Aalto Entrepreneurship Education Week resulted in collaboration between different units in Aalto and export of education methods

The entrepreneurial education methods in Aalto University have gained international interest. After one of their educators attended the Entrepreneurial Education Week, Copenhagen School of Entrepreneurship is planning on applying the lessons learned about innovation and learning processes. What is more, there’s already a course running in University of Bordeaux that utilizes the methods developed in Aalto. “So far it's working out well and the students are enthusiastic”, says Cécile Cormier who visited Aalto from Bordeaux. 

The discussions during the week have also led to possible collaboration between different units within Aalto University. The School of Engineering is highly interested in adding entrepreneurial content to their courses together with AVP. Most likely the students of business law will also receive more entrepreneurial skills in their studies. 

The Entrepreneurial Education Week gathered a large international crowd to the campus of Aalto University. The purpose of the week was to share the Aalto way of teaching entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial skills, and to spread the methods used here to other educational institutes around Finland and abroad. The week was also the culmination of YTYÄ-project, a higher education development project about entrepreneurship education coordinated by AVP and funded by the ministry of education and culture. 

The week – and especially YTYÄ-project – had a strong focus in integrating entrepreneurial skills into other education, such as mandatory basic level courses. The idea behind integration is that all students in higher education need entrepreneurial skills and ways of thinking in today’s working life, even if they don’t become entrepreneurs themselves. 

The 4-day Entrepreneurial Education Week consisted of two 2-day events: the hands-on Train the Trainers and the inspiring Entrepreneurial Education Summit. AVP organizes two Train the Trainers this year, the next one being from 11th to 15th of May. The next Summit will be organized in late 2020. 

More about the YTYÄ-project (in Finnish): https://www.impacted.fi/