Abstract:

In July 2007 a new and innovative entrepreneurial program called "Ingenio" was launched and promoted by Deusto Foundation. At that moment 30 students from four different degrees of the University of Deusto-Bilbao campus (Economic Law, Engineering, Psychology and Economics and Business Sciences) were offered to be part of an interesting pilot training program. In order to become part of "Ingenio", students (applicants) “only” had to show their commitment to undertake it and to actively participate in the different activities oriented to the development of some key competences related to awaken their so-called entrepreneurial spirit. That was how "Ingenio" was born. Five years later, in September 2011, another program called "Ekin-It" (www.ekinit.deusto.es) was undertaken following the philosophy and training model proposed during the previous 4 years. In this case, it was offered to students from any of the faculties of the University registered in their final years of any degree taking place at the University of Deusto. In September 2012, thanks to the agreement (Bizkailab) signed with the Bizkaia Council, the second edition of "Ekin-It" will start up.

In short, "Ekin-It" is an entrepreneurial awareness and training programme that aims to boost and foster an entrepreneurial spirit among undergraduate students of the University of Deusto. It is a voluntary and free program where we would like to select students who are eager to be active participants and be committed to the group and the philosophy of "Ingenio" and "Ekin-It". It is very important to consider that sessions take place one day a week, four hours a day. We would like to underline that two of the most important goals we are aiming at are:

1. to acquire an entrepreneurial and innovative competence based profile that enable the person to become a team leader who consider the intra-entrepreneurship and the entrepreneurship as their modus operandis; and
2. to develop or reinforce some basic competences of an entrepreneur who is ready to generate and apply innovative ideas.

Some of the competences that we want to develop in order to achieve the aims are: self-motivation, creativity and innovation, communication, team building, managing and facing fears, and self-vision and mission.

Specially, it is important to highlight the way we work and the methodology used in the different sessions. We work with lecturers-educators who use experiential methodologies, based on real and personal experiences. These make people be responsible of their learning processes and make them take part in and face up to their reality (from different points of views). In addition to that, once a month we invite entrepreneurs to let us know their stories. In an informal setting, they explain to us, among others, their experiences as entrepreneurs, how they reach their goals, how they set up their businesses, what are the obstacles they found in their adventures as entrepreneurs and what are the characteristics they consider essential to “become” an entrepreneur and so. During the last five years we have set up a community of around 50 entrepreneur-lecturer at national and international level, and more than 150 students have become future entrepreneurs.

Keywords:

Entrepreneurial spirit, entrepreneurship, training, competences development, extra-curriculum experience.