Panel debate on national mobilization around Entrepreneurship

The national mobilization around Entrepreneurship is based on the notion of a national centre, proposed in a recent government investigation (Innovation som drivkraft SOU 2020:59). The panel discussion treated the question of entrepreneurship education as a potential future policy tool.

Although there is wide support for entrepreneurship in Sweden, interestingly, the public policy support for entrepreneurship education is modest. The panellists discussed policies related to entrepreneurship education and the pros and cons of centralising competencies in and about entrepreneurship education in Sweden. There was agreement that the centre could facilitate increased cooperation and collaboration linked to entrepreneurship education and research. ,

- One thing we need to solve is to find different forms of conversations and discussions. We have a long history of different initiatives, but these need to talk to each other. We need more regular meetings that involve not only universities, but also other actors. A centre can not only focus on education, but also needs to focus on research and practice, says Maureen McKelvey.

Public policy should promote entrepreneurship education more explicitly, and also help create national interactions to improve best-practise in both education and research.

The panel

The panel was moderated by Caroline Wigren, Associate Professor at Lund University and Professor at Malmö University, and the panellists were:

Johan Carlstedt, Director Industry and Enterprise, Kungl. Ingenjörsvetenskapsakademien (IVA)

Johan Eklund, Professor, Jönköping International Business School (JIBS) and Blekinge Tekniska Högskola (BTH) and Managing Director at Entreprenörskapsforum

Maureen McKelvey, Professor, University of Gothenburg and U-GOT KIES.

Rasmus Rahm, Executive Director of Stockholm School of Entrepreneurship (SSES)

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