Special Issue "Entrepreneurial Education Strengthening Resilience, Societal Change and Sustainability"

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2021.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Jaana Seikkula-Leino
E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
1. Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Kuntokatu 3, 33520 Tampere, Finland
2. Mid Sweden University, SE-851 70 Sundsvall, Sweden
3. University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
Interests: entrepreneurship education; entrepreneurial organization and society; teacher education; future competencies; pedagogy; curriculum; strategy; impact
Prof. Dr. Mats Westerberg
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Department of business administration, technology and social sciences, Luleå University of Technology, 971 87 Luleå, Sweden
Interests: enterprise education; entrepreneurship education; entrepreneurial society
Dr. Priti Verma
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Education, Higher Colleges of Technology, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
Interests: child development; early childhood education; entrepreneurship education; early childhood teacher education; innovative and entrepreneurial society
Dr. Maria Salomaa
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Tampere University of Applied Sciences, Kuntokatu 3, 33230 Tampere, Finland
2. Lincoln International Business School, University of Lincoln, Brayford Way, Brayford Pool, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK
Interests: higher education systems; regional development; university third mission; entrepreneurial university

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues, 

Universities’ emerging entrepreneurial and societal missions and their increasingly emphasised role in national and regional innovation systems have drawn many scholars’ attention (e.g., Benneworth et al., 2016; Goddard and Vallance, 2013). In parallel, both higher education and regional policies have emphasised universities’ role in the development of the knowledge economy (Göransson et al., 2009), which increases expectations towards higher education institutions, but also future graduates. Thus, the university’s societal role extends beyond the traditional academic core missions of education and research. It is often associated with a range of different kinds of engagement and knowledge transfer activities with external stakeholders, such as businesses, public actors and NGOs (e.g., Laredo, 2007). However, the capability to balance between the expectations emerging from both regional stakeholders and higher education systems (Charles et al., 2014; Salomaa and Charles, 2019) requires reinforcing their strategic organisational capacity, systematic development of bridging mechanisms and entrepreneurial skills within higher education institutions as well as individual capacities of both staff and students to adapt and thrive in ever changing circumstances. 

Furthermore, it is evident that environmental, societal and economic problems challenge all human activities. Global crises, such as pandemics, immigration and climate change, are exacerbating the situation. What is the readiness level of the people and societies to respond to these changes, though? How could it be strengthened? These issues are discussed in the context of entrepreneurial education; as many scholars agree (Frank 2007; Berglund and Johansson 2007; Gibb 2006; Halberstadt et al., 2019; Steyaert and Katz 2004; Seikkula-Leino et al. 2015), entrepreneurial activity means, among other things, the ability to solve problems, seek and create new opportunities, utilize creativity, try new things, work together and innovate. It increases social–cultural, economic and environmental resilience. As a consequence, it can help to promote actions that have a positive impact on the society.

In this Special Issue, we provide an overview of how entrepreneurial education and training can strengthen the activities that promote social resilience in higher education institutions/systems. We are also looking for new openings on how entrepreneurial activity can create a basis for strengthening societies' capacity to respond better to current and emerging challenges. Furthermore, we aim to raise a discussion on entrepreneurial education as a driver of societal change and sustainability. In particular, the importance of entrepreneurial and entrepreneurship education and training is emphasised: Traditional academic education needs to be critically re-assessed to learn what kind of competencies we need to promote to foster the resilience of societies. What are the skills and competencies needed in the future working life? How do education and learning need to be reshaped in order to respond to these needs? What are our key methods and tools? Can we create unpredictable solutions to strengthen resilience with new technologies? How does entrepreneurial education relate to all this? On the other hand, we may look at how sustainable development of entrepreneurial education promotes resilience and societal change.

To address the challenges described above, the Special Issue will focus on the following topics:

  • How could we reshape traditional education by integrating entrepreneurial and entrepreneurship education to drive societal change?
  • How could we address entrepreneurial methods and educational tools, including new technology, in education to promote resilience? 
  • How could entrepreneurial education and learning change the role of an educator? 
  • How do sociocultural end ecological innovations and solutions relate to entrepreneurial activity and sustainability? 
  • What are our challenges in entrepreneurial education and learning? How could we create solutions for these obstacles? How could we develop and implement sustainable entrepreneurial education? Policy recommendations as well as suggestions for curriculum design and educational programs are welcome. 
  • What are the needed future competencies? Are today’s education models sustainable in terms of future needs? Does the shift from more discipline orientated education address the needed competencies and skills in working life? 
  • How do entrepreneurial thinking and actions enable resilience at the individual and societal levels?
  • How do entrepreneurial activities, resilience, social impact, and sustainability relate to each other?

