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EU Policies Driving Entrepreneurial Competences—Reflections from the Case of EntreComp

Author

Listed:
  • Jaana Seikkula-Leino

    (RDI and Business Operations, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, 33520 Tampere, Finland
    Department of Education, Faculty of Human Sciences, Mid Sweden University, 852 30 Sundsvall, Sweden)

  • Maria Salomaa

    (RDI and Business Operations, Tampere University of Applied Sciences, 33520 Tampere, Finland
    International Business School, University of Lincoln, Lincoln LN6 7TS, UK)

  • Svanborg Rannveig Jónsdóttir

    (School of Education, University of Iceland, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland)

  • Elin McCallum

    (Bantani Education, 3080 Tervuren, Belgium)

  • Hazel Israel

    (Bantani Education, 3080 Tervuren, Belgium)

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 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.

Suggested Citation

  • Jaana Seikkula-Leino & Maria Salomaa & Svanborg Rannveig Jónsdóttir & Elin McCallum & Hazel Israel, 2021. "EU Policies Driving Entrepreneurial Competences—Reflections from the Case of EntreComp," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-21, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:15:p:8178-:d:598863
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Alain Fayolle & Benoît Gailly, 2008. "From craft to science : Teaching models and learning processes in entrepreneurship education," Post-Print hal-02311755, HAL.
    2. Ivo Šlaus & Garry Jacobs, 2011. "Human Capital and Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-58, January.
    3. Elin McCallum & Rebecca Weicht & Lisa McMullan & Alison Price, 2018. "EntreComp into action - Get inspired, make it happen: A user guide to the European Entrepreneurship Competence Framework," JRC Research Reports JRC109128, Joint Research Centre.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Carissa Tibia Walidayni & Dina Dellyana & Evy Rachmawati Chaldun, 2023. "Towards SDGs 4 and 8: How Value Co-Creation Affecting Entrepreneurship Education’s Quality and Students’ Entrepreneurial Intention," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(5), pages 1-22, March.
    2. M. Isabel Sánchez-Hernández & Juan José Maldonado-Briegas, 2023. "The EntreComp Framework in Practice: A Case Study Linking Employability, Entrepreneurship, and Regional Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-20, August.
    3. Jaana Seikkula-Leino & Svanborg R. Jónsdóttir & Marcia Håkansson-Lindqvist & Mats Westerberg & Sofia Eriksson-Bergström, 2021. "Responding to Global Challenges through Education: Entrepreneurial, Sustainable, and Pro-Environmental Education in Nordic Teacher Education Curricula," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-19, November.
    4. Luis Quishpe-Quishpe & Irene Acosta-Vargas & Lorena Rodríguez-Rojas & Jessica Medina-Arias & Daniel Antonio Coronel-Navarro & Roldán Torres-Gutiérrez & Patricia Acosta-Vargas, 2025. "Impact of a Contextualized AI and Entrepreneurship-Based Training Program on Teacher Learning in the Ecuadorian Amazon," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(19), pages 1-15, October.
    5. Augusta Raţiu & Ionela Maniu & Emilia-Loredana Pop, 2023. "EntreComp Framework: A Bibliometric Review and Research Trends," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-26, January.
    6. Haibin Liu & Sadan Kulturel-Konak & Abdullah Konak, 2021. "Key Elements and Their Roles in Entrepreneurship Education Ecosystem: Comparative Review and Suggestions for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-28, September.

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