Entermode Internship Model Ready for Validation and Pilot Experimentation

The EnterMode consortium has designed the EnterMode internship model and of the Teacher’s Guide which explains its use. The model proposed can be used to foster the acquisition of entrepreneurial skills and competences by students in higher education, using a challenge-based approach and gamification elements. It support students in higher education in:
– developing personal attributes and skills that form the basis of an entrepreneurial mind-set and behaviour, such as creativity, sense of initiative, risk-taking, autonomy, self-confidence, leadership, and team spirit
– raising awareness about self-employment and entrepreneurship as possible career options
– working on concrete enterprise projects and activities

The model uses the Entrepreneurship Competence Framework, also known as EntreComp framework as reference, by promoting specific challenges that target entrepreneurial competences identified by the framework. These challenges are going to be identified by the internship trainers and will also be supported by the use of learning analytics, incubation services and a serious game.

This current version of the model will be first validated within focus groups that involve experts in internships, entrepreneurship, innovative learning, stakeholders, policy-makers, companies’ owners and business actors. Afterwards, the model will be tested in a pilot experimentation which involves universities and companies. A total of 40 students from the five universities partners in the project will take part in both national internships and transnational work-placements. The results of the experimentation will be used for the finalisation of the model, which will then be ready to be incorporated into the regular services and activities offered by the partner universities (as well as interested universities external to the consortium).

The very positive aspect of the EnterMode internship model is that its adoption does not require additional financial and human resources: the model can be integrated in the services that the career offices, internship offices, international relation offices already offer to students at no additional cost.

The development of the EnterMode model entails the setting up of a Community of Practice of higher education teachers and company trainers that will offer a wide range of learning tools and collaboration tools to its members. The Community is hosted on the DISCUSS Communities of Practice platform.