What is Entrepreneurial Mindset Education?

Entrepreneurial Mindset Education is a special interest group of the global Entrepreneurial Mindset Network. 

The Network’s vision is that everybody can benefit from having an entrepreneurial mindset. The mindset is relevant not only to entrepreneurs but also to everyone engaged in higher education including students, educators, researchers, professional services staff and leaders.

The education group’s mission is to inspire you to make your unique contribution to higher education through your use of the entrepreneurial mindset.

To get you off to a flying start the Network provides a common sense  mindset definition that you will find easy to understand and use. To help you in your ongoing mindset development we offer a book, workshops, and a range of online Mindset Behaviour (MBA) tools.

What are the benefits of joining the Network?

It is quick, easy and free to join the Network. Simply press the [JOIN] button at the top of this page. We encourage you to add your membership to your CV and we will provide you with instructions so that you can add your membership to your LinkedIn profile.

Followers of the Network’s company page on LinkedIn come from 73 countries. People who have registered to join the Network are located in 107 countries

To stimulate your thinking we provide a range of mindset examples that showcase people from all over the world applying the mindset in higher education.

To give you more opportunities for international networking we invite you to join our series of interactive webinars where you can meet new people, exchange ideas and gain new insights.

Who runs the Network?

Paul Coyle is the Founder and Director of the Entrepreneurial Mindset Network.  He is an expert in the entrepreneurial mindset, leadership and organisational transformation.  

Paul is a member of the Oxford Entrepreneurs Network, a global network of entrepreneurs and investors who were educated at the University of Oxford.

You can visit Paul's Linkedin profile where where you can choose to connect with him. Currently Paul is connected on LinkedIn to more than 11,000 professionals all over the world.

You will be able to see a summary of his professional experience as an entrepreneur, expert and as an executive and professor in higher education. You will also be able to read and interact with his regular LinkedIn posts about the entrepreneurial mindset.

Students

Students of any academic discipline can benefitfrom developing an entrepreneurial mindset.The mindset empowers them to achieve their career ambitions as entrepreneurs or employees in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. It enables them to discover how to make their unique contribution to the world.

The study of entrepreneurial ways of thinking and acting should not be confined to the business school. The entrepreneurial mindset can be found in the study of the arts, law, economics, psychology, sociology, computing, engineering, media, medicine and health. There are increasing opportunities for students to study creativity, innovation and risk taking in relation to their core subject discipline and to have opportunities to learn by doing, in applied projects and work placements.

Research students

Research students play a vital role in the creation of new knowledge and there is increasing emphasis in understanding and demonstrating the economic and social impact of this knowledge. The entrepreneurial mindset helps researchers to reflect on the applied nature of their research, to improve their innovation skills, to act ethically whilst also daring to take risks, to improve their productivity and to manage their career ambitions, especially given the challenges of securing permanent academic jobs.

Career paths

The mindset empowers students to achieve their career ambitions not just as entrepreneurs but as employees in the private, public and not-for-profit sectors. Employers want students who have the right mindset and skills such as innovation, self-efficacy and leadership. The entrepreneurial mindset is not just about securing employment and creating economic value. It encourages and emboldens students to discover how they can make their unique contribution to the world.

For educators

Educators can benefit from having an entrepreneurial mindset. It helps them to teach students to develop the mindset. Educators can also use the mindset to infuse their teaching, research, administration and external engagement with greater innovation. The mindset also helps to improve productivity and achieve a healthy work/life balance.

Curriculum

The validated curriculum is the mechanism by which educators specify the knowledge, skills and attitudes that students will gain as a result of their studies. The entrepreneurial mindset goes beyond generic, transferable skills and envisions the benefits students, in any academic discipline, can gain from learning to think and act like an entrepreneur. The mindset is not just a nice-to-have. It is an essential ability needed by all students if they are going to be empowered to achieve their life and career ambitions.

