Gain Creators / Outcomes

• Clear goals concerning entrepreneurial education that are endorsed by the different ministers and the different departments.
• Creation of a framework for the allocation of funds concerning entrepreneurial education and better coordination of the initiatives.
• Agreement on an official document from all relevant government actors on entrepreneurial education containing a strategy and goals as well as a clear description of the actions taken by policy makers.

Gains / Needs

• Need to harmonize the entrepreneurial education policy of the different departments and go towards a single vision on entrepreneurial education throughout the Flemish government (and beyond).
• Need to allocate funds efficiently and coordinate the initiatives.
• Need to get to a mutual enrichment of relevant government administrations (help one another with one’s own specific approach, knowledge and experience).

Target Group

Policy makers

Implementation Method

• E-mailing to the relevant actors and text published on the internet
• A steering group with representatives, ceos and cabinets of ministers of the involved departments.

Advice from the Flemish Education Council, the socio-economic Council of Flanders & the network for providers of initiatives that promote entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial spirit.

The Flemish Action Plan on Entrepreneurial Education

Flanders (Belgium) has several years of experience on entrepreneurial education. Its first Action Plan was published in 2007, then updated in 2010-2014 and a new one (2015-2019) is coming up.

The objectives and activities planned across the years with the Action Plan on Entrepreneurial Education has created the possibility for the different administrations to consult one another on a regular basis to harmonise the different actions that are taken concerning entrepreneurial education.

More information HERE

Activities

• Regular cross departmental and steering groups meetings whenever needed
• Get advice and consensus when a first proposition on the Action plan is ready
• Organise an event to communicate the plan and its results (aim: to involve all stakeholders, give feedback on the old Action plan and provide input for a new one).

Resources

• Manpower (incl. time), each department has to be represented.
• Budget to facilitate the realisation by relevant actors.
• A working group with representatives of the involved departments.
• Involvement and prioritisation on policy level (national + education intuitions).

Pain Relievers / Solutions

• Clear communication lines between the different ministers and departments about actions and policies concerning entrepreneurial education.
  The action plan is supported by the ministers of economy, education, work, innovation and agriculture, therefor it is a strong base to set up regular cross departmental meetings to discuss the different steps that have been taken concerning entrepreneurial education.
• The Action Plan, coming from several minsters & government departments, helps to increase awareness about the importance of entrepreneurial education.

Pains / Challenges

• If different ministers or departments launch initiatives concerning entrepreneurial education without any coordination effort, there is a great risk that there will be overlap between the actions because of lack of communication among the departments. In this way also the allocation of funds cannot be efficient.
• Lack of awareness about its positive effects and non-priority of entrepreneurial education in the educational institutions.