Young people also think having their own business is an achievable goal. However, existing programmes to encourage young people to go into business for themselves tend to address this too late in their school careers, said Parys. This is particularly true in the general humanities education section ASO, whose students turn out to be the least interested in becoming business owners. The most entrepreneurial students are to be found in the technical (TSO), professional (BSO) and economy (EHK) streams.

“The study also shows that the more teenagers take part in activities surrounding entrepreneurship, the greater their intention to become entrepreneurs themselves,” said Hans Crijns of Vlerick. “The effect is stronger as the contact is more intensive.” One in three said they could see themselves running their own business, with boys scoring higher than girls. Four in 10 are already in business in some way, and one in three has a parent who had started or taken over a business.

Some of the main points from the study:

• Most projects in this area aim to increase the business skills of young people, but it is also valuable to work on stimulating their desire to go into business by presenting it as a valid career option.

• Entrepreneurship programmes receive uncommonly good evaluation scores both from students and teaching staff, and students devote substantial amounts of their free time to them.

• Students have a positive image of business people on the whole, with approval ratings increasing when personal contact has been made, even when the contact itself was not particularly positive.

• Four out of five schools have taken part in at least one programme; half of all schools have participated in two or more.

• The benefit of entrepreneurship programmes is not only shown in direct effects, like an increased intention to go into business, but also indirectly, with students more likely to consider themselves creative or more determined to go to work abroad.

• Activities not directly connected with questions of starting or running a business also have a positive effect on entrepreneurial desire: games, event organisation, etc. Such activities also provide a means of breaking down resistance to the idea of running a business.

“Creating more and stronger entrepreneurs is one of the central aims of the economic policy of this government,” commented Kris Peeters, Flanders’ minister- president and a former chairman of Unizo, the organisation that represents small businesses. “Stimulating entrepreneurship begins in education, all the way from primary school through to university.”

Peeters, a graduate of Vlerick, talked about his government’s support through the €1.5 million subsidy for projects to bridge the gap between schools and business. “That way we can help to close the gap between education theory and the business world,” he said. “We can teach young people crucial attitudes, competencies and skills. But above all, we can give young people a taste for entrepreneurship.”

Education minister Pascal Smet, meanwhile, said it was “of essential importance” that business people not only provide material support “but also play an active role in passing on knowledge. I’m thinking, for example, by acting as a coach or mentor or a role model for those taking part in the various projects.”

The study covered more than 6,000 students in 200 schools, about half of whom had taken part in entrepreneurship programmes. Also polled were 380 teachers. The researchers received the cooperation of the organisations responsible for 21 projects.

An article by Vlerick based on the study can be downloaded in English from www.vlerick.com and in Dutch from www.flandersdc.be.