New course for budding entrepreneurs
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Professor Craig Mudge |
Students who aspire to develop skills and expertise in new enterprise creation and innovation will benefit from the Postgraduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship offered at Macquarie University.
The program, run by the Macquarie Institute for Innovation (MII), aims to provide students with the skills required for future involvement as entrepreneurs or as members of an early-stage entrepreneurial venture.
"Our units will target those wishing to start new initiatives or business ventures, those responsible for developing innovative new divisions within established corporations, or those serving as change agents in corporate or not-for-profit environments," explains MII Director, Professor Craig Mudge.
Skills developed
The Postgraduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship aims to provide an introduction to the entrepreneurial process in a context of knowledge-based innovation.
"Our definition of entrepreneurship is recognising an opportunity and then marshalling the resources to go after it," Mudge says. "You do that either in a not-for-profit or for-profit organisation."
During the certificate students will be introduced to entrepreneurship and new venture creation, review issues related to management of intellectual property, learn about the business planning process and the need to secure key resources, and discuss the economics of a specific industry sector.
Students must successfully complete three units, worth four credit points each, to be awarded the certificate. Subject choices include: Principles of Business Management, Intellectual Property Management, Resourcing Entrepreneurial Activities, Technology-based Entrepreneurship, Biotechnology Entrepreneurship, and Social Entrepreneurship.
"An important aim of these units is to equip students with the knowledge and skills necessary for commercialising and marketing new ideas," says Mudge. "Many researchers and inventors have brilliant ideas but lack the skills needed to bring these ideas to market. These units will help students appreciate how this can be done within various entrepreneurial projects."
Students may also choose to take additional units in order to articulate to a Graduate Diploma in Entrepreneurship and/or a Masters in Entrepreneurship by Coursework and project.
Benefits for students and employers
The benefits of undertaking the Postgraduate Certificate in Entrepreneurship apply to both employers and students.
Employers will benefit financially when the people they hire are more enterprising and think of things in a commercial context.
From a student's point of view, the certificate opens up more career options as they have the ability to start something new in a large enterprise and think commercially. A great example of entrepreneurship in a large enterprise is the iPod. This innovative product from computer company Apple is something that was outside their traditional product line and has taken the world by storm.
"Students are now recognising that they don't get employment for life - they need to take responsibility for their own careers," says Mudge. "We are catering for students who want to take this responsibility. Some people might be hoping to start a not-for-profit business or even aspire to become the next Richard Branson or Bill Gates."
The final closing date for second semester programs is Friday 30 June.
For further information contact MII Director of Academic Affairs David Gow: david.gow@mq.edu.au or visit the website: www.mii.mq.edu.au/