Entrepreneurship education crucial amid uncertainties of 4th Industrial Revolution
The challenges presented by the 4th Industrial Revolution and related job uncertainties require new ways of thinking. A world driven by the Internet of Things, big data, cloud computing, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence has blurred the boundaries between physical, digital and human interactions.
“We need people who are visionary, creative, committed, resourceful, flexible, risk-takers, motivated, tenacious – all traits of an entrepreneur who, according to [political economist] Joseph Schumpeter, is a dynamic agent of change who drives economic progress through his or her creative destruction,” said Marielza Oliveira, Director of UNESCO Beijing Office, in her opening comments at the 8th UNESCO-APEID Meeting on Entrepreneurship Education held on 9-11 October 2019 in Hangzhou, China.
Coming from more than 30 countries, about 200 participants agreed that innovation and entrepreneurship will provide new impetus for social and human development as well as economic growth and job creation.
Following two days of discussions on the theme of the meeting “Entrepreneurship Education for the 4th Industrial Revolution”, participants concluded: “We are dedicated to promoting forward-looking development concepts and appropriate policy measures … to achieve the sustainable development goals and build a peaceful and prosperous global community.”
To do so, the education system has to adapt to the technological changes to ensure that curricula, pedagogy and learning outcomes match the demands of a new era of human-machine collaboration.
Entrepreneurship education has the potential to equip the youth of today with the attributes and skills needed for the 4th Industrial Revolution. The Hangzhou Declaration calls on all stakeholders – policy-makers, researchers, practitioners, industries and employers – to develop a comprehensive approach for entrepreneurship education to seize the opportunities presented by cutting-edge technologies.
The 8th UNESCO-APEID Meeting on Entrepreneurship was organized by UNESCO in collaboration with the Chinese National Commission for UNESCO and Zhejiang University, supported by UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurial Education at Zhejiang University and UNESCO EE-Net National Chapter in China.
The Hangzhou Declaration can be downloaded here.
Photos and presentations can be downloaded https://drive.google.com/open?id=1y8ZDQEG57zsTSHeCAuGtHtF2mF0RN9Fh.
For more information, contact eenet@unesco.org.
Main photo credit: Getty Images/metamorworks
