Entrepreneurship education in Argentina: The case of the San Andres University

Abstract

In countries such as Argentina, fostering an entrepreneurial culture at the educational level could have, in the long term, a positive impact on improving the image that society has about entrepreneurs, the diffusion of role models, and teaching the necessary tools to create knowledge-based businesses. Altogether, these positives will decrease the perceived opportunity cost of being an entrepreneur. Although there is no agreement on what is the best alternative to training entrepreneurs, reports show that specific experiences improve existing programs. There are very few programs in the region defined in an integral manner, and where they do exist, they overlook the attitude and early motivation of students so important to the model presented in this paper. Finally, the introduction of entrepreneurship courses in Argentinean universities should be fostered by governmental education policies that will extend the supply and impact on students and society in general. In this way, issues such as academic legitimacy, financing of initiatives, and specialist training could be resolved. © 2005 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.