European Trade Union Committee for Education

The Joint Research Centre of the European Commission and Institute for Prospective Technological Studies published recently a report entitled 'Entrepreneurship Competence: An Overview of Existing Concepts, Policies and Initiatives‘. ETUCE asked the opinion of Brian Cookson from UK teachers’ trade union NASUWT and an entrepreneurship expert representing ETUCE in European Commission’s ET2020 working groups on entrepreneurship about the report.

ETUCE: What do you think on the report in general?

Brian Cookson, NASUWT: This report, which includes several case studies, is a comprehensive and useful review of entrepreneurial competences, how they have been developed and their implementation.

It is an excellent overview on existing research and work undertaken over many years on entrepreneurship competence. The ET2020 Working Groups on Entrepreneurship and Transversal Skills have wrestled long and hard with all the issues raised common themes abound but translating what is regarded as vital and necessary into policy that can and will be implemented remains a holy grail.

ETUCE: What do you consider as problems concerning the inclusion of entrepreneurship competence and a transversal issue in education?

Brian Cookson, NASUWT: There seem to be three inherent and insurmountable problems.

Firstly, entrenched education systems talk about valuing competences but then become obsessed with testing of them in inappropriate way and losing sight of what was originally intended.

Secondly, usually there is a failure to invest long term for initial training and continuous professional development of teachers who need to possess the skills and use the right methodologies to develop entrepreneurship in its widest sense.  Education systems should support teachers and trainers to also be aware that transversal skills required for a society where economic and social needs rapidly change.

And finally, failure of education reforms can be an obsession with seeking short term economic gain through policy change and looking for indicators of success far too quickly. It should be noted that development of entrepreneurship and valuing transversal skills requires cultural change and that takes time.

ETUCE: How do you think it could be avoided that entrepreneurship competence is considered as only “business creation”?

Brian Cookson, NASUWT: I found it particularly pleasing that throughout the Report there was a focus on the importance of considering both economic and social entrepreneurial competences with statements that amplified what we believe is very important. Entrepreneurship has a lot broader application than just a narrow focus on developing competences for business creation.

The case studies of the Report show the ideas of how entrepreneurship can be developed in education with excellent examples but these consistently fail to be used to develop long-term policy change.

The Report, as an academic study it is perhaps one of the very best and comprehensive I have seen in this area.  It does not pretend to reach conclusions; it is balanced and provides rich information.  However, I fear it could well be destined to be a reference document that may sadly fail to promote much needed concrete national policies that will focus on developing vital skills in young people for survival in 21st Century economies.