Creating an enterprise culture in a university:The role of an entrepreneurial learning team

摘要

The 'entrepreneurial university' is considered a desirable andachievable goal, but how do universities become entrepreneurial? The roleof the enterprising academic in stimulating cultural change is oftenoverlooked. This article presents as a case study the teaching team at theUniversity of Derby, UK, who 'acted as entrepreneurs' for five years tostimulate enterprising learning across the university. The analysis providesinsights into cultural change in a modern regional university. The authorsexplore three questions: how can a university develop an entrepreneurialculture, how can entrepreneurial teachers stimulate cultural change, andare there general learning points to be gained from the experience at theUniversity of Derby? The process of developing an enterprising culture in auniversity is examined by tracing the organizational, pedagogical, systemicand behavioural changes and conflicts that arose. The authors examine theimpact on a higher education institution of five years of significant growth inenterprise learning from a zero base, including the development of anenterprise curriculum, innovative learning methods, funded projects forstudent and community entrepreneurship, practice-based research and theformation of networks of educators, practitioners and influencers. Theyconclude with an account of the 'Energizing Enterprise Education' staffdevelopment event for the team and the university. The paper highlights thesignificance of the values, skills and methods of an entrepreneurialteaching team as crucial factors in the cultural change process and inaddressing the inevitable conflict with the 'base culture'.