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Guidance supporting Europe’s aspiring entrepreneurs
Policy and practice to harness future potential

There should be practical ways (e.g. in-service training) for guidance
professionals working in the HE sector to improve know-how, skills and
competences linked to entrepreneurial activity as well as to labour market
information.
Successful non-formal guidance approaches include peer-to-peer methods
(e.g. student entrepreneur clubs, student enterprise ambassadors and
opportunities offered by new media). These type of activity rely largely on the
individual students´ own initiative and curiosity to learn more about
entrepreneurship from, and together with, fellow students. However, these
methods have made a real and immediate impact on entrepreneurial education in
the HEIs that have used them.

Opportunities offered by HEIs for entrepreneurial career exploration
Group projects, case studies and assignments for entrepreneurs and small
businesses are increasingly used in higher education. Such activities allow
students access to the world of work; they see how their personality matches a
career as an entrepreneur as the practical assignments can get them to think
about their personality, and demands and rewards associated with
entrepreneurship.
Internships also provide a means through which students can explore their
career options, especially when placements are organised in start-up companies
and are supported by pre- and post-placement evaluations. But anecdotal
evidence suggests that the use of real life enterprise assignments can
discourage some students from embarking on a career as an entrepreneur as
they can experience the negative aspects of entrepreneurship. However, while
some students may choose not to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities
themselves, they can develop key competences: initiative, communication,
teamwork skills, and taking responsibility for their own learning.
Dedicated enterprise programmes and activities focused on building the
confidence and self-efficacy of HE students are still few and far between. Such
developments are generally the ‘by-product’ of extra-curricular activities rather
than its primary focus. There should be a move towards supporting self-directed
learning which gives students the opportunity to work more autonomously on
authentic problems and hands-on tasks, at the same providing them with learning
aid contextualised to their project and/or assignment.
Business planning/ideas competitions and awards are an established feature
of European HEIs. They help young people pursue their entrepreneurial ideas
and ambitions. They also act as an effective promotional tool as they provide a

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