Examining Best Practice for a Post-Graduate Module in Food Entrepreneurship

As a lecturer in entrepreneurship education, the challenge of embedding an entrepreneurship mindset in my students is of great interest. A traditional lecturing approach is inadequate and there is a call for more creative teaching and a more experiential learning approach. In the words of Plutarch “Minds are not vessels to be filled, but fires to be ignited” The author decided to evaluate an existing Masters module on food entrepreneurship in the light of best practice. The approach involved a review of the literature and both EU and national policy documents. The syllabus, teaching methods and assessments on the Masters module in food entrepreneurship were examined. A questionnaire comprising of both closed and open ended questions were administered to a Masters class who had completed the module. The results of the evaluation highlighted positive features of the food entrepreneurship module e.g. specific feedback in relation to how the module helped embed an entrepreneurial mindset. Overall students benefited from the module and were of the view that they had the knowledge to start a business. The students found the “real life experience” from the guest lecture with a food entrepreneur very beneficial. The paper has synthesised knowledge of best practice according to entrepreneurship policy documents and academic literature. In light of entrepreneurial educational policy and literature findings various recommendations are made in order to make the classroom more entrepreneurial involving more innovative teaching methods such as more use of problem solving exercises, use of theatre and partnerships with existing businesses.