Teaching Entrepreneurship in degrowth economics: Exploring the potential and challenging the limits
January 24 @ 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm UTC+1

What would entrepreneurship look like in a world where economics was the science of social provisioning within material boundaries, as is the case for degrowth economics? And how might we convey such an approach through our teaching in Entrepreneurship Education, where we aim to inspire students for a transformed future?

This panel discussion explores the nature, potential, and limits of entrepreneurship education in degrowth economics. Post-consumerist values, planetary limits to economic growth, and the localization of value chains challenge conventional beliefs about economic growth including key assumptions in the present capitalistic system and promotes a paradigm shift towards degrowth. Despite the momentum toward degrowth, educational approaches, teaching methods, and tools in entrepreneurship education remain anchored in growth-centric ideologies, like green growth or sustainable growth. This raises critical questions: Can alternative paradigms find a place in entrepreneurship education? Are the established teaching principles still relevant, or is a fundamental redesign necessary? How can these changes be practically incorporated into the educational landscape?

This ECSB co-branded panel discussion facilitates a critical discussion about the intersection of entrepreneurship education and degrowth by exploring both the potential and limits of a degrowth pedagogy in entrepreneurship education. Further, the panelists will delve into discussions concerning innovative approaches to entrepreneurship education that align with the principles of degrowth, focusing on sustainability, ethics, and societal well-being.

Confirmed panelists:
Patrick Elf, Senior Research Fellow at Middlesex University London
Diana Holmqvist, Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Linköping University
Melanie Rieback, founder of the Post Growth Entrepreneurship (PGE) Incubator ‘Nonprofit Ventures’ and Radically Open Security.
Robert Sheldon, Associate Professor at ESCP Business School

Moderator: Thomas Long, Associate Professor, EDHEC Business School

Organisers:
Linköping University: Diana Holmqvist and Karin Wigger
EDHEC Business School: Thomas Long
University of Groningen: Emma Folmer
Nord University: Marit Breivik, Siri Jakobson, Marianne Steinmo and Iselin Mauseth Steira

Registration:
Please note that the event is open to ECSB and ISBE members and is limited to 50 participants. Places will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis according to the order of registration.