Abstract:

Entrepreneurial education is vital for the development of entrepreneurial attitudes and behaviors. Transversal skills such as creativity, spirit of initiative and entrepreneurship will help those who go through entrepreneurial education programs to develop potential to think creatively and innovate, to develop proactivity, flexibility, autonomy, ability to manage and track a project and pursue getting results. Such individuals will better meet increasing needs for adaptability and flexibility on labor market, in an economic environment characterized by globalization, uncertainty and dynamic changes. Entrepreneurship education also contributes to the development of the understanding of businesses evolution, entrepreneur’s skills and provides the most favorable frame for entrepreneurship competencies acquisition, so necessary to generate availabilities for private initiative. The objectives of entrepreneurship education are related to improving entrepreneurial skills of young people; stimulate creativity and self-confidence, encouraging innovative startups, increasing the role of entrepreneurs in society and the economy. On the other hand, entrepreneurial programs provide an excellent opportunity to connect education systems with the local economy because they are based on specific activities and projects and on the voluntary participation of real entrepreneurs. For students which develop contacts in the local business community, the probability of remaining in their region or native land after completion of studies, either as employees of a local company or founding their own business is higher. This paper presents a research that aims to identify and evaluate entrepreneurial skills among students from Faculty of Management in Production and Transportation, Timisoara, Romania which are studying an entrepreneurial education module. The study was performed on a representative sample of 118 students from second and third year of studies. Entrepreneurial skills were assessed both before and after starting the module using a non-linear regression discontinuity model. In the first part of the training it was found a slow-growing of entrepreneurial skills an in the second part an exponential growth.

Keywords:

Entrepreneurial competencies, non-linear regression discontinuity model, Higher Education Institutions.