Junior entrepreneurship
Junior Enterprises are effective methods for spreading the entrepreneurial spirit in Europe’s youth. Students who participated in these activities are more self-confident, more innovative, more likely to seek new solutions. I would, therefore, like to stress the role played by organisation like JADE, and the importance of Junior Enterprises as learning tools and bridges between university and the business world. (José Manuel Barroso President of the European Commission)
Junior entrepreneurship
What is a Junior Enterprise?
A Junior Enterprise – is a non-profit civil social organization, formed and managed exclusively by undergraduate and postgraduate students of higher education, which provides services for companies, institutions and society, under the guidance of teachers and professionals with the goal to consolidate and enhance the learning or their members.
Junior Enterprises are similar to real companies, counting with the principles of corporate governance like management council and executive board, and own regulation.
Junior Enterprises are similar to real companies, counting with the principles of corporate governance like management council and executive board, and own regulation.
- Legal entity
- Non-profit organization
- Non-political
- Non-religious
- Fostering entrepreneurship spirit
- Managed enterily by students
- Linked to a institution of higher education
- Aiming at sustainable activity
- Fostering members development
Objectives of a Junior Enterprise
Providing a “learning by doing” experience for students: The concept of Junior Enterprises aims to provide students of higher education with a unique “learning by doing” experience. While still studying at the university, students create and manage their own non-profit SMEs. They offer various consulting services to the market, in relation to their field of study, such as marketing, finance, communication and engineering. Joining or creating a Junior Enterprise provides them with unique learning opportunities not only by working on professional project but also by managing small- to medium- sized enterprises.
Connecting academic knowledge and the business