The paper focuses on the role of research-intensive universities in stimulating and supporting initiatives and programmes related to student entrepreneurship, but also on their role as drivers of entrepreneurial ecosystems.  

Next to that, the paper analyses the changing conditions for graduates’ careers, focusing on the skills and attitudes that are required for the future. Entrepreneurship is central to these skills and attitudes. In its broad sense, entrepreneurship is not only about starting up new ventures, it is a way of thinking. Entrepreneurial skills include opportunity recognition, viability screening and creative problem-solving.

The paper states that involving students both in research as well as in interdisciplinary teamwork are excellent ways to foster entrepreneurial attitudes and skills, making research-intensive universities ideal environments for it. However, support both policy-wise from senior university leadership as funding-wise, remains crucial.

Last but not least, the paper offers recommendations aimed at all stakeholders who play a role in shaping the higher education system, and a diverse set of best practice examples of student entrepreneurship programmes and initiatives from LERU universities.

The UZH department of research and innovation has joined experts of several LERU universities, namely Roger Gfrörer, Career Service, to contribute to this research paper.