The Practice of Entrepreneurial Competence Development among Students of the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin

Анотація

Purpose – the purpose of the article is to diagnose determinants of the effective development of entrepreneurial competence in members of the MCSU academic community and to develop a concept of a tool used for that purpose.

Design/Methodology/Approach – Polish and foreign literature was researched to find answers to the following questions:

1) What requirements are imposed on universities with regard to the development of entrepreneurial competence among students?

2) How should the effective education of adults be guaranteed?

3) What are the methodological bases for the realization of focus group interviews?

After that, focus research was carried out among 43 students from 11 faculties of the Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin to learn their opinions about:

• The way the essence of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial attitudes and behaviour are perceived,

• conditions created by the University for entrepreneurial education and for the development of entrepreneurial attitudes and behaviours,

• factors that stimulate or block their entrepreneurship,

• preferred methods of development of entrepreneurial competences. The obtained results of literature studies and focus interviews were used in order to develop the concept of an Entrepreneurship Academy or a complex program for the development of entrepreneurship in the academic community at the University.

Findings – entrepreneurial competences are among the ones of key importance for the successful functioning of people in the society as well as in their personal and professional lives. There is an urgent need to develop them and universities play an important role in satisfying it. To guarantee the best effectiveness of didactic processes focusing on the development of the knowledge of entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial attitudes and behaviour to members of the academic community, education curriculums should be developed considering the needs and preferences of the interested parties. Education methods based on learning in action and through experience should also be used.

Practical implications – the developed concept of the MCSU Entrepreneurship Academy is comprehensive and flexible. It is possible to be implemented in any school of higher education in full or in the form of its selected modules depending on the identified needs of the interested parties and financial resources available.

Original value – schools of higher education have varied curriculums related to entrepreneurship, however, the MCSU Entrepreneurship Academy is an end-to-end tool based on the holistic approach and involving the cooperation of entities representing all components of the entrepreneurship ecosystem in the socioeconomic vicinity.

Article type – research paper, case study.