A new report has underlined the importance of the various methods through which Scotland has developed, promoted and implemented entrepreneurship education in its schools.
The ‘Entrepreneurship Education at School in Europe – 2016 Edition’ by Eurydice highlights Scotland CAN DO, Education Scotland, Young Enterprise Scotland and Scotland’s Enterprising Schools, among others, for their work in developing an education system with entrepreneurship and innovation at its core, seizing the opportunities presented by Curriculum for Excellence and building on the ‘Developing the Young Workforce’ strategy.
The report opens: “Developing and promoting entrepreneurship education has been one of the key policy objectives of the EU institutions and Member States for many years. Indeed, in the context of high youth unemployment, economics crises and rapid changes related to our complex knowledge-based economy and society, transversal skills such as entrepreneurship are essential not only to shape the mindsets of young people, but also to provide the skills, knowledge and attitudes that are central to developing an entrepreneurial culture in Europe. However, although some countries have already been committed to fostering entrepreneurship education for more than a decade, others are just starting.”
Scotland is highlighted as one of these “fostering” nations, named as one of only four countries in Europe to “show a more structured approach to progression and comprehensiveness with respect to entrepreneurial learning outcomes.” Similarly, Scotland is commended for “pioneering the first specific entrepreneurship education strategies.”
The report also commends the ways in which Scotland brings entrepreneurial agendas, like Scotland CAN DO, together with the Curriculum for Excellence framework, saying: “This provides a strong basis for the inclusion of entrepreneurship education directly into education.”
The report then goes on to highlight Education Scotland for its work with third sector partners, led by Young Enterprise Scotland, in establishing the ‘Enterprising Schools Programme’ (which was subsequently launched as Scotland’s Enterprising Schools) to “provide Scottish case studies that aim to highlight the positive impact that developing entrepreneurial skills has had on the confidence and self-esteem of young people, and demonstrate the opportunities to develop these skills across the curriculum.” It goes on to reference the Scotland’s Enterprising Schools website (www.enterprisingschools.scot) for providing information on entrepreneurship and encouraging exchange of expertise through an online professional learning community. It says: “(Scotland’s Enterprising Schools) provides a platform for sharing good practice and makes resources available for teaching staff to support enterprise activity and encourage entrepreneurial thinking. It also encourages schools to develop a whole-school approach to enterprise and entrepreneurial thinking.”
For more, and to read the full reports, go to: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fpfis/mwikis/eurydice/index.php/Publications:Entrepreneurship_Education_at_School_in_Europe_-_2016_Edition
