there are engineering education programs for all three degrees. The technology .... IEOR 171: Technology Leadership (3 units). IEOR 185: Challenge Lab (4 ...
A COMPARISON STUDY OF THE TECHNOLOGY ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMS AT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF SOUTHEAST NORWAY AND UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY Magne Waskaas1, Slawomir Hermanowicz2 1 2
University College of Southeast Norway (NORWAY) University of California, Berkeley (UNITED STATES)
Abstract The objective of the study is to compare entrepreneurship program for undergraduate engineering students at University College of Northeast Norway (USN) with a similar entrepreneurship program at University of California, Berkeley (UCB), which is a part of The Silicon Valley ecosystem. The rd entrepreneurship program at USN is optional and consists of 2 courses in the 3 year with a total of 30 credits out of 60 per year. The program starts with a motivation seminar with guest lectures from local industry and UCB. Then, the students form teams, so-called student enterprises that are the core aspect of the program. Lectures in start-ups, business plan development, economy, and intellectual property protection are given throughout the semester. Each student team proposes a product or service idea to meet a market need, develops a business idea, writes a business plan and makes a presentation for a jury with real life startup experiences. The students are expected to seek advice and knowledge from mentors, in collaboration with UCB, and other networks. The presentations are given for the jury for validation of their business idea, the business plan and their presentation. In the end of the year, the student enterprises compete with other student enterprises at regional, national, and possible European championships. The entrepreneurship program for undergraduate engineering students at UCB is given through The Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship (BMoE). BMoE is a comprehensive teaching and learning method developed at UCB to enable engineers to be more entrepreneurial. It is focused on three main elements: networks, rd mindset and frameworks. The program is optional in upper division (3 and 4th year) of undergraduate studies. A motivational lecture series is given throughout the semester by distinguished innovators telling about their successes and failures. The students have to form teams and come up with an idea through an idea generation process, develop a business idea, write a business plan and make a presentation. Lectures in business establishment, business plans, economy, and intellectual property rights are given throughout the semester. In addition, courses in integrated device design and product development are offered in the framework of BMoE. Students are encouraged but not required to participate in various competitions. The main difference between USN and UCB’s entrepreneurship program for engineers appears to be more comprehensive approach of BMoE and being part of Silicon Valley ecosystem. Different way of teaching entrepreneurship relies also on cultural differences between the two countries. Keywords: Entrepreneurship, engineering students, business ideas, competitions.
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INTRODUCTION
The objective of this presentation is to compare entrepreneurship program for undergraduate engineering students at University College of Northeast Norway (USN) with a similar entrepreneurship program at University of California, Berkeley (UCB), which is a part of The Silicon Valley ecosystem. The present paper describes briefly the programs for entrepreneurship for undergraduate engineering students at USN, Faculty of Technology (USN-TF) and University of California, Berkeley (UCB). Then a comparison between these programs will be carried out.
Proceedings of EDULEARN16 Conference 4th-6th July 2016, Barcelona, Spain
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ISBN: 978-84-608-8860-4
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ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM FOR ENGINEERING STUDENTS AT USN
2.1 The academic environment Norway has implemented the Bologna convention throughout the higher education system, which means three years to achieve bachelor’s degrees, additional two years for master’s degrees, and finally, three more years for doctoral degrees [1]. At University College of Southeast Norway (USN) there are engineering education programs for all three degrees. The technology entrepreneurship program at USN, Faculty of Technology (USN-TF) is given for undergraduate engineering students. In traditional engineering schools in Norway, a specific curriculum was taught in a conventional way through means by lectures and exercises in classrooms. In 1979, the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research introduced project work in groups as a learning method, which means that a significant portion of the courses are taught through projects [2]. This pedagogical method gives greater responsibility for the students own learning, to experience problem analysis and problem solving. The students are often working in close cooperation with local businesses. Since 1982, the bachelor programs in engineering at USN-TF (former Telemark College of Engineering/Telemark University College, Faculty of Engineering, TUC) were project-oriented [2-4]. In order to meet industry’s demand for engineers better trained for mastering complex jobs, the Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research permitted TUC (now USN) in 2002 to carry out a pilot project to recruit students from vocational schools with tailored curricula. The applicants must have completed successfully a vocational school and possess a relevant trade certificate. Most of the applicants appeared to have years of experience in their own work areas. Today, these students are working in parallel with students recruited from traditional senior high schools. So far, the project concept appears to be academically and professionally successful [4]. It was into this dynamic academic environment, the entrepreneurship program for engineering students was introduced in 2004.
