Johannes Kepler University Linz: Inspiring Teaching and a Support Network for Academic Entrepreneurs

Abstract

The main hub for entrepreneurship education at Johannes Kepler University Linz (JKU), Upper-Austria, is the university’s Institute for Entrepreneurship and Organisational Development (IUG). Entrepreneurship teaching is delivered by the IUG team and an established network of external lecturers. The institute’s landmark approach to delivering entrepreneurship to students from all faculties entails a concentrated portfolio of courses in entrepreneurial management based on real-world entrepreneurial challenges for students to learn from. These courses are offered in cooperation with university patent scouts and academic entrepreneurs (the “patent-based business planning” and “innovation lab” courses are highlighted in the case). The flexible integration of external lecturers enables: (a) offering a sustained hands-on entrepreneurship teaching in concert with IUG staff and, since it is based on the same people, (b) a seamless coaching of potential entrepreneurs from the university within a network of regional start-up support and incubator institutions in Upper-Austria.