Welcome to entrepreneurship at Duke University.
The initiative on entrepreneurship and innovation at Duke aspires to create the best entrepreneurial learning environment in the world. The initiative is guided by the principle of knowledge in the service of society, the ideals of a liberal arts education and a spirit of collaboration between academic disciplines and between academia and the community. The initiative both serves and brings together the entire Duke community and the community to which it belongs. The cornerstones of the entrepreneurship initiative are education, research and practice. A hallmark of the Duke entrepreneurship initiative is the close and multi-faceted integration of these foundational elements.
- Education: Entrepreneurial education is primarily focused on creating opportunities to learn by doing. The paradigm for this form of education is a student team working to create a new venture that serves a useful purpose and is sustainable. Wherever possible, students are encouraged to reach across boundaries to form teams with a suitable mix of skills and experience. The are multiple programs where students can get academic credit for advancing their business ideas. In addition, there is a broad support system for student entrepreneurs whether or not they are receiving credit for their entrepreneurial efforts.
- Research: The focus of the research dimension of the entrepreneurship initiative is the application of academic research to problems and opportunities in society. This concept is referred to as "translational research," and has meaning in many academic disciplines whether it is the application of results in the biology laboratory to improving human health or the application of economic research to the practice of entrepreneurship itself.
- Practice: "Practice" refers to a critical and disciplined approach to entrepreneurial activities. Focus on best practice provides the connection and two-way engagement with the broader community. The entrepreneurship initiative actively engages with entrepreneurs, investors and others so that their experience can inform and guide education and research. And as a result of that participation in the entrepreneurial learning environment, learning will also flow back out to the community as improved practice.
The organizational model for the entrepreneurship initiatives is a coalition of collaborative, dynamic and mutually supportive organizations. In this model, various schools, centers, departments, and clubs focus on serving the needs of their constituencies, and are encouraged to view their constituencies as broadly as possible. Programs and initiatives are pursued in a spirit of openness, cooperation and mutual support.
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