Both conceptual and empirical papers in the field are welcome. Furthermore, explorative studies with policy implications are valued. Potential contributors are welcome to contact the Guest Editor to discuss potential submissions before 30 November 2020. The submission deadline is 28 February 2021.

References:

Berglund, K., & Johansson, A.W. (2007).  Entrepreneurship, Discourses and Conscientization in Processes of Regional Development. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 19 (6), 499–525.

Benneworth, P., Pinheiro, R. and Sánchez-Barrioluengo, M. (2016). Strategic agency and institutional change: investigating the role of universities in regional innovation systems (RISs), Regional Studies, Vol. 51, Issue 2, pp. 235–429.

Charles, D., Kitagawa, F. and Uyarra, E. (2014). University in Crisis? - new challenges and strategies in two English city-regions, Cambridge Journal of Regions, Economy and Society, pp. 327–348.

Frank, A. I. (2007). Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Skills: A Missing Element of Planning. Education. Planning, Practice & Research, 22(4), 635-648.

Gibb, A. (2006). Entrepreneurship/Enterprise Education in Schools and Colleges: Are we really building the onion or peeling it away? Paper presented in National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship, working paper 039/2006. Retrieved on from:  http://ncge.com/communities/research/reference/detail/880/7. 

Goddard, J. and Vallance, P. (2013). The University and the City, London: Routledge.

Göransson, B., Maharajh, R. & Schmoch, U. (2009). New activities of universities in transfer and extension: multiple requirements and manifold solutions, Science and Public Policy, 36(2), pp. 157–164.

Halberstadt, J.,  Schank, C., Euler, M, & R. Harms. 2019. Learning Sustainability Entrepreneurship by Doing: Providing a Lecturer-Oriented Service Learning Framework. Sustainability, 11(5), 1217. Retrieved on from https://doi.org/10.3390/su11051217

Laredo, P. (2007). Revisiting the Third Mission of Universities: Toward a Renewed Categorization of University Activities?, Higher Education Policy, Volume 20, Issue 4.

Salomaa, M. & Charles, D. (2019). The university third mission and the European Structural Funds in peripheral regions: Insights from Finland. RUNIN Working Paper series 07/2019. https://ris.utwente.nl/ws/portalfiles/portal/138694426/07.2019_Salomaa_Charles.pdf

Seikkula-Leino, J. Satuvuori T., Ruskovaara, E. & H. Hannula. 2015. How do Finnish teacher educators implement entrepreneurship education? Education + Training, vol 57, no 4, 392 – 404. 

Steyaert, C., & Katz, J. (2004). Reclaiming the space of entrepreneurship in society: Geographical, discursive and social dimensions. Entrepreneurship & Regional Development, 16, 179-196.

Assoc. Prof. Jaana Seikkula-Leino
Prof. Dr. Mats Westerberg
Dr. Priti Verma
Dr. Maria Salomaa
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

