Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Dag Terje Andersen

Entrepreneurship in Education: The Norwegian Approach

Internationalconference on “Entrepreneurship Education in Europe – Fostering Entrepreneurial Mindsets through Education and Learning”, Oslo 26 ^th> October 2006

Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to welcome you all to Oslo. It is a great pleasure for The Norwegian Government to host this conference in cooperation with the European Commission. We would like to thank the Commission for its initiative. This conference will bring attention to, and emphasis on, the important subject of entrepreneurship in education.

Entrepreneurship in education is important for the future. In order to make efficient use of our knowledge today and in the future, we need entrepreneurs that see the opportunities and make them work.

Human capital is the most important factor in Norway’s wealth creation. Human capital constitutes 80 percent of Norway’s national wealth. Today’s pupils and students represent tomorrow’s workforce and hence the foundation of our future welfare.

It is paramount that Norway establishes a strategy for ensuring future entrepreneurial activity. This will strengthen people’s ability to identify and apply opportunities in economic, social and cultural context. Promoting entrepreneurship has several long-term benefits:

• It drives personal development,
• it strengthens our ability to innovate and adapt, and hence our ability to make efficient use of our resources,
• and it contributes both to increased equality among individuals and to necessary diversity in business life.

The Norwegian Government nourishes a positive attitude to entrepreneurship, adaptation and innovation in education and in society as a whole. The education system plays a vital role in fostering attitudes and behaviour that enhance cooperation, creativity and innovation among children and young people. Students must believe in their capabilities and ability to spend resources in order to create wealth and jobs.

The Norwegian Government encourages extensive cooperation between authorities, educational institutions and businesses. This brings mutual benefits, at both local, regional, national and international level.

Pupils and students will benefit from taking part in establishing companies, such as through Junior Achievement-Young Enterprise (JA-YE) Norway’s Company Programme. This will give them practical experience and know-how in addition to the theoretical knowledge they otherwise obtain at school. In our opinion, entrepreneurship should be part of basic training in schools; providing for a better understanding among pupils of how society works.

An important initiative in this regard is the Norwegian Government’s partnership with the organisation Junior Achievement - Young Enterprise (JA-YE) Norway. This organisation is working to make entrepreneurship in education accessible for students at all levels of education. And for increased interaction between learning institutions and businesses. Junior Achievement - Young Enterprise (JA-YE) Norway also develops programs to help promote positive attitudes toward important issues such as sick leave 1NHO - Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise and Trygdeetatens (The National Insurance Service) Arbeidslivssenter Østfold and black economy. 2The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Authorities (KS), The Norwegian Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) and Confederation of Norwegian Enterprise (NHO).

Companies established by pupils and students constitute an important part of entrepreneurship in education in Norway. Flush is a good example of a successful company that was created as a result of their activities through Junior Achievement-Young Enterprise (JA-YE) Norway. Flush was in Maastricht this year proclaimed to be the best student company in Europe. I encourage everyone to visit their stand during this conference.

The Norwegian Government aims to be a driving force and partner in the work on entrepreneurship in education. Our goal is deeply agreed in the Government, and several ministries are working together in the same direction. This week, we have published a revised strategy on entrepreneurship in education – See the opportunities and make them work! The Minister of Education and Research will present the main points of this strategy shortly.

The European Commission gave several recommendations in its report ” Fostering entrepreneurial mindsets through education and learning”. We follow these recommendations:

• As already stated, we have an overriding approach for entrepreneurship in education and we cooperate with stakeholders internally and externally.
• We will support schools and teachers, by including entrepreneurship in the syllabus and by providing teachers with training in the topic.
• Educational institutions and the Government cooperate with private stakeholders and businesses at different levels.
• We foster entrepreneurship in higher education by enhancing its quality. We support networks for teachers and trainers. Such networks will enable the exchange of ”good practices”. We encourage mobility of teachers between the education sector and business. This will pave the way for mutual exchange of competence and knowledge.

Our efforts show encouraging results. However, there are still challenges. Studies indicate that although Norway has many entrepreneurs, the number of female entrepreneurs is modest. 3Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2005

Nord-Trøndelag Research Institute has undertaken two national evaluations of Junior Achievement – Young Enterprise (JA-YE) Norway’s Company Programme. They indicated that:

• Pupils and students who have taken part in the Company Programme tend to establish businesses more often (17 percent) than the population in general (7,5 percent).
• 75 percent of the pupils think that the Company Programme has made school attendance more interesting and exciting.
• 80 percent of the teachers have positive experiences teaching in the Company Programme. A somewhat larger proportion would like to continue this form of teaching. Although a great proportion found it demanding. Many believe that the Company Programme increase cooperation among pupils.
• As many as 40 percent of the leaders of the companies were female. In the long run, this may increase the numbers of female entrepreneurs, leaders and board members.

Finally, I would like to emphasise the importance of entrepreneurship in education. In order to enhance tomorrow’s welfare, it is essential to invest in our children today!

Thank you for your attention. I wish everyone a good conference.