Our project aims to contribute to the evolution of higher education in the 21st century by identifying new practices that enable effective teaching of entrepreneurial competences.
In the past two decades, entrepreneurial education has undergone a significant shift, focusing more on the development of a broad entrepreneurial mindset, which is particularly relevant to business and management courses traditionally taught through business planning and linear thinking. Recent years have shown that tomorrow’s entre- and intrapreneurs need skills to identify and act on all types of ideas against the backdrop of unpredictability, a fast-changing labour market, and societal transitions.
Employers are also asking for new entrepreneurial competences, highlighting CEOs' concern about the availability of key skills relating to optimized decision making. The European Skills Agenda observes that the increasing influence of robots and algorithms further increases the need for uniquely “human” skills of creativity and problem-solving.
However, the transition from knowledge-teaching to skills development is challenging universities on a daily basis. Our institutions and staff are still stronger in research and theory/knowledge-based teaching than in developing the soft skills employers seek. In addition, the one strategy we have relied on to build work-readiness - internships and work placements - has changed dramatically.
For these reasons, as partners, we are highly motivated to identify new practices that enable the effective teaching of entrepreneurial competences and contribute to the evolution of HE in the 21st century.
Of many possible practices, Professional Noticing has the most potential to support the development of entrepreneurship competences. It engages individuals in noticing more precisely what is happening in a business situation, so that they can identify its relationship to learned knowledge and enact appropriate interventions. While it sounds simple, this skill is what separates successful entrepreneurs from their peers.
Moreover, the teaching of it enables students to bridge the gap between learning about a profession and knowing how to perform it in real life situations.
Professional noticing is a skill that involves paying close attention to a specific situation, analysing it, and using that analysis to make effective decisions or take appropriate actions. In the context of entrepreneurship education, professional noticing is a valuable tool for developing students' entrepreneurial competences by enabling them to bridge the gap between theory and practice.
Professional noticing can be applied in a wide range of situations, from identifying potential business opportunities to managing and resolving conflicts within a team. It involves a combination of cognitive and metacognitive skills, such as observation, interpretation, reflection, and evaluation, as well as emotional intelligence and communication skills.
By developing their professional noticing skills, students can become more effective problem solvers, more confident decision makers, and more adaptable to changing circumstances. This is particularly important in today's fast-paced and unpredictable business environment, where entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs need to be able to identify and act on all types of ideas against the backdrop of constant change and disruption.
Through the PROMISE projects teachers and students in the field of entrepreneurship education will have the opportunity to develop and enhance their professional noticing skills, contributing to the overall goal of improving the quality of entrepreneurship education in Europe.
