Schools and universities must encourage risk-taking

Citation

(2003), "Schools and universities must encourage risk-taking", Education + Training, Vol. 45 No. 2. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2003.00445bab.009

Schools and universities must encourage risk-taking

Schools and universities must encourage risk-taking

An entrepreneurial mindset needs to be encouraged among young Europeans in schools and universities, says Erkki Liikanen, European commissioner for enterprise and the information society. Europe lags behind the USA in entrepreneurship, and Europeans' aversion to taking risks is a factor, he said in a speech at Verlick Leuven Gent management school. He said the next generation of business owners held the key to improving the situation, and continued: "Entrepreneurship should be promoted as an attitude … through the development of qualities such as risk-taking, creativity and responsibility."

Mr Liikanen outlined steps being implemented to encourage entrepreneurship in Europe. They include:

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  learning best practices from other EU member states by comparing initiatives;

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  securing more private funding of entrepreneurship education at university level;

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  creating a more friendly environment for starting up and developing business;

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  improving links between universities, research institutes and private firms; and

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  leveraging the benefits of a European research area to create a "system of innovation" for Europe.