni! 14

13 Lessons Learned II Graduates highlight the importance of role models, practice oriented problem solving, involvement of practitioners, networking Entrepreneurship programmes should be on a voluntary basis Courses and seminars should be accompanied by extra-curricular activities as well as PR Own student/alumni entrepreneurs have highest motivational impact Credit points for all measures are very important for students Dealing with business ideas with limited market potential/without implementation also teaches important know-how for a second try Internal limitation of efforts through restricted ressources and fixed curricular conditions (f.i. student fees, entrance assessment, max. number of participants) -> strategies needed: f.i. evaluation, benchmarking, PR about activities, third-party financing 15