2.2 The entrepreneurship program The motivation for the entrepreneurship program at USN-TF is to educate students to contribute to more innovation in Norwegian business and industry. Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research and two other ministries have emphasized the importance of entrepreneurial training on all levels and fields in the educational system [5]. The entrepreneurship program for engineering students at USN-TF is based on student’s own startups, so-called student enterprises, and competitions between the student enterprises. The program st rd consists of two parts: a mandatory innovation camp in the 1 year and two optional courses in the 3 year with a total of 30 credits out of 60. The Innovation Camp is an event spanning two intensive days. The students are organized in teams and are given a problem to solve from an external company and prepare proposals for business ideas. The student teams compete against each other and are judged by a professional jury. At the end of the camp, a team with best business ideas and presentation on stage wins. rd
nd
The program in the 3 year starts with a motivational half-day seminar in the end of the 2 year. Former entrepreneurship students share experiences from their own student enterprises and local innovators tell stories about their own success and failures. Each year, a professor from University of California, Berkeley, gives a lecture about innovation and start-ups in Silicon Valley ecosystem. rd Students are challenged to come up with their own ideas to start of the 3 year. rd
The 3 year for entrepreneurship students starts with a two day inspiration seminar. The opening lectures emphasize the importance of innovation and entrepreneurship for Norwegian business and industry. Then, lectures in start-ups and idea generation are given. Finally, students form groups, student business entities that act as formal enterprises throughout the 3rd year. First step for a student enterprise is to generate a technical idea and to transform it into a business idea which can be a product or service. Next step is formal registration at Junior Achievement – Young Enterprise Telemark and The Register of Business Enterprises in Norway. This registration gives a formal status according to Norwegian law. Then, the students have to develop business plans and prepare presentations for the first competition. Each student enterprise has their own supervisor and co-supervisor acting as coaches building up entrepreneurial skills. The groups have also mentors
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guiding them through the start-up process. The mentors are often dedicated retired leaders from industry or successful innovators. In addition, the professor from University of California, Berkeley (the paper co-author), acts as a mentor helping them to see the potential in their business ideas and to put their business idea in an international context. Lectures in relevant subjects such as start-ups, business plan development, economy, intellectual property protection, and presentation techniques are given throughout the academic year. At the end of the second semester the teams participate in competitions. The first competitions are regional and mandatory. The student enterprises compete with other student enterprises on business ideas, business plans, and stage presentations for a jury of start-up experts. If qualified, then the student enterprises compete in national and European championships [6]. The entrepreneurship program appeals more to students recruited from vocational school and have years of experience in their own work areas, than students recruited from senior high schools. Out of 96 students taking entrepreneurship courses at USN-TF over the last 4 years, 83 (86,5%) were students recruited from vocational schools, see Table 1. Table 1. Technical ideas for the last four years student enterprises at USN-TF. Students are recruited from vocational schools (v) and senior high schools (s). The number of students in each category and student enterprise are also indicated. Year
Number of students
2016
4v
Extension cable with indicator for warning of overload and fire hazard
2v
A cutting board that makes joinery easier for professionals
2v
Security unit for children and animals in cars
5v
Tool for safe shutdown and localization of electrical circuits
5v
System malfunction signal at refueling
6v
Product that will make grouting of all types of materials easier and neater
3v
Vegan and environmentally friendly foods
2015
1v + 1s 2014
Festival kit focusing on Norwegian products
6v
Converter for radio signals from DAB to FM radio
5v
Battery drill holder of high quality for use in stepladders
4v
Moldings made of plastic for building material dealers
4v
Fiber optic lighting
5v
Digital radio (DAB) in hearing protection
3v + 2s 2013
The enterprises’ technical ideas
Security alarm for elderly and disabled people
4v
Handles which can be attached to almost any type of rope
4v
Technical security alarms for residential and recreational use
5v
Electrical product that makes it easier and cheaper for consumers to rehabilitate kitchen
4s
A product that will reduce spinal or neck problems due to improper sleep position
4s
Service within the design and dimensioning of smaller buildings and assist the application process
5v
Tarpaulin system for covering roofs, materials and structures
4v
Evacuation system for disabled people in stairways
4v
Alert system for mail in mailboxes
2v + 2s
Consultancy in the construction industry
Table 1 show also technical ideas for all student entreprises at USN-TF during the last 4 years. The ideas can be characterized as products or devices that can make everyday life or certain production or construction operations easier. Many of the ideas come from the students' own work experience. They often experience a need for technical solutions that can make their work easier. Their technical ideas and later business ideas, are therefore solutions to specific and practical problems. This
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practice-oriented approach stemming from previous work experience and motivation is a unique feature of the USN program. During the period of 2013 - 2015, five student enterprises at USN-TF received eight awards in the national and European championships. The winning business ideas are given in Table 2. Table 2. The business ideas to student enterprises at USN-TF that received awards in the national and European championships for the period 2013 – 2015. Product that will make grouting of all types of materials easier and neater Battery drill holder of high quality for use with stepladders Security alarm for elderly and disabled people Handles which can be attached to almost any type of rope for pulling or dragging Technical security alarms for residential and recreational use The results show that winning ideas are related to technical solutions of practical problems that make everyday life or working life easier. The juries at national and European championships are all experts in start-ups and validate business ideas, business plans, stage presentations, as well as presentations of the product or service on stands. One example of a successful student team continuing into a real-world startup is Contra SB that developed a clever idea (a simple plastic handle clamping a rope to help with pulling) into a successfully growing business. Experience gained during the USN program and several competitions helped the team in its success. Available legal framework for student enterprises allowed for a smoother transition to a functioning business.
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UC BERKELEY
Similarly to the USN program, UC Berkeley offers pathways for budding student entrepreneurs for learning and development. At Berkeley, there are multiple elements of entrepreneurship learning that can be organized in a structured program or experienced individually based on student preferences and time framework. Organizationally, these elements are housed in the College of Engineering and in the Berkeley Haas School of Business. They target a very diverse population of students with various work and life experiences and multiple goals. In contrast with USN, most engineering undergraduates have work experience that is limited to summer jobs, research or internships. Thus, there is less inclination to base business ideas on past work but rather to draw from varied experiences. Structurally, the resources available to students interested in entrepreneurship include (a) mentoring opportunities by experienced entrepreneurs, (b) courses in Haas School of Business (primarily graduate classes) and in the College of Engineering (undergraduate and graduate classes), (c) limited startup funds, (d) competitions (LAUNCH: The UC Berkeley Startup Competition, Global Social Venture Competition, The Venture Capital Investment Competition), (e) various student clubs and events, and (f) venture accelerator (SkyDeck). Within the College of Engineering, the primary avenue for undergraduate students interested in entrepreneurship is the Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology (SCET). [7]. Established in 2005 and fostered with private donations SCET has created the foundation of Berkeley’s entrepreneurship ecosystem including SkyDeck, the Fung Institute, the Engineering Leadership Professional Program, Global Venture Lab, and an extensive ecosystem of Silicon Valley and Global partners. This unit provides guidance and umbrella organizational framework for undergraduate engineers. While different elements offered by SCET can be taken individually (and are taken by students with limited interest in the topic), academically, the foundation of undergraduate experience in entrepreneurship is the Concentration in Entrepreneurship and Technology (CET) with its Certificate. Activities of the SCET are based on the Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship (BMoE). The core principles of the method are described in details in [8]. In essence, BMoE is based on two postulates: (a) the mindset of an entrepreneur consists of predictable patterns, and (b) game based teaching can be used to develop behavioral patterns in students in the context of entrepreneurship. The following quote from [8] aptly describes the pedagogy on BMOE:
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• “Students learn by doing. • Instructors host the environment for students to interact directly with the problem. Students make their own decisions and learn inductively. • Behavior training for students is enforced through games and exercises. • Learning outcomes prosper when focusing on goals and processes instead of grades. • Learning leverages on mimicking real-world entrepreneurial situations.” In this context, the emphasis of the SCET program is on much stronger interactions between students and subjects (projects) rather than on student-teacher interactions in classic education. The requirements for CET are flexible [9] but they form a part of a pathway for full entrepreneurial experience. Formally, the CET requires a core class and at least 5 units (out of 15 units of undergraduate load per semester) of elective courses. The core class is the A. Richard Newton Lecture Series. Named after A. Richard Newton, a visionary Dean of UC Berkeley’s College of Engineering from 2000 to 2007, the series offers insight into entrepreneurship by inviting distinguished innovators to share lessons from their own successes and failures. This course is the starting point in the CET. It is then followed by a choice of relevant courses from several academic departments listed below in Table 3. Table 3. Elective Courses for UC Berkeley Concentration in Entrepreneurship and Technology (CET) IEOR 171: Technology Leadership (3 units) IEOR 185: Challenge Lab (4 units) IEOR 186: Product Management (3 units) IEOR 190a: Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship & Innovation (2 units) IEOR 190c: Collider Project (variable units) IEOR 191: Technology Entrepreneurship (3 units) IEOR 192: Berkeley Method of Entrepreneurship Bootcamp (2 units) Engineering 120: Principles of Engineering Economics (1 unit) IEOR 170: Industrial Design and Human Factors (2 units) UGBA 105: Leading People (1 unit) UGBA 190T: Intellectual Property for Entrepreneurs (1 unit) CS 294-84: Integrated Device Design (2 units) CS 294-85: Critical Making (2 units) Mec Eng 110: Introduction to Product Development (3 units) Sociology 121: Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Social and Cultural Context (2 units) IAS 150: Social Innovator On Ramp (2 units) The courses form a foundation of the program and they can be enhanced by additional elements that vary from student to student. Innovation Collider is the focal part of SCET. It is a one or two semester-long highly applied and dynamic laboratory which combines education, research projects, and diverse mixtures of people that all collide to create innovative. [10] In the Collider, self-formed student teams conduct “Experiments” leading to innovations, new products and business skills. Example of recent (2016) Experiments include: − Fintech Collider in Singapore − Geisinger Health Systems Collider − VICI Labs’ WaterSeer Collider − Imprint Energy Collider − Blockchain Technology Collider − Data in Retail Collider
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− Go To Market Strategy & Intellectual Property Collider Many teams from the Collider pursue their business ideas through SkyDeck on Berkeley campus, other accelerators or through different pathways. SkyDeck, located on Berkeley campus, is both a physical space for Berkeley students and alumni and a concept to accelerate startups through mentorship [11].
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DISCUSSION
In comparison, USN and UCB approaches have distinct similarities and distinct differences. Both programs are well-established with several years of history and success. Both offer undergraduate student in engineering an opportunity to experience entrepreneurship and startup formation. Both rely heavily in their pedagogy on “learning by doing” in a team environment leading to the development of interpersonal skills that may be missing in conventional education. Both programs rely on mentorship of experienced entrepreneurs to help students in their tasks. However, each program has its own unique characteristics stemming from their respective geographic locations, educational environment, cultural features and resources. At USN, the program is much more structured in a series of required courses and mandatory competitions. At the same time, the entrepreneurship program at USN is an integral part of educations giving formal credits toward the degree. At Berkeley, the program is much more flexible in the number of courses, their sequence and academic credit. Each UCB course in the SCET gives students unit credits but these credits may or may not count toward the degree requirements. SCET students come from various engineering departments each of which has its own degree requirements. SCET itself offers only a certificate of concentration. Thus, each student must navigate both SCET and specific program (degree) requirements. At UCB it is also possible for students to take individual courses or participate in other SCET activities on an ad-hoc basis. Thus, in courses that comprise the SCET program other nonSCET students participate (in some cases even in the majority). This makes the classroom dynamics much different from the entrepreneurship courses at USN with its committed student body. Another difference between USN and UCB is the student population. At Berkeley, the vast majority of undergraduate students come from conventional high schools as vocational educational system is virtually non-existent. While there are differences in high schools from where the students originate, Berkeley requirements for successful admission to engineering make academic preparation of students (math, science) very similar. In general they do not have longer practical work experience that a very large fraction of USN students possess. This probably skews the focus of student teams in developing their products and services into business ideas. Yet another distinction is the follow-up after the academic program. Due to Norwegian law, USN student actual form legal entities that may continue their activity after students graduate. While not all teams continue on that pathway, their potential transition to real business entities is probably facilitated. At Berkeley, student teams are less formalized but they can benefit from a well-established business support environment (lawyers, banks, accelerators) in the San Francisco/Silicon Valley area.
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CONCLUSION
Each of the entrepreneurship programs focuses on specific strengths of the overall academic, business and social environment in which it is immersed. At USN, the program is more structured and draws heavily on students previous work experience. The success of the program in the past 12 years depended on dedicated faculty and academic support (formal credits for program completions). Governmental support (central and regional) through grants, competitions, and legal framework for student enterprises is also a strong factor. Perhaps, USN (formerly TUC) success is also due to its smaller size and fewer opportunities for entrepreneurship thus channeling student energy in the program. At Berkeley, a somewhat different approach has been successful also generating cohorts of students exposed to entrepreneurship. They have seen multiple ways to develop business ideas and start businesses in an environment that attracts and rewards this mindset.
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Bologna process – European higher education area (1999). http://www.ehea.info/
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[2]
Ministry of Education and Research (1979). On higher technical education in Norway. St.meld. no 89. In Norwegian.
[3]
Telemark College of Engineering (1982). Syllabus 1982/83. Porsgrunn. In Norwegian.
[4]
Clausen, T. and Hagen, S.T. (2010). An engineering education response to a globalizing world. World Transactions on Engineering and Technology Education. 8 (1), pp. 7-14.
[5]
Ministry of Education and Research, Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development, Ministry of Trade and Industry (2009). Entrepreneurship in Education – from Primary School to Higher Education. Oslo. In Norwegian.
[6]
Hagen, S.T. and Hasleberg, H. (2015). Entrepreneurship in higher education – a new teaching method. Proc. Edulearn 15, Barcelona, Spain.
[7]
Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology http://scet.berkeley.edu/entrepreneurship-technology/ (accessed May 15, 2016)
[8]
Sidhu, I., Johnsson, C., Singer, K. and Suoranta, M. (2015). A Game-Based Method for Teaching Entrepreneurship. Applied Innovation Review 1(1). p.51-65 http://lup.lub.lu.se/record/7760425
[9]
SCET Certificate requirements http://cet.berkeley.edu/undergrad/cet-certificate-requirements/ (accessed May 15, 2016)
[10]
SCET Innovation Collider http://scet.berkeley.edu/collider/ (accessed May 15, 2016)
[11]
SkyDeck> About http://skydeck.berkeley.edu/about/ (accessed May 15, 2016)
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