ABSTRACT
Encouragement for entrepreneurship education is currently at the heart of a host of political requirements in the countries of the European Union (EU), in an effort to develop a dynamic enterprising culture and foster new firm creation as a source of sustainable competitiveness in the continent (Council of the European Union 2000; Communication 2010/2020 from the Commission 2010). An outcome of that has been the inclusion of the sense of initiative and entrepreneurship in a European Framework on Key Competences for Lifelong Learning (Recommendation 2006/962/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council). In this framework, entrepreneurship competence is defined as “an individuals’ ability to turn ideas into action. It includes creativity, innovation and risk-taking, as well as the ability to plan and manage projects in order to achieve objectives” (p. 17). From this view, it is recognized that entrepreneurship acts as a source of personal and professional self-realization, active citizenship and social inclusion for individuals, and that is why entrepreneurial competences should be developed by the end of compulsory school or training, acting as a foundation for further lifelong learning.
