Enterprise and Entrepreneurship education in HE and work based learning

Academics involved in Work-based Learning (WBL) and Enterprise Education tend to be enthusiastic and vocal advocates for their approach to learning in HE.

They embrace progressive pedagogy, they are comfortable in educational situations other educators find 'risky' and they have faith in learner's capacity to make valuable meaning from the active 'experience of learning'. But, surprisingly these two distinct educational approaches are rarely discussed, analysed, evaluated or debated in the same forums.

This Special Edition of HESWBL is an attempt to offer an opportunity for academics to present a range of perspectives on the intersection of Work-based Learning and Enterprise Education and to understand how this is being played out across a range of Higher Educational programmes and courses.

For the casual observers it may seem that Enterprise Education is 'what' is being taught and WBL is how it is being learnt.

What is hoped is that the submissions in this publication will demonstrate that Enterprise Education is in of itself a form of pedagogical practice and for the aficionados a distinct and valuable form of WBL.

They are both rely heavily on problem-based and active, experiential learning and as such have much in common.WBL generally concerns itself with conventional 'employment' situations and the pedagogy and practice that is involved.

However, many HE educators are engaged with enterprise and entrepreneurship education that implicitly involves the 'doing' of enterprise with students as either active sole agents or collaborators in a significant element of Work Based Learning. An entrepreneur is after all involved in a particular form of work.