The question as to whether entrepreneurs (like leaders) are “born or made” is often asked. But after some years of debate, this discussion is finally settled as UK Universities and Colleges embrace enterprise education into their teaching to support the future ambitions of their students. The next question is then, who is this for? Surely not every student needs to be enterprising?
Alison Price,
Principal Consultant at “Enterprise Evolution” the consultancy arm of The
Women’s Organisation, feels that her work in China answers this
question clearly, having been asked to share her approach to staff development
with the Shanghai Customs College.
With 2000 students focused on their ambition to work in
customs, the Shanghai Customs College invited Enterprise Evolution to develop a
staff workshop that would help staff develop an entrepreneurial mindset within
their learners.
Shanghai Customs College – Uniformed staff and Alison |
Graduates from Shanghai Customs College typically work in airports
and commercial shipping, but with many supporting private companies with trade
and export, recognition of the need to be enterprising is clear, and the
opportunities to set up consultancy services are increasing.
Staff welcomed the opportunity to work with Enterprise
Evolution to experience entrepreneurial approaches to teaching and consider how
to adapt these for their own teaching.
With strong links between The Women’s Organisation and
partners in Shanghai (and Liverpool and Shanghai being “twin” cities) this work
deepens the connections between the two cities and supports the enterprising
spirit.
Alison was also invited to open the 2nd International
Conference ICEEE (International Conference Entrepreneurship Education Ecosystem)
speaking to 200 educators about the need to embed entrepreneurial teaching
methods into their subjects. Sharing
case examples and practical experience, Alison shared the latest approaches
from UK and Europe, such as QAA (2018) Guidance (translated into Chinese) as
well as Entrecomp before providing support and resources to
delegates by showcasing ETCToolkit
She was joined from the UK by keynote
speaker, Emma Robinson, Head of the Centre for Entrepreneurship at Liverpool
John Moores University who provided an overview of their institutional growth
and experience of supporting students to start, followed by a 2-hour workshop,
that shared the realities of LJMU practice.
Emma said “As my second opportunity to address this conference, I was
delighted to seek the progress made in creating a clear direction for
enterprise education. It is brilliant to
share the LJMU story in order to support others as develop their own approach
and I applaud the organisers for their focus and vision in supporting
colleagues on this journey”.
There was also an
opportunity to run the CEO course “Creating Entrepreneurial Outcomes” providing
a 2 day structured programme of staff development and support. Working directly with staff to change their
teaching is one of Enterprise Evolution’s specialisms.
“It is great to share “tried and tested”
approaches with colleagues around the world and see how they can bring
entrepreneurial teaching techniques into their own teaching. I have worked with a whole new range of
subjects since working in China (Maoism and Customs to name two! and I thought
I had worked with them ALL before that!) so it is great to see how enterprise can be embraced by educators to help all
learners” said Alison Price
For more information about Enterprise Evolution and the work Alison and Lisa are doing be sure to follow the Twitter, and check out the Enterprise Evolution website. You can read our previous blog about all things EntreComp here.
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