All over the world, large corporations are forced to resize their
structures, to redesign their strategies in order to face accelerated competition and
to survive in a highly unstable environment. In the same time, the rapid changes
become important sources of opportunities leading to an increase of start-up
companies, strengthening SMSs’ image of main job creator in the economy.
In this dynamic context, entrepreneurial education and training has a major role
in achieving desired behavioural outcomes, especially in terms of reinforcing ability to
respond to different situations, based on creativity, innovation, autonomy, self-direction
and self-expression. As stated in the Final Report regarding promotion of SMEs
competitiveness: “at higher education level, the primary purpose of entrepreneurship
education should be to develop entrepreneurial capacities and mindsets” (European
Commission, 2008, p.7). As pointed out by specialists: “today’s graduate value is in
the ability to manage and apply knowledge in action and in an entrepreneurial context,
and not only in the ability to acquire and assimilate knowledge” (Collins & all, 2004,
p.454).
This paper advocates the role and importance of cooperation between higher
education institutions (HEI) and SMSs sector, its potential to stimulate entrepreneurial
mindsets among students. It is an empirical contribution that seeks to link entrepreneurial
education within HEI with the SMEs sector, to analyze the reciprocal benefits of
cooperation between both parties. A comprehensive literature review and a structured
evaluation of current knowledge on this topic are carried out. Appropriate forms of
cooperation and their effectiveness are also pointed out. Main challenges for the
Romanian higher education system and ways to incorporate appropriate forms of
cooperation with SMSs are highlighted, in order to transform entrepreneurial
education into a major source of graduates that are job creators not job “hunters”,
as an indispensable condition to strengthen SMSs sector and Romania’s market
based economy.
Real Time Impact Factor:
Pending
Author Name: MARIANA DRAGUSIN, ALINA ELENA BALALIA
URL: View PDF
Keywords: entrepreneurial education, Higher Education Institutions, SMEs, cooperation forms.
ISSN: 1224-8738
EISSN: 2065-9636
EOI/DOI:
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