Why is the entrepreneurial university important?

Abstract

Entrepreneurship in higher education is now recognized as important as a major driver to underpin innovation. It is also viewed as an appropriate response to succeeding in highly turbulent and unpredictable environments. However confusion remains over its conceptualization, meaning and value as institutional leaders seek ways to understand where this strategically fits within the organization and educational leaders seek to understand how best to embed entrepreneurship within its education and learning opportunities. This paper highlights the challenges faced by universities in becoming entrepreneurial and in creating environments within which entrepreneurial mindsets and behaviors are developed. The author builds on work undertaken in his previous role as CEO of the National Centre for Entrepreneurship in Education in the UK, current work with the European Commission and highlights practices undertaken in his new role to build an entrepreneurial university.