Professor Pauric McGowan

1. Building an Entrepreneurship EcosystemReference the guidelines and criteria for institutional evaluation Professor Pauric McGowan

2. Building an entrepreneurship ecosystem–a culture change “There is nothing more difficult to carry out, nor more doubtful of success, nor more dangerous to handle than to initiate a new order of things”- Machiavelli

3. An entrepreneurship ecosystem One made up of a complex set of interdependent relationships If one part is damaged or fails it has an impact on everything else A healthy ecosystem is said to be a sustainable one

4. Pressures on HEIs, in current times HEIs are increasingly under pressure: To be more relevant in society, To behave more entrepreneurially by government, business and society generally To reflect the new “world of work” for which graduates must be prepared

5. The advent of the entrepreneurial HEI As with any enterprise, an HEI will be “entrepreneurial” because the people in it are entrepreneurial

6. Lessons from the Entrepreneurship Ecosystem Front Professor Jenny Boore, Emeritus Professor of Nursing. University of Ulster Professor Alan Woodside, Professor of Engineering, University of Ulster

7. Building that ecosystem; Know your product • Entrepreneurship is a process • “is not just about new companies, capital and jobs. It’s also about fostering an ingenious human spirit and improving mankind”. Timmons 2008

8. Entrepreneurial people by their actions: Exploit the opportunity in innovative ideas Challenge the status-quo Make a difference Add value Display particular traits and competencies

9. Building that ecosystem; Know your market For many within HEIs the concept of entrepreneurship with its associations with business development and its interest in the profit motive provokes,…….. “…an image of shady villainy, a fifth column gnawing away at the basic values that define a university, a wolf masquerading as a milch-cow” McNay 2002, p 2

10. Developing an entrepreneurial culture within an HEI – the big debate While for some the advent of the entrepreneurial culture within an HEI is a deformation of the traditional role of such an institution. For others it’s what such institutions are all about, the imaginative use of knowledge, preparing students for life of work

11. Overcoming resistance to an emerging ecosystem, encouraging buy-in Resistance • Ignorance and myopia about what entrepreneurship is and who entrepreneurial people are • Pre-conceived notions about its associations with starting a new business and with the profit motive • Pre-determined attitudes that agenda poses a threat to traditional HEI values • The credibility of the subject vis-à-vis “real” academic subjects • Perceived as a distraction from proper HEI work Buy-in • Make the entrepreneurship agenda relevant • Embed it, don’t bolt it on • Build awareness and encourage engagement • Encourage ownership of the agenda, especially beyond Business and Management faculties • Identify, support and reward champions • Confirm credibility of entrepreneurship in research terms • Develop a culture for entrepreneurship through celebrations of success and a “can-do” attitude • Train the trainers • Minimise the hassle-factor • Personal selling

12. Building that ecosystem; elements already in existence Industrial placements FUSION projects Visiting faculty/lecturers/guest speakers As members of Advisory/Management Boards As Mentors/Business Angels Sponsors of research In research and case study development As participants on educational and PDP programmes As event sponsors

13. Nurturing an entrepreneurial ecosystem within an HEIguidelines and criteria for institutional evaluation • Leadership • Culture/Staff • Learning outcomes, defining them, embedding them and assessing them

14. Key players in developing an entrepreneurial ecosystem in HEIs • An enterprise will be entrepreneurial because the people working in it are entrepreneurial • Academic staff, as champions for the agenda, who need to be empowered • Senior Management, empowering champions, key enablers • Core issues within the guidelines and criteria for institutional evaluation

15. Identifying Entrepreneurial learning outcomesNational Centre for Entrepreneurship EducationReference the guidelines and criteria for institutional evaluation • Entrepreneurial behaviour, attitude and skill development • Creating empathy with the entrepreneurial life world • Key entrepreneurial values • Motivation and entrepreneurship career • Understanding of the process of business entry and tasks • Generic entrepreneurship competencies • Key business know how • Managing relationships, (know-who)

16. Embedding and assessing ELOsReference the guidelines and criteria for institutional evaluation Methodologies are: • Never a bolt-on • Rarely a discreet module • A complement to the core curriculum of the subject area • Encourage ownership Methodologies are: • Consistent with national frameworks for the subject level • Valid and reliable, supported by clear, published criteria for marking and grading • Provide clear and timely feedback

17. Future trends!Building on the guidelines and criteria for institutional evaluation • Promoting the agenda at PGT and PGR constituencies • More multidisciplinary programmes, probably at Masters level • Making entrepreneurial new venturing the new norm • The engagement and training of more “pracademics”

18. Building an Entrepreneurship EcosystemReference the guidelines and criteria for institutional evaluation Professor Pauric McGowan