REQUIREMENTS/RESULTS
The department of Industry Canada requires the services of a Contractor to conduct a comprehensive survey on small business management and entrepreneurship education to collect information about entrepreneurship programs offered at universities and colleges in Canada. The information will serve to produce qualitative and quantitative data in order to gauge best practices and trends within the field of entrepreneurship education in Canada. A comparison with another similar country would be essential (such as U.S.), and would contribute to Canada’s efforts being undertaken with the OECD to evaluate entrepreneurship in Canada.
Industry Canada has established a steering committee to oversee this project that includes both Canadian academics and practitioners (who work to deliver programs and training to entrepreneurs), Industry sector leaders who are familiar with the U.S. survey study as well as the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).
The contractor undertaking this work needs to be able to design and test the survey, collect and evaluate the data, draft a report working with a steering committee by reviewing the research and findings in collaboration with Industry Canada, BDC, academics and, industry experts, write the final report and present preliminary results at the May 2015 conference of the Canadian Council for Small Business and Entrepreneurship on May 29 and 30, 2015 in Edmonton, Alberta (availability required).
The survey should feature the following key items:
1. Background information on survey respondents and a profile of their institution
2. Pedagogies, subject matter and materials used in the classroom
3.Technological trends in the industry
4. External program components and partnerships
5. The impact of program initiatives on student success and anticipated trends
The survey should also cover the following elements:
- The level of mentoring opportunities that students are provided in each program.
- How each institution approaches the education of risk management.
- A profile of student demographics, if available.
- Statistics on the number of graduates that went on to launch successful businesses, if available.
Additionally, direct interviews with industry leaders on the current status of entrepreneurship education in Canada should be conducted, compared to the findings of the survey and incorporated into the final report.
The final report should provide an overview of Canadian entrepreneurship education, trends and, new approaches to improve effectiveness. The mid-phase findings should also be presented in a Power Point presentation to Industry Canada through a videoconference prior to the May 2015 conference in Edmonton.
