Swinburne University of Technology has revitalised the Australian Graduate School of Entrepreneurship (AGSE) and will be eager to claim the title of world leader in entrepreneurial education.
The university announced a relaunch of the program at their Hawthorn campus earlier this year, as a way to ensure the AGSE remained relevant to start-ups, small to medium enterprises, large corporations, social enterprises and not for-profit organisations.
The refreshed AGSE courses will include short introductory modules designed to get students up to speed with postgraduate study.
Students also will be offered one-on-one career planning meetings with academic staff, as well as networking opportunities, events and seminars.
Pitcher Partners Senior Partner David Knowles, a program collaborator, Chairman and Executive Director of Pitcher Partners’ International Institute of Entrepreneurship, said the relaunch would represent a change in the way entrepreneurship is viewed.
Throughout 2017, Swinburne and Pitcher Partners offered a Master of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (MEI), giving students the option of studying at the refurbished AGSE facilities or at Pitcher Partners’ Melbourne offices.
Mr Knowles said Pitcher Partners was “inspired” by the vision of Swinburne Pro Vice-Chancellor Professor Michael Gilding and AGSE Director, Alexander Kaiser, for a relaunched entrepreneurial school.
MEI course content has been co-designed by Swinburne and Pitcher Partners.
“They understood the unique position the AGSE had held in the global entrepreneurship space and made clear to us what was going to happen to regain Swinburne’s rightful place as a world leading institution in this field,” Mr Knowles said.
“More importantly, they had a clear vision for how they could help us achieve our objectives and how by working together both of our ambitions could be accelerated and amplified.”
AGSE Director Alex Kaiser said the collaborative approach to the course material has allowed students to become the type of entrepreneurial leaders and innovative thinkers needed by small to medium enterprises such as local government, professional service firms, start-ups and not for profits.
The content strives to engage students with industry and prepare them to work in a range of enterprises or start their own.
“The collaborative nature of the course will allow students to do field work with industry mentors and be supported as they launch their own ventures, or to work on mentored projects provided by the industry partner,” Mr Kaiser said.
“We produce graduates who are future-ready.”
Alongside the Master of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Swinburne is also offering a Graduate Certificate of Entrepreneurship and Innovation.
