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Student enterprise offers key to competitive edge |
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| 11/12/2007 | |
| Universities need to continue to improve their provision and scope of enterprise and entrepreneurship programmes if they are to compete in the global education arena, says Professor Paul Hannon of the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE). Speaking today at the World Universities Network workshop at the University of Leeds (10-11 December), Prof Hannon says around two thirds of programmes are run through business schools and that universities need to address this imbalance by assuming a campus-wide approach and supporting other faculties to develop and embed their own activities. Students are already arriving at university with a basic understanding and awareness of enterprise, fuelled by the current media fascination with entrepreneurs, and the popularity of programmes such as Dragon’s Den. This means that universities must stay ahead of the game and continually strive to improve and sophisticate their offer and delivery to students.” Of course this brings its own challenges, says Prof Hannon, especially concerning the fragility of funding and the need to act entrepreneurially in finding solutions to long-term growth; the need for strong leadership from the top; the need to ensure we have a growing cadre of world-class educators delivering excellence in entrepreneurship education and being beacons of best practice for the rest of the world. He is, however, highly optimistic that the UK can overcome these challenges and the NCGE has a raft of initiatives in place and resources available for universities looking to improve their performance. It is already working with regional development agencies to develop strategies to address sustainability issues and has also started a new programme to support the enhancement of teaching delivery for the educators themselves, and which will include international exchanges with US counterparts. |
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