1st Global Cross-Faculty EntreCompEdu Pioneers

As Phase 2 of the Erasmus+ ‘EntreCompEdu’ CPD project concludes, we have much to celebrate with the amazing commitment, development, and contribution of the many educators registered from over 50 countries.

As an example, we share the experiences of the multi-discipline faculty team at the International University of Malaya-Wales (IUMW) who recently embraced the 3-month online entrepreneurial learning journey together. Ten faculty members drawn from biotechnology, biology, business, media, literature, and advanced technology now become our first Global Cross-Faculty EntreCompEdu Pioneers. A team evidencing the power of energetic peer cross-sharing through the shared language of EntreComp. A framework to stimulate entrepreneurial competence development and support cross-collaborative value creation work across disciplines. The team also took advantage of the multi-country educator EntreCompEdu Group forum which encourages the sharing of ideas, questions, and practices from its multi-country participants drawn from the full range of educational settings and contexts.

“EntreCompEdu gave me a wider knowledge on how to creatively integrate entrepreneurial skills in the teaching and learning process, exposing me to new approaches and innovation to engage our students for 21st century learning” said Asha Nair Ganeser, English Lecturer at IUMW’s Centre of Foundation, Language and Malaysian Studies. Aminuddin Baharudin, also noting an uplift in instilling entrepreneurial skills said “I see the changes in my students, and they do as well!”.  Representing participants drown from the Biotechnology Programme, Shahril Efzueni Rozali said the course helped unlock the entrepreneurial potential of his students, so important in the context of the biotechnology industry today. Dr Sharmila K. N. Sethumadavan from the Business department commented that the EntreCompEdu had provided a clear working model of how students can engage with the real-world right from the beginning of their studies. «This CPD design has helped me bring the world into the classroom, illuminating how entrepreneurship education is about self-education and support life-long learning». Elilarasi Letshmanan, explained how she had employed the EntreCompEdu training to cultivate and monitor multiple entrepreneurship skills development amongst her Chemistry students. “I would recommend this training for all educators!”

For Dr Ashley Ng Sok Choo, Smart Tech and Robotics Engineering, “the EntreCompEdu experience has opened up my insights on creative learning«. Dr Ong Chong Boon highlighted new inspiration on designing activities where his students could more easily identify potentially significant scientific advances in the biotechnology area for valuable commercial and wider value creation opportunities. «The flow of learning in the CPD, and the activities, meaningful to their realities were perfect for experiential learning for the address of SDGs».

“It has been a privilege to facilitate this CPD with this great team”, say Felicity Healey-Benson, lead trainer, of lead partner, UWTSD. «I have been taken aback at the powerful inclusivity and applicability of the EntreComp framework to all disciplines. It has been most inspiring to work alongside such committed educators, and listen in on their reflection as they worked to creatively engage their students, drawn from the sciences, arts, business, engineering, and language, from undergraduate to doctoral level, as they help them self-identify opportunities for collaboration and value creation». 

And the work does not stop here, with plenty planned to continue to experimentation and application at the IUMW, said Dr Nisa Omar, Acting Dean Faculty of Arts & Science. «We are now skilled and equipped to take the entrepreneurship agenda forward, developing and assessing for and through value creation, but also infusing the entrepreneurial mindset into the wider university.» Next steps, said Dr Nisa, include gathering, showcasing, and celebrating the educator and student stories, with further plans ahead to embed multi and cross-disciplinary collaborative themes to further embed the entrepreneurial principles.

Thanks to the IUMW EntreCompEdu Phase 2 first Cross-Faculty Pioneers:

Dr Nisa Omar, Dr. Ong Chong Boon, Dr Sharmila Sethu, Dr Ashley Ng Sok Choo, Asha Nair Ganeser, Shahril Efzueni Rozali, Aminuddin Baharudin, Muhammad Shawal Abdul Rashid, Elilarasi Letshmanan, and Abdul Basit.