2010 – Cardiff

IEEC 2010

Enterprise Educators UK and the National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship (NCGE) joined forces in 2006 − to provide a forum for enterprise educators to share experiences and engage others in enterprise education, and to enrich the experience of educators and students − the International Entrepreneurship Educators Conference.

In its fifth year, IEEC is the premier national and international conference on enterprise and entrepreneurship education. With a sharing of experiences through hands on workshops, open exchanges as to what works and what doesn’t, plenaries and forums, often focusing on the practical experience of enterprise education, it breaks the mould of traditional conferences by transforming ‘thinking’ into ‘doing’. It brings together enterprise educators with enterprising students, entrepreneurs can challenge the University sector in open debate, decision-makers can hear of the developments in enterprise education – and the challenges for the future.

In this year, Enterprise Educators UK and NCGE were delighted to announce that the IEEC2010 took place at Cardiff University, with the support and sponsorship of the Welsh Assembly Government. The Welsh Assembly Government is a keen advocate of enterprise and entrepreneurship education and as a result, there have been leading developments in the HE and FE sector there. The time was apt to show off these developments and fertilise the way forward. IEEC2010 was pleased and proud to work with the Welsh Assembly Government in promoting the culture of enterprise and entrepreneurship in Welsh education.

 

Mark Prisk MP, Minister of State for Business and Enterprise said,

 I want today’s generation of young people coming out of education with the confidence and capability to start and run their own business. This Government is committed to helping make the next decade the most enterprising in our history. That means equipping ever more people with both the confidence and capability to work for themselves. 

Deputy First Minister Ieuan Wyn Jones said Wales was delighted to host this important event.

 A ‘can-do’ mind set has a crucial role to play in driving our recovery from recession – with entrepreneurship education an internationally recognised strength in Wales. This conference will support us in fostering a spirit of entrepreneurship and business initiative in every part of our country,” said Mr Jones, who is Minister for the Economy and Transport 

Simon Brown, Chair of Enterprise Educators UK, said,

I am delighted to be working with the Welsh Assembly Government in bringing IEEC2010 to Cardiff. There has never been a better time to take the message of enterprise and entrepreneurship education to practitioners.

As our economy stutters out of recession and old ways of thinking stop working − so it is entirely the right time to be broadening the role and reach of our enterprising academics and university staff. We have exciting plans for the forthcoming event. Collaboration and partnership working is the way ahead and IEEC2010 puts this principle into practice.

Andy Penaluna, Vice Chair of Enterprise Educators UK, and lecturer at Swansea Metropolitan University helped organise the event:

We have recognised for some time that Wales plays a key role and has tremendous expertise in developing enterprising minds for the future. This is a real chance to show the rest of the world what we are doing and we can do to support and develop this important agenda.

Alison Price, Director of Educational Development, National Council for Graduate Entrepreneurship was encouraged that IEEC is still going from strength to strength and extending its remit:

We are delighted that Cardiff is hosting IEEC2010. With the Welsh Assembly Government as our premier sponsor and key conference partner, we are creating a dynamic conference programme, which will continue to provide valuable insights and support for entrepreneurship educators working across Further and Higher Education.

Together with our conference partners, Enterprise Educators UK, we have achieved an international reputation for showcasing excellent entrepreneurial practice through our practitioner-led workshop programme and look forward to inviting national and international educators to come and join us in Cardiff to share their best practice and experience.