Since 2002, the University of Tasmania has offered students a Major in Entrepreneurship. Developed through a Partnership Agreement with the Tasmanian State Government in November 2000, the Major attracts increasing numbers of students from across many of the University's faculties. At the heart of the Major is a desire to allow students to learn through and for enterprise, not merely about enterprise. This is achieved through the continual development of a learner-centred curriculum that allows students much freedom and responsibility about how, when and where their learning experiences occur. As illustrated in the picture below, students take centre stage throughout the learning process. All learning activities are designed to encourage engagement and continual reflection.

Picture 1 - A Typical Learner-Centred Situation

The Major has four core units that are supported by various other units from with the Faculty of Business.

The first unit is BMA204, Foundations of Entrepreneurship . During this unit, students gain an understanding of the process and context of social change. They will gain an appreciation of the role of the entrepreneur in engineering much of the social change occurring in society. Most importantly, they will gain an insight into how they personally relate to the process of entrepreneurship, or the doing of things differently.

The second unit is BMA213, Entrepreneurship and Creativity . During this unit, students develop an ability to define and solve problems creatively. In a world of ever increasing change, these problem-solving skills are invaluable. The primary means of creativity learnt are based on the ideas of Edward De Bono. At the commencement of this unit of this unit we were fortunate enough to have a visit from Edward De Bono, who gave us some wonderful insight on how best to teach creativity.

Picture 2 - Colin Jones (Major Coordinator) meeting Edward De Bono in 2002

The Third unit is BMA326, Entrepreurship and Innovation . During this unit, students will develop the skills required to evaluate a business concept for potential value. This requires that students can answer a simple, but incredibly important question, what are you selling to whom? The answer to this question must be found through market research with the proposed target market. During this unit, students will also be required to demonstrate the preliminary financial feasibility of their business concept.

The last core unit is BMA333, Project Evaluation and Planning . During this unit, students will develop the skills required to articulate their business idea both verbally and in written form (i.e. a business plan). Throughout this unit students also develop the ability to communicate the value of their idea in terms of a return on investment. The semester culminates with the entre presentation day where students present their ideas to business leaders, investors, family and friends, colleagues and persons from the University of Tasmania community.

Picture 3 - John Darcey presenting at entre05

At entre05, over $10,000 in prize monies were awarded to those students that had excelled throughout the year. Noani Pearce-Rasmussen was the winner of the entre05 Business Plan Competition. The Department of Industry, Tourism, and Resources and the Department of Economic Development sponsored the competition.

Picture 4 - Noani Pearce-Rasmussen receives her prize from University of Tasmania Vice Chancellor , Professor Daryl LeGrew

In the short the time the major has been running, the School of Management can be proud of the number of graduates form the Major that are currently running their own business. These include Adrian Bold of Bold Impressions who was recently awarded the prestigious title of Australasian Entrepreneur Student of The Year. Adrian also represented Australian and the University of Tasmania at the 2004 Global Student Entrepreneur Awards held in Chicago . At present, the Major is undertaking a joint initiative with the School of Engineering to pair up entrepreneurship and engineering in joint placement activities that will assist existing Tasmanian small manufactures in the areas of internal efficiency and market development.

Picture 5 - Adrian Bold (far left, back row) at the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards held in Chicago

Why should you enrol in the Entrepreneurship Major or take one of the units as an elective? In life you always have two choices. To live your dreams or to help someone else live their dreams. You choose. If you join us, you can be assured that your learning experience will be all about you. It will be about you intellectual and self-development. The approach to teaching within the Entrepreneurship Major is highly learner centred. The practices used throughout the core units of the major have received recognition for excellence at the University of Tasmania and also at a national level at the Australian Awards for University Teaching. We want you to be capable of following your dreams if and when the opportunity arises. If you would like any further information, please contact Colin Jones ( Colin.Jones@utas.edu.au ). He will be more than happy to provide you with more information, or best still, arrange for you to visit a workshop to observe current students engaged in the learning.