Teaching and assessment

The focus of the entrepreneurial mindset is on taking action and, therefore, educators need to devise approaches to teaching that are grounded in 'learning though doing' with the aim of enabling students to ultimately be able to apply their knowledge and skills to the creation of value in society. Teaching can be enriched by educators sharing the impact of their research and external engagement with students. Formative assessment is an opportunity to help students innovate, to take risks and to develop the confidence to embrace learning through failure.

For professional services

The learning process, in which students and educators are engaged, is supported by a wide range of professional services, including libraries, learning resources and careers. Knowledge exchange staff provide an interface to industry and society. The entrepreneurial mindset supports customer service, innovation, risk taking and financial sustainability.

Knowledge exchange

Professional services support research, knowledge exchange, and the provision of support to local small business, to industry and society. These staff use their entrepreneurial mindset to bridge the gap between education and the real-world, acting as translators, boundary-spanners, negotiators and fixers.

Incubation

Staff in incubators help connect students and educators into the local, regional, national and international innovation ecosystems. They use their entrepreneurial mindset to support the planning and launch of new enterprises, helping people to turn their ideas into a business reality.

For leaders

The entrepreneurial mindset enables senior staff to undertake entrepreneurial leadership, that is, leading in a way which is informed by how entrepreneurs think and act.The results are higher levels of engagement and motivation amongst employees, increased innovation and risk taking, and higher levels of productivity.

Organisational development

Staff in Human Resources, including Learning and Organisational Development Managers, have a crucial role to play in creating a strategy that helps individuals to develop the right mindset and builds an organisational culture that is fit-for-purpose, able to deliver excellent performance and secure long-term sustainability.

Learning support

Students and educators rely on the support of a variety of professional services. The staff in these services can benefit from having an entrepreneurial mindset. It helps them to bring an entrepreneurial way of thinking and acting into service design and delivery and this in turn improves customer satisfaction.

We aim to gather inspiring stories from the members of our international Network and share them on this website. You can find inspiration and reflect on your own practice. Click on an image to read or download a story. You can also share your own story, bringing your lessons and experiences to the attention of like-minded people around the world.

E-STAR Accreditation

E-STAR is an international accreditation that rewards Higher Education Institutions for their commitment to using the entrepreneurial mindset as the catalyst for higher quality and continuous improvement.

Higher Education Institutions are assessed by a group of international peer reviewers who evaluate the application of the Entrepreneurial mindset in Student education, Transfer of knowledge to business, Academic innovation and Regional impact.

E-STAR takes an entrepreneurial approach to accreditation, and, therefore, is able to reduce the time from application to award and deliver significant value for money.

Management & Science University, located in Shah Alam the state capital of Selangor in Malaysia, has become the first Higher Education Institution in the world to be awarded E-STAR Accreditation.

[Visit the E-STAR Academy website]

Entrepreneurial leadership 

The entrepreneurial mindset enables senior staff to undertake an entrepreneurial approach to every aspect of leading an educational organisation, that is, leading in a way which is informed by how entrepreneurs think and act. The results are higher levels of engagement and motivation amongst employees, increased innovation and risk taking, higher levels of productivity and improved attention to delivering quality outcomes.

Entrepreneurial leadership generates a can-do attitude amongst employees. As individuals gain an entrepreneurial mindset, the culture of the whole organisation starts to change for the better. This combination of individual mindset and organisational culture is extremely powerful. The implementation of plans for organisational transformation is accelerated, outcomes for stakeholders are improved and the organisation establishes a competitive edge.

Entrepreneurial leadership Master Class

The Entrepreneurial Mindset Network provides a highly-rated master class on Entrepreneurial Leadership in Higher Education. It provides practical guidance that can be used to generate greater impact by leaders, supporting their strategic and operational responsibilities. The focus is on enabling participants to identify actions that they will be able to take as soon as they return to their desks and that will deliver real change. The Master Class can be delivered online or in person.

Sample Feedback includes: * Thought provoking * Very insightful * Great worked examples * Very helpful * Enjoyable * Helped me to critically evalaute my leadership * Gave me a lot to think about * Pushed me *

All participants will be awarded a certificate and given instructions so that they can add their certificate, including a unique Credential ID,  to their LinkedIn profile.

[To discuss a Master Class for your organisation]