The Relevance of Entrepreneurial Education in Lebanese Higher Institutions: A Context Other than Business and Economic Studies
Abstract
Higher education institutions are being judged nowadays for the ways they respond to the social and economic needs of the society. The relevance of traditional theoretical and organizational models of these institutions are being questioned, and calls for ”deep, radical and urgent transformation” are being raised. Entrepreneurship, the person’s ability to turn ideas into action, being more creative and self-confident, can be one of the essential needs for graduates to confront society’s most pressing issues; however, it is not yet sufficiently integrated in Lebanese higher education institutions’ curricula, and if any related courses exist, they are only offered in business studies. Thus, the aim of this article is to present the results of a survey on how entrepreneurship is being integrated in some of the Lebanese university curricula, mainly in majors other than business, and also to find out to what extent the recognition of non-formal learning and the development of flexible curricula that enhances university–employer collaboration in innovation and knowledge transfer are being adopted. The article ends with suggestions on how to develop entrepreneurial competences through designing education programs that incorporate a variety of learning outcomes such as having students: (a) develop entrepreneurial drive; (b) build fundamental skills and confidence; and (c) develop entrepreneurial mindsets and entrepreneurial capabilities that lead to entrepreneurial effectiveness.
Keywords: entrepreneurship, learning outcomes, collaboration, entrepreneurial competences
References
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