Memo: Entrepreneurship education needs to be boosted

Between 15% and 20% of students who participate in a mini-company programme in secondary school will later start their own company, a figure that is about three to six times of that of the general population. Investing in education for entrepreneurship is one of the highest return investments policy-makers in Europe can make to support growth and business creation. Yet, according to a recent Eurobarometer Entrepreneurship survey three quarters of Europeans say that they have never taken part in an entrepreneurship course.

The acquisition of entrepreneurial abilities also enhances the employability of our youth: according to recent research, 78% of entrepreneurship education alumni were employed directly after graduating at university, against 59 % of a control group of higher education students.

On 08.02.2013 in Bologna at the fourth meeting of EU SME envoys, European Commission Vice President Antonio Tajani, Commissioner for Industry and Entrepreneurship, presented recent Commission projects on educating the educators. The SME envoys also discussed with VP Tajani and EU SME envoy Daniel Calleja Crespo the Entrepreneurship Action Plan launched in January, which contains initiatives for entrepreneurial education and training.