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RSM pioneers study & entrepreneurship combination

RSM pioneers study & entrepreneurship combination

A ground-breaking Student Entrepreneurs Excellence Programme (StEEP) has been launched by the Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship – part of Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM) – and the Young Entrepreneurial Sagamores Foundation. Unique in Europe, it allows full-time students to combine running their own companies while following a full university programme.  

With about 25,000 entrepreneurs aged 25 or younger, the Netherlands has a reputation as the most entrepreneurial country in the EU, but busy entrepreneurs are at risk from ‘dropping out’ of college. World-famous college drop-outs Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and the late Steve Jobs of Apple show that failure to graduate does not always mean career failure, but the situation is far from ideal.

The Young Entrepreneurial Sagamores Foundation promotes young entrepreneurship in the Netherlands. It researched the link between student entrepreneurship and dropping out of college, and found that the lack of flexibility in the curricula of Dutch educational institutions was a cause. “There are true stories of student-entrepreneurs who failed a course in Finance because they didn’t achieve the attendance requirements. They were pitching their business case to a potential investor in England while they should have been in class. This, of course, is a world upside-down. Bring this kind of knowledge into the lecture rooms and inspire your peers with it!” says RSM alumnus Steijn Pelle, entrepreneur and Chairman of the Young Entrepreneurial Sagamores Foundation.

“By combining the theory of education with the practice of entrepreneurship, you create better academics and stronger entrepreneurs. It’s a win-win situation,” concludes RSM alumni Bernd Damme, entrepreneur and COO at fashion label Cravatta Pelliano and www.Eye-wear.nl. 

Student Entrepreneurs Excellence Programme

The Foundation decided to develop a top-level entrepreneurial programme for higher education – something that received warm support from the Dutch government – during the Global Entrepreneurship Week in 2010. Outgoing Minister of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation, Maxime Verhagen, encouraged the Foundation to team up with a university, and RSM was keen to form a partnership. StEEP was the result. “This is an excellent initiative,” says Dr Wim Hulsink, Professor of Entrepreneurship at RSM.

StEEP facilitates a more flexible approach to exams and attendance requirements, as well as providing additional coaching for student-entrepreneurs. For example, participants have business planning sessions with a counsellor, frequent meetings with an entrepreneurial mentor and access to international conferences and master classes.

A maximum of 10 highly-motivated bachelor and master students will take part in the StEEP pilot project, which starts this September at RSM. A very strict selection process guarantees the quality of participants. “The programme is intended only for really outstanding student entrepreneurs; young people who have already proven to be successful,” said Hendrik Halbe of the Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship. ''The programme is only intended for the cream of the crop among student-entrepreneurs; these are young people with a track record of success,” he added.

StEEP is supported by three successful Dutch entrepreneurs and college drop-outs themselves, Pieter Zwart of Coolblue, plus Bernd Damme and Danny Mekic of NewTeam. Pieter Zwart summarised their message: “It’s time for students to create their own companies, instead of just learning about them.”

NOTE FOR EDITORS                                                                           

Campaign videos are available here. Until 11 June 2012, student entrepreneurs can apply for the programme by visiting the StEEP website. For more information, please contact StEEP Project Manager Adriaan Buyserd buyserd@remove-this.me.com, +31(0)6 2257 3443. 

About ECE

The Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship (ECE) encourages and supports students and researchers so that they can apply their knowledge and skills in an entrepreneurial fashion, either as independent entrepreneurs or as entrepreneurial employees within a company or organisation, with its various events and programmes.

About The Young Entrepreneurial Sagamores Foundation

‘Sagamore’ is a Native American word for ‘chief’. The Young Entrepreneurial Sagamores Foundation promotes young entrepreneurship and aims to inspire a more entrepreneurial attitude and mind-set in its target audience by organising inspirational events, giving advice to the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Agriculture and Innovation and serving as a network. The Foundation seeks to create a change of culture so that entrepreneurship can be a realistic career prospect.

About Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University (RSM)

RSM is consistently ranked amongst the top 10 business schools in Europe. It is located in the international port city of Rotterdam where core Dutch values of openness, flexibility and acceptance of diversity have attracted businesses on a global scale. Our emphasis is on groundbreaking research and practices relevant to business; our primary focus is on developing business leaders who carry their innovative ideas into a sustainable future. Our portfolio includes a broad array of bachelor, master, doctoral, MBA and executive education programmes. www.rsm.nl

For more information on RSM or on this release, please contact Marianne Schouten, Media & Public Relations Manager for RSM, on +31 10 408 2877 or by email at mschouten@remove-this.rsm.nl.