DOHA: The World Innovation Summit for Education (WISE), an international initiative of Qatar Foundation, led a high-level event, focusing on the role of entrepreneurship in the transformation of education and tackling youth unemployment in Europe.
The topics have been identified by the European Commission as key priorities for 2016.
The panel and luncheon were hosted in Brussels by Martina Dlabajova, Member of European Parliament from the Czech Republic.
Aiming to inspire an informed dialogue, the event brought together 30 key European policymakers and industry and civil society representatives.
Participants shared views on entrepreneurship education in Europe, and experiences in initiatives to create a sustainable environment for entrepreneurs to thrive and grow. Speakers included Stavros N Yiannouka, CEO, WISE; Rodrigo Ballester, Member, EU Commissioner’s Cabinet on Education, Culture, Youth and Sport; Antonio Garcia del Riego, Managing Director, European Corporate Affairs, Banco Santander; and Tomi Alakoski, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Me and My City, one of WISE Awards-winning projects in 2014. The Finland-based initiative uses a 500sqm miniature town to engage young students in basic social, civic and economic concepts.
Yiannouka highlighted the opportunity for policymakers and educators to take action in transforming educational practices by capitalising on the desire of young people to develop as entrepreneurs.
“Although great numbers of youth are being shut out of the labour market due to the failure of education to provide them with relevant skills, young people are increasingly interested in entrepreneurship,” he said.
The event produced conclusions relevant to policymaking, which speakers are expected to share with their collaborators and audiences through their work, given the growing interest in adjusting education to the needs of the labour market in Europe. It was also an opportunity for WISE to bring its global work as an international education organisation before a wider audience in support of QF’s mission of unlocking human potential.The Peninsula
