Colloque
 CERALE 
 
‐
 Chaire
 Entrepreneuriat
 : Entrepreneurship,
 Education 
& 
Best 
Practices

The
 economic
 downturn,
 which
 began
 in
 2007
 and
 will
 continue
 through
 2009,
 is
 expected
 by
 many
 economists
 to
 be
 amongst
 the
 most
 severe
 in
 the
 past
 100
 years.
 While
 the
 scale
 of
 the
 downturn
 remains
 uncertain,
 the
 full
 impact
 on
 the
 real
 economy
 has
 not
 yet
 been 
felt 
and 
more 
bad 
news 
is 
still 
to 
come.


Unemployment
 is
 likely
 to
 rise
 soon
 in
 many
 advanced
 economies,
 as
 the
 global
 downturn
 reduces
 demand
 for
 manufactured
 goods
 and
 people
 have
 every
 right
 to
 be
 worried
 about
 whether 
or 
not 
they 
will
 have 
 a
 job 
next 
month.
Given
 the
 gloomy
 economic
 context,
 Entrepreneurship
 has
 become
 increasingly
 fundamental
 for
 developed
 countries
 as
 well
 as
 for
 developing
 countries.
 The
 expectations
 for
 new
 ventures 
that 
could 
relieve
 the
 economic 
situation 
are 
very
 high.
Thus,
 enterprise
 creation
 needs
 to
 be
 pushed,
 especially
 by
 higher
 education
 institutions,
 able 
to 
provide e
entrepreneurship
 education
 and 
to 
create 
relevant
 structures.
The
 promotion
 of
 innovation
 not
 only
 needs
 entrepreneurs,
 but
 well‐prepared
 entrepreneurs,
with
 strategic
 capabilities 
and
 knowledge.
Therefore,
from
 an 
academic 
perspective, 
three 
core 
questions 
arise:

  • How 
is 
it 
possible 
to 
promote
 Entrepreneurship
 as
 a 
legitimate
 academic
 subject?
  • How
 to 
differentiate
 undergraduate 
and
 graduate 
entrepreneurship
 programmes?
  • Which
 are 
the 
best 
practices 
to 
be 
implemented 
to 
foster
 entrepreneurship?


As
 the
 framework
 chosen
 is
 the
 European
 and
 the
 Latin
 American
 continent,
 the
 focus
 will
 also
 be 
put 
on 
the 
following 
aspects:

  • Is
 there 
a 
common 
perception 
of 
Entrepreneurship
 in 
Europe
 and 
Latin 
America?
  • Are
 there
 any
 specificities
 that
 would
 make
 it
 easier
 for
 entrepreneurs
 to
 launch
 new business?
  • Or,
 by
 contrast,
 is
 there
 any
 form
 of
 determinism
 that
 would
 hinder
 Entrepreneurship in 
any 
country?

 
November
 24 
‐ 
25, 
2008