Entrepreneurial Learning Through Innovative Practices: Entrepreneurship Education at QUB'

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Entrepreneurial Learning Through Innovative
Practices Entrepreneurship Education at QUB.

• Dr Maura McAdam
• School of Management and Economics

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Entrepreneurship _at_ QUEENS

• The aim of the Northern Ireland Centre for
  Entrepreneurship (NICENT) in its widest context
  is to embed a culture of entrepreneurship within
  the universities.
• (NICENT) was established in October 2000 as a
  partnership between by Queen's University Belfast
  and the University of Ulster and has more
  recently been joined by Loughry Campus (CAFRE).
• NICENT is one of thirteen UK Science and
  Enterprise Centres

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Can Entrepreneurship be Taught?

• The value of entrepreneurial education lies in
  creating awareness about the entrepreneurial
  process.
• The adoption of innovative teaching methods based
  on learning by doing
• The use of small groups, role-plays and workshops
  is appropriate for the delivery of
  entrepreneurship education

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Enterprise Skills for Life Employability

• Selling
• Negotiating
• Influencing
• Planning
• Team working
• Communication skills
• Networking
• Personal marketing

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Certificate in Entrepreneurship Studies
Employability Skills

• One day you need more than a degree
• Those students that satisfy the learning outcome
  of the module will be awarded a Certificate in
  Entrepreneurship Studies
• Enterprising Individuals an added advantage

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Business Simulation as Assessment Aim of the
Project

• To simulate the entrepreneurial process by
  encouraging students to take part in a series of
  exercises reflecting the real-life situations
  of the entrepreneur

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Key Enablers

• Experiential Learning
• role-plays, case-studies, small groups
• Reflective Learning Log
• Supportive Learning Environment
• Lecturer as Facilitator

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Key Components

• 22 final year chemistry students
• Teams of 4/5 students
• Generation of ideas for a global technological
  business
• Real-life networking event
• Teams assessed on their networking skills
  follow-up activity

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Business Simulation as Assessment

• Networking Event (20)
• Teams assessed on their networking skills and
  follow-up activity
• Reflective Learning Log (50)
• 10 min pitch to a panel of entrepreneurs (30)
• Teams assessed on their ideas and selling skills

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The Results Simulating the Entrepreneurial
Process

• Changing attitudes of entrepreneurship
• Interactive/experiential learning environment
• Skills Enhancement
• creativity, personal marketing, selling,
  networking and influencing
• Notable features of the project
• Learning log/ reflective learning
• Employability

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So what did the students think?

• A more hands approach is definitely a more
  positive learning environment
• This practical environment really brought the
  theories together, helping with our
  understanding
• Prior to this project, I would never have
  dreamed of starting a business, but now after
  taking part in the sessions and meeting science
  entrepreneurs, I definitely would not rule it out
  in the future