Article
Education for Social Change: The Case of Teacher Education in Wales
Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8574; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158574 - 31 Jul 2021
Viewed by 557
Abstract
Entrepreneurial education offers valuable opportunities for teachers to foster and enhance creativity and action competence, which are also important for sustainability education. The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) is a leader in the development of entrepreneurial education in teacher education both [...] Read more.
Entrepreneurial education offers valuable opportunities for teachers to foster and enhance creativity and action competence, which are also important for sustainability education. The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) is a leader in the development of entrepreneurial education in teacher education both in Wales and internationally. The objective of this article is to shed light on how an entrepreneurial education approach can help foster social change. The aim of this study is to learn from teacher educators at UWTSD about how they support creativity, innovation, and an enterprising mindset in their learners. A case study approach is applied. By analysing documentary evidence such as module and assignment handbooks, we explore how teacher educators at UWTSD deliver entrepreneurial education for social change. Our findings indicate that UWTSD’s development of entrepreneurial education in teacher training has enabled constructive learning, cultivating creativity and action competence. We provide examples that display how the intentions of the Curriculum for Wales and entrepreneurial education approaches of the UWTSD emerge in practice. These examples show outcomes of the entrepreneurial projects that evince the enactment of social change. The findings also show that the educational policy of Wales supports entrepreneurial education throughout all levels of the educational system. Full article
Article
EU Policies Driving Entrepreneurial Competences—Reflections from the Case of EntreComp
Sustainability 2021, 13(15), 8178; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158178 - 22 Jul 2021
Viewed by 731
Abstract
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals promote entrepreneurial competences as a means of supporting young people to innovate, start businesses, and create jobs. Furthermore, the European Union considers entrepreneurial skills to be essential in creating welfare and economic sustainability. Empowering individuals with entrepreneurship [...] Read more.
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals promote entrepreneurial competences as a means of supporting young people to innovate, start businesses, and create jobs. Furthermore, the European Union considers entrepreneurial skills to be essential in creating welfare and economic sustainability. Empowering individuals with entrepreneurship education, an entrepreneurial mindset and behaviors, are tools to develop human capital. This article explores how European policies can drive development of entrepreneurial competences by examining the case of the European Framework for Entrepreneurial Competences (EntreComp) and its integration into education and training development in different countries. With this research, we contribute education development from the practical point of view by analyzing how a cross section of actors, using EntreComp as a European framework for entrepreneurial competences, see that entrepreneurial learning has been realized and could be further supported in transnational education contexts. We will also expand the theoretical discussion of entrepreneurship education from the perspective of education sciences, as we have not previously obtained clarifying results or conclusions on how, for example, the educational change related to the development of entrepreneurship education should be implemented. The research data was collected through a case study, for which an online survey including both quantitative and qualitative approaches was conducted in 2020. Responses from 348 respondents from 47 countries were analyzed through an extended model for learning originally conceptualized by Shulman and Shulman (2004). The findings suggest that EntreComp has been widely recognized as a critical driver of competence in entrepreneurial education. However, a lack of shared vision and development of practice in the use of EntreComp can hinder the effective implementation of the framework. Thus, further support and guidance are needed in promoting the learning process of policymakers, educators, trainers, and other stakeholders, on both micro- and macro-level education design, to support successful adoption and adaptation of the policy-driven frameworks. Full article
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Article
Team Learning as a Model for Facilitating Entrepreneurial Competences in Higher Education: The Case of Proakatemia
Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7373; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137373 - 01 Jul 2021
Viewed by 607
Abstract
In the past decades, there has been a growing interest in entrepreneurship education, and many higher education institutions have developed specific programs and courses to support entrepreneurial competencies. However, there have been significant changes in how universities train competences related to business skills [...] Read more.
In the past decades, there has been a growing interest in entrepreneurship education, and many higher education institutions have developed specific programs and courses to support entrepreneurial competencies. However, there have been significant changes in how universities train competences related to business skills and entrepreneurship in practice. Whereas entrepreneurship courses used to focus on the different forms of businesses and drafting business plans, the overall perception of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial competences has shifted this toward a more holistic educational approach to develop students’ entrepreneurial competencies. In this comparative quantitative case study, we investigate the university students’ perception of the development of their entrepreneurial competencies in the case of Proakatemia (Tampere University of Applied Sciences). The aim was to examine how the entrepreneurial competencies are reflected and strengthened in their thinking and everyday functions through the concept of team learning. The survey involved, altogether, 64 students, of which 21 studied in Proakatemia. The results of this study indicate that the team learning concept of Proakatemia facilitates learning entrepreneurial competencies. Therefore, these results provide insights for universities aiming to develop their curricula, programs and pedagogy, thus promoting sustainable societal development. However, we recommend further studies, e.g., from a qualitative point of view, to assess the effective of the concept in other learning environments. Full article
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Article
The Mediating Role of Entrepreneurial Mindset between Intolerance of Uncertainty and Career Adaptability
Sustainability 2021, 13(13), 7099; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137099 - 24 Jun 2021
Viewed by 468
Abstract
Entrepreneurship education has been employed broadly in higher education, and one of the most popularly targeted outcomes is enhancing entrepreneurial mindset. However, the role of entrepreneurial mindset has not been examined in relation to career adaptability, which has been acknowledged as an important [...] Read more.
Entrepreneurship education has been employed broadly in higher education, and one of the most popularly targeted outcomes is enhancing entrepreneurial mindset. However, the role of entrepreneurial mindset has not been examined in relation to career adaptability, which has been acknowledged as an important resource for adjustment, especially with the increased uncertainty caused by COVID-19. The current study investigated the relations among intolerance of uncertainty—specifically its sub-factors, prospective anxiety and inhibitory anxiety—career adaptability, and entrepreneurial mindset in 274 Korean college students facing school-to-work transition during COVID-19. The study conducted path analysis and evaluated the mediating effect of entrepreneurial mindset, using a 95% bootstrapping confidence interval, to better understand the role of entrepreneurial mindset in general career development in the context of uncertainty. The results found that inhibitory anxiety had an inverse association with career adaptability and entrepreneurial mindset, while prospective anxiety had a positive relation with career adaptability and entrepreneurial mindset. Entrepreneurial mindset and career adaptability showed a significantly positive relation, and the mediating role of entrepreneurial mindset between intolerance of uncertainty and career adaptability was also supported. Discussions on the role of entrepreneurial mindset are initiated and practical implications for entrepreneurship education are proposed along with the limitations of the study. Full article
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Article
Can Talent Management Improve Training, Sustainability and Excellence in the Labor Market?
Sustainability 2021, 13(12), 6645; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13126645 - 10 Jun 2021
Viewed by 584
Abstract
The objective of this article is to analyze the characteristics of the most attractive companies in the labor market, which each year maintained their position in the ranking published by the Spanish business magazine Actualidad Económica (AE) for the period 2013–2020. [...] Read more.
The objective of this article is to analyze the characteristics of the most attractive companies in the labor market, which each year maintained their position in the ranking published by the Spanish business magazine Actualidad Económica (AE) for the period 2013–2020. The research study will focus on permanence in ranking, global valuation, and training. To do this, control variables were added: business management gender, geo-cultural areas, regional areas, economic activity, size and stock market membership. This is a quantitative work, where statistics such as partial correlations, Pearson coefficients and independent sample means were used with the Levene test; in modeling, multiple regressions of ordinary least squares (OLS) and panel data were used. It is concluded that the permanence in the ranking significantly increases the total value and training, which leads companies to excellence, along with the fact that they are in the capital of the country and that they focus on the commerce, professional, scientific and technical, and finance and insurance sectors. On the other hand, assessment of training is explained by employee valuation, the work environment and talent management. On the contrary, factors such as the gender variable in the business direction, nationality, size and stock market membership do not significantly influence the overall valuation. Full article
Article
Impact of Universities’ Partnerships on Students’ Sustainable Entrepreneurship Intentions: A Comparative Study
Sustainability 2021, 13(9), 5025; https://doi.org/10.3390/su13095025 - 30 Apr 2021
Viewed by 656
Abstract
This study investigated the impact of entrepreneurial attitude, perceived desirability, and perceived feasibility on sustainable entrepreneurship intentions under the moderating impact of entrepreneurial passion among undergraduate students of Malaysia. It was a quantitative study that compared two groups of students, i.e., Group A, [...] Read more.
This study investigated the impact of entrepreneurial attitude, perceived desirability, and perceived feasibility on sustainable entrepreneurship intentions under the moderating impact of entrepreneurial passion among undergraduate students of Malaysia. It was a quantitative study that compared two groups of students, i.e., Group A, comprised of students who have studied entrepreneurship modules and whose programmes did not offer any dual/triple award degrees and Group B, made up of students who have studied entrepreneurship modules and whose programmes offered dual/triple award degrees. Data were collected from 542 undergraduate students of universities located in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor through survey questionnaire. WarpPLS Software version 7.0 was used to analyse the data. The findings of this study revealed that Group B students’ entrepreneurial attitude, perceived desirability, and perceived feasibility positively and significantly impacted the sustainable entrepreneurship intentions under the moderating impact of entrepreneurial passion. However, the impact of entrepreneurial attitude was found positive and significant on sustainable entrepreneurship intentions among students of Group A and entrepreneurial passion was found to be significant moderator to improve the impact of only entrepreneurial attitude and perceived desirability on sustainable entrepreneurship intentions but not for the impact of perceived feasibility on sustainable entrepreneurship intentions among these students. Moreover, the direct impacts of perceived desirability and perceived feasibility were also found non-significant on sustainable entrepreneurship intentions among Group A students. The findings reveal that universities having partnership with other overseas’ universities may offer high quality entrepreneurship modules due to which their students have high entrepreneurial passion and develop more entrepreneurial attitudes, and are more willing and capable to start their own businesses as compared to students of other local universities who have no partnership with overseas’ universities. Full article
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