Getting Entrepreneurship Education Out of the Classroom and into Students’ Heads

Abstract

This article aims to illustrate the design and execution of an entrepreneurship education (EE) program that is inclusive of all faculties. It describes the genesis, design, and purpose of the Diploma in Innovation Management at the University of New South Wales, with emphasis on its first core course. This study adopts a reflective summary of the EE program from the perspective of its principal designer and accounts for institutional context and professional background. The curriculum design introduces three levels of experiential learning opportunities: indirect via guest speakers and mentors, virtual via pitches in the classroom to real investors, and (optional) direct experiences via pitching their ideas at industry networking events and pitch competitions. This gradual approach eases students into the process of acting and thinking like real entrepreneurs, which may at first be taken for granted, but is later appreciated by students. The design of the EE program provided may provide a guideline for other institutions that wish to develop inter-faculty EE programs. This article contributes to a limited literature on EE that acknowledges the qualifications of the educator, the institutional context of the university, and the proximity to local industry.

Keywords: entrepreneurship education, experiential learning, cross-campus programs

JEL Classification: O31, O32, M13