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European School Education Platform

Entrepreneurship competence: planting the seed of creativity and innovation in the minds of the European youth

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Entrepreneurship competence: planting the seed of creativity and innovation in the minds of the European youth

Not everyone will be a professional entrepreneur, but it is essential to ensure that schools across Europe develop and nurture the entrepreneurship competence. Find out why!
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Entrepreneurship as a lifelong skill 

 

We all value creativity, critical thinking and problem solving, as well as perseverance and taking the initiative – all these are important building blocks of innovative mindsets. Entrepreneurship, as one of the European Commission’s key competences for lifelong learning, encompasses all these qualities and many more. It consists of diverse knowledge, skills and attitudes that are applicable in education, as well as in professional and personal lives, as explained by the EntreComp Framework.

 

Entrepreneurship in schools


The findings of a survey (2022) show that the competences of innovation and entrepreneurship are integrated in the school curriculum in most cases via a cross-curricular approach (55%) and as a separate subject (36%). Almost 80% reported that both competences should be given more emphasis at school level. Out-of-school activities linking pupils with the local community or businesses, innovation labs involving pupils in research projects, and international projects were considered as the most effective practices to develop these competences.

 

Examples of Good Practice projects fostering entrepreneurship

 

EnterSchoolMinds aimed to equip pupils with skills related to the entrepreneurial mindset focusing on teachers, pupils and parents. The project outcomes include certification schemes, training materials and toolkits.

 

The Network of Entrepreneurial Schools (NES) produced among other things a comprehensive booklet of resources and tools for primary schools.

 

The KidVenture project created a computer learning game for children to learn about entrepreneurship.

 

Additional resources

 

 

Additional information

  • Education type:
    School Education
  • Target audience:
    Head Teacher / Principal
    Student Teacher
    Teacher
    Teacher Educator
  • Target audience ISCED:
    Primary education (ISCED 1)
    Lower secondary education (ISCED 2)
    Upper secondary education (ISCED 3)