This case study considers how one of Ireland’s 14 Institutes of Technology, the Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT), has established itself as a highly performing institution in respect of entrepreneurial behaviours and mindsets amongst staff and students. These are manifest not just in the sphere of knowledge exchange, business supports and...
Across Europe and the wider OECD area there are growing signs of a transformation of the 'traditional' model of a university, which focuses its efforts on teaching and research, towards an innovative and entrepreneurial higher education institution(HEI),which is designed to empower students and staff to demonstrate enterprise, innovation and...
Across Europe and the wider OECD area there are growing signs of a transformation of the 'traditional' model of a university, which focuses its efforts on teaching and research, towards an innovative and entrepreneurial higher education institution(HEI),which is designed to empower students and staff to demonstrate enterprise, innovation and...
Business incubation and external financing are essential for the success of a new venture. Business incubators and student incubators commonly provide a range of services such as free or subsidised premises, access to laboratories and research facilities, prototyping, IT, secretarial support and networking. They also provide additional services...
Mentoring and other personal development relationships, such as coaching and tutoring help start-up entrepreneurs identify and overcome problems and develop their business networks. They provide valuable support in the form of knowledge, experience, social capital and encouragement on a long-term basis. These relationships are effective learning...
An entrepreneurial and innovative HEI supports motivated students, graduates and all types of staff in taking their first steps in preparing for a start-up. This includes developing an idea, finding and building a team, and exploring the technical and market feasibility of a project and introducing staff to new networks. Entrepreneurial and...
An entrepreneurial and innovative HEI promotes a set of initiatives and funding that inspires and supports academic and professional staff, researchers, graduates and students in linking knowledge with global challenges. Higher education institutions play a pivotal role, in their local communities and the wider ecosystem in supporting and driving...
Increasing awareness of the value and importance of developing entrepreneurial competences and skills among staff and students is necessary for HEIs to become more entrepreneurial and innovative. A good first step to increasing awareness about support for entrepreneurs available on campus is establishing a central communication mechanism for both...
Having an understanding of the current impact of the entrepreneurial agenda is just one part of the result. Assessment of impact, particularly where comparisons are made externally, provides learning which should be taken on by the HEI for future improvements. The leadership should be committed to reflecting on the outcomes of the assessment of...
Entrepreneurial and innovative higher education institutions need to understand the impact of the changes they bring about. The entrepreneurial HEI combines institutional self-perception, external reflection and an evidence-based approach. An HEI that monitors the impact of all activities connected to the entrepreneurial and innovative agenda...
Comparing priorities, strategies, activities and services with peers (national or international) helps identify strengths and weaknesses for the HEI’s self-improvement. Comparison exercises can be challenging as common indicators need to be in place, otherwise bespoke exercises need to be undertaken which can be costly and time consuming. The...
Key performance indicators (KPIs) and / or other assessment mechanisms help HEIs monitor and evaluate how well they are performing. An entrepreneurial and innovative institution may wish to combine institutional self-perception, external reflection and an evidence-based approach in its assessment processes. Such methods of assessment might include...
Incentives and rewards for staff, who actively support the higher education institution in advancing its entrepreneurial agenda are crucial for raising involvement and commitment. Incentives and rewards should be available at an individual level as well as for faculties/departments. Examples include: · Development sabbaticals; · Rewards beyond...
The Rovira i Virgili University (URV) was founded in 1992. It is a public university serving southern Catalonia, a region with 800,000 inhabitants. The university was founded by the Catalan Parliament to unite existing higher education faculties and schools in the Tarragona area under a joint institutional umbrella. In 2015, URV had an annual...
In 2011, the Genome Canada’s Entrepreneurship Education in Genomics (EEG) pilot programme was set up for a three-year period. The programme provides funding for genomics researchers across Canada to educate the community with respect to creating and adding value to their research and to translate research discoveries into marketable applications...
