Fostering entrepreneurial mindsets through education and learning

Key points

Entrepreneurship refers to an individual's ability to turn ideas into action. Entrepreneurial training promotes innovation, creativity and self-confidence. To foster entrepreneurial mindsets through education and learning:

• Early start, with the basis for entrepreneurial training and education
• Supplementary entrepreneurial programmes within the national curriculum from primary school to higher education
• Positive and effective cooperation between schools/universities and businesses
• Involvement of teachers benefits their personal development
• The drawing up of educational programmes for entrepreneurship should involve both employers and employees
• Strong involvement and presence of civil society in the learning process
• The importance of female entrepreneurs must be taken into account in schools with the aim of fostering a positive balance between women and men
• Entrepreneurship must be fostered equally amongst disabled persons
• Exchange of best practice is important and progress could be monitored through annual stock-taking conferences organised by the Commission
• Media activities and the image they convey of business are important
• An "Entrepreneurial staircase" can be used as one of several models in the Member States
• The importance of creating one-stop-shops to facilitate the setting-up of companies
• Launch of a European Year for Entrepreneurship upon a proposal by the Commission
• Entrepreneurial mindsets for education and training can play a role in communicating Europe and bringing the EU closer to its citizens