Leuphana University of Lüneburg: Developing a Comprehensive Approach for Diverse Target Groups

Abstract

Leuphana University of Lüneburg is a medium-sized university without the classical faculties that have a certain affinity for entrepreneurship. The principal approach “Humboldt and Schumpeter” was developed with the objective of creating links between the field of entrepreneurship—as part of the Faculty of Business and Economics—and, in particular, the three non-economic faculties: the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as the Faculty of Sustainability. The approach is connected with the hope for constructively breaking down reservations academic staff and students of these faculties might have towards an economisation of contents and objectives of education. Therefore, Leuphana follows an integrative and comprehensive approach of EE. This aim is to get as many students as possible in contact with the issue of entrepreneurial thinking and behaviour. The other objective is to help develop the general competence in students to turn ideas into action. Leuphana supports EE initiatives in all faculties and offers a variety of curricular and extra-curricular activities targeting different groups—from students without any knowledge about entrepreneurship to nascent entrepreneurs. The curricular and extra-curricular offers are designed or supported and coordinated by the Entrepreneurship Hub—a centralised unit that also comprises the start-up service, the career service and the transfer service. A notable feature is the overall presence and visibility of the strategic orientation of promoting entrepreneurial thinking and behaviour consistent with societal issues. To ensure that the activities in different third-party funding projects work in synergy with this strategic orientation is strongly recommendable. To guarantee didactic quality as a continuous co-ordinated development is necessary.

References

Research for this case was conducted by Dr. Brigitte Halbfas, Faculty of Economics and Management, Chair of Entrepreneurship Education, Institute of Vocational Education (IBB), University of Kassel, Germany, on behalf of the study for supporting the entrepreneurial potential of higher education (sepHE). Sources and references used include desk research plus:

1.1 Interviews

Prof. Dr. Schulte, Reinhard, Professor for Start-up Management, Member of the Institute for Corporate Development, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany, 28 Apr 2014 by phone, 12 May 2014 at Leuphana University

PD Dr. Euler, Mark, Member of Management Board of the Entrepreneurship Hub, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany, 13 May 2014 at Leuphana University, 6 May 2014 by phone, 14 May 2014 (with Carsten Wille) at Leuphana University, 11 Jul 2014 by phone

Wille, Carsten, Member of Management Board of the Entrepreneurship Hub, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, 13 May 2014 at Leuphana University, 14 Apr 2013 (with Mark Euler) at Leuphana University

Dr. Halberstadt, Jantje, Jun. Prof for Social Entrepreneurship at the Centre for Sustainability Management (CSM) at Leuphana University of Lüneburg, Germany, 13 May 2014 at Leuphana University

Dr. Tegtmeier, Silke, Employee of the Entrepreneurship Hub, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, 13 May 2014 at Leuphana University

Dr. Fischer, Mareike, Entrepreneur in Residence, Business Coaching and Beratung http://www.mareikefischer.com/2.html, 13 May 2014 at Leuphana University

Estler, Hans-Martin, Student of Economics and Business Administration Education at Leuphana University of Lüneburg, 12 May 2014 at Leuphana University

Jördes, Kirsten, Student of Economics and Business Administration Education at Leuphana University of Lüneburg, 12 May 2014 at Leuphana University

Rudeloff, Christian, Entrepreneurship Hub, Marketing, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, 14 May 2014 at Leuphana University

Glindemann, Meik, Alumni of Leuphana University of Lüneburg and Serial Entrepreneur (www.barca-hamburg.de), 14 May 2014 at Leuphana University

Pakura, Adalbert, Employee of the Entrepreneurship Hub, Leuphana University of Lüneburg, 12 Nov 2014 by phone

1.2 Literature and Websites

Euler M (2014) Homo interagens als entrepreneur. Die historische Bedeutung von Entrepreneurship Education für das moderne Individuum. Herausforderungen und neue Wege. Metropolis

HESA, Higher Education Statistics Agency (2014a) Table 1 – all students by HE institution, level of study, mode of study and domicile 2012/2013. Excel file. http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php/content/view/1973/239/. Accessed 12 May 2014

Leuphana University (2014) Homepage and various sub sites (see footnotes in the text). http://www.leuphana.de/schub.html. Accessed between May and Oct 2014

Leuphana University of Lüneburg (2014) Underlying profile and academic focus. http://www.leuphana.de/en/about-us/profile.html. Accessed 18 Aug 2014

Stifterverband der Deutschen Wissenschaft (2014) Gründungsradar 2012. http://www.stifterverband.com/gruendungsradar/2012/index.html. Accessed 24 Jul 2014