SUPPORTING TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN UNIVERSITIES: MOTIVATIONAL ASPECTS OF CASE CHAMPIONSHIP

The paper is devoted to identifying the crucial factors of students choosing an engineering profession, as well as an entrepreneurial or scientific career path after graduation. The aim of the study to determine how useful the case study is for students in the educational process, how interested they are in the participation in the case championship, and how this type of extracurricular project activity influences the motivation for entrepreneurship compared to other active methods provided by the university environment.

There was conducted a survey among the participants of International Engineering Championship “CASE-IN”, the largest competition in solving engineering cases of fuel and energy and mineral resources complexes in Russia and CIS countries.

According to the results of 110 analyzed questionnaires it was revealed that the main point of reference for students was their own interest in the profession. Also, a rather large role was played by the opinion that the profession was in demand. The greatest willingness to become a technological entrepreneur was noted by students specializing in physics and mathematics at the university. Solution of engineering cases along with interactive lectures and laboratory work were indicated among the effective formats of education for future entrepreneurs.

Based on the forecasted results, there are presented recommendations on conducting the surveys in this field, improving the processes of supporting technology entrepreneurship in the university environment, as well as developing the format of the case championship itself for greater focus on entrepreneurial activity among engineering students.