Abstract:

Given paper identifies the main challenges of reconnecting real business practice with business education at institutions of higher education throw the example of Georgia. The paper also analyses peculiarities of youth entrepreneurial attitudes in post-soviet Georgia with transitional economy. Examination of youth’s entrepreneurial attitudes helps to target their entrepreneurial aspirations, their potential and plan respective economic policy. Painful transition processes in Georgia over last two decades have had a sound influence on the formation of entrepreneurial attitudes of people in the country. Youth who are new entrants on the labor markets are particularly exposed to the negative impacts of economic crises and recession periods. Unemployment in youth is three times higher compared to that in aged people. Many of employed youth have informal, temporary or unpaid family work. Because of this strengthening of effective entrepreneurial activities among youth is considered as an important strategy for their integration into labor market. This, itself contributes to the efficient use of youth potential in sustainable development of the region. Because of such a big importance of youth entrepreneurship it is highly recommended to study their entrepreneurial attitudes in order to aim their entrepreneurial aspirations and potential towards proper direction and for better planning of respective economic policy. The results of the examination indicate that it is expedient to conduct entrepreneurial education in such a way that the educational institution facilitates the enhancement of contacts between youth and entrepreneurs. In management of educational programs at higher institutions it is recommended to promote entrepreneurial education and increase the practice and internship component in the enterprise in educational and business curriculum.

The paper also develops conclusions based on analysis of different research projects and scholarly papers about the impact of Bologna Process on management of higher education in Europe and neighboring transitional countries. Comparison of survey results conducted by prominent scholars in Europe, Georgia and Latin American countries, despite differences between them, show the convergence in understanding of priorities of educational programs by stakeholders of higher education. Competitive educational program should be designed based on the following principles: development of program profile and competencies based on outcome of learning, implementation of a learning-teaching-assessment approach, determining students’ work-load, permanently ensuring quality, encouraging international mobility of students and academic personnel, taking students’ opinions into consideration in the process of designing the program, increasing the role of internships in curriculum, organization of consultations between academic personnel and employers, inclusion of study courses in curricula necessary for formation of first-priority competencies in global world.

Keywords:

Business education, higher education management, entrepreneurship, entrepreneurial attitudes, Post-Soviet transformation.