EXIST Culture of Entrepreneurship – The Entrepreneurial University
The German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology organised the ‘Entrepreneurial University’ competition to help universities develop a comprehensive, university-wide strategy for a culture of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial spirit. The university participated in this two-stage competition, and was one of only three universities to be awarded the prestigious title of ‘Entrepreneurial University’.
The ‘EXIST Culture of Entrepreneurship – The Entrepreneurial University’ helps universities to:
- Position themselves as universities distinguished by entrepreneurship
- Sustainably develop the potential of technology-oriented and knowledge-based start-ups at the university’s location
- Strengthen entrepreneurial thinking and action among students and academic staff.
More than 40 universities took part in the second round of the national ‘EXIST Culture of Entrepreneurship – The Entrepreneurial University’ competition. The German Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology initially selected 20 universities for the first stage of the competition, which then had six months to develop concepts for a comprehensive, university-wide culture of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial spirit and to demonstrate how they would be establishing themselves as entrepreneurial universities. In addition, the 14 rejected participants from the first round of the competition were permitted to submit a reworked strategy concept.
The ten universities with the most impressive concepts were admitted to the second stage, and will receive up to five years of funding from the Ministry. The three universities with the most impressive overall strategies – namely the University of Kassel, the University of Lübeck and Saarland University – were also awarded the title of ‘EXIST Entrepreneurial University’.
