6. INFORMAL NETWORKING SESSIONS ON 27 OCTOBER 2006The afternoon of 27 October, after the official closing of the Conference, was dedicated to the organisation of 10 thematicnetworking sessions, with topics selected by the participants themselves. These sessions had a light structure, inorder to keep the discussions flexible and based on the concrete interests of participants. Information was exchangedand contacts developed on an informal basis on the following broad topics:How to interest/ motivate teachers for the topic of Entrepreneurship education;Cooperation between education and business;How to give students international real life experience for value creation;How to build teams of Entrepreneurs from different faculties/universities;International cooperation projects between schools/regions on Entrepreneurship education;Evaluation on the outcomes of entrepreneurship education;EU regional policy and entrepreneurship education-Funding opportunities for Entrepreneurship activities inEU-Programmes;How to support student entrepreneurship activities;Cooperation between the Ministry of Economy and the Ministry of Education for a national action programme onEntrepreneurship;<strong>European</strong> perspectives on entrepreneurship doctoral education.85Entrepreneurship Education in Europe: Fostering Entrepreneurial Mindsets through Education and Learning
7. SUMMARY OF CONCRETE PROPOSALS FROMTHE CONFERENCE (“THE OSLO AGENDA”)The Oslo Agenda for Entrepreneurship Education in EuropeThe aim of the “Oslo Agenda for Entrepreneurship Education” is to step up progress inpromoting entrepreneurial mindsets in society, systematically and with effectiveactions. The Agenda is a rich menu of proposals, from which stakeholders can pickactions at the appropriate level, and adapt them to the local situation. Relevant actorsare indicated for each one of the proposed actions.The Agenda is an outcome of the Conference on “Entrepreneurship Education inEurope: Fostering Entrepreneurial Mindsets through Education and Learning” – an initiativeof the <strong>European</strong> <strong>Commission</strong> jointly organised with the Norwegian government -held in Oslo on 26-27 October 2006, which followed the Communication from<strong>Commission</strong> on the same topic.The Conference aimed to exchange experiences and good practice, and to propose waysto move forward in this area. The ideas advanced in Oslo by a broad representation ofstakeholders (e.g. national, regional and local governments, business associations andentrepreneurs, promoters of programmes, school teachers, academics and students)result now in a detailed catalogue of initiatives, based on successful experiences inEurope, which could be usefully taken in the EU and in neighbouring countries.EUMember StatesEducational authoritiesRegional /Local authoritiesSchools/UniversitiesIntermediary organisations 1Businesses/entrepreneursA - Framework for policy developmentA1 Ensure political support for entrepreneurship education at the highest level. Realprogress will be possible only with a strong commitment from national and regionalgovernments and from the relevant Ministers, in the context of the implementation ofthe Lisbon strategy.A2 Better integrate Entrepreneurship Education into the Lisbon monitoring process(Integrated Guidelines for Growth and Jobs), and make the assessment of MemberStates’ progress in this field more effective by means of applying specific indicators.A3 Set up a <strong>European</strong>-wide framework of what is to be achieved, followed by properevaluation of the impact of measures taken. Coordination needs to be ensured at theEU level, with the definition of broad objectives and of desired outcomes for entrepreneurshipeducation. The above framework could be supported by the establishment ofa <strong>European</strong> Observatory for Entrepreneurship Education, with national antennae.A4 Launch national strategies for entrepreneurship education, with clear objectivescovering all stages of education. Such strategies should call for the active involvementof all relevant actors (public and private), and establish a general framework whiledefining concrete actions. These will range from the inclusion of entrepreneurship intothe national curricula to providing support to schools and teachers. The overall goalwill be to ensure that young people can progress coherently in acquiring entrepreneurialcompetences across all stages of the education system.A5 Create Steering Groups, both at <strong>European</strong> and at national level, where all thedifferent stakeholders involved in entrepreneurship education can be represented(public administrations, businesses, educational establishments, students, etc.).These Groups would have among their objectives that of setting targets for entrepreneurshipeducation, taking into account its various elements, and that of <strong>report</strong>ing onprogress achieved.861Intermediary organisations are those organisations and business associations that play the role of building links between education and the business world, and/or that of running/mentoring/coaching entrepreneurship education programmes and activitiesEntrepreneurship Education in Europe: Fostering Entrepreneurial Mindsets through Education and Learning
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