Directions in entrepreneurship education (EE) in Europe

An extraordinary proliferation of entrepreneurship courses and programs was and still is underway in colleges and universities worldwide. In Europe this phenomenon has been further stimulated by the focus on Entrepreneurship as key objective for the implementation of the Europe2020 strategy (EC, 2010). Recently, EE is enjoying a ‘boom’ apparent also in the proliferation of published research on the matter. However, most of this literature is appreciative, focused on specific cases or at national level. Regarding the European region, there is a lack of comparative studies at European-wide level, which probably is a reflection of the lack of internationally comparable data about EE. Hence, this paper provides a systematized overview of patterns and directions in EE in Europe in recent years. We conduct a review of the published research of the theme with an European focus in an attempt to organize the literature along precise lines. When possible we conduct an empirical analysis focused on a number of European economies with the aim of identifying the trends and directions of EE in Europe. The analysis is based on data from the EU Flash Eurobarometer, Entrepreneurship Survey, 2009 and from a survey conducted by the European Commission on EE at school level in ten countries. The contribution is twofold. Systematizing the existing literature is a necessary step in developing the field. For researchers, this overview will be constructive in providing an analysis of the directions of published research and in setting up a research agenda for the future. For practitioners, it provides a clear outline of practices. It also raises awareness with regard to entrepreneurship, and in particular, to its potential contribution to the competitiveness of economies. The empirical analysis adds to our knowledge about the current situation of EE in practice in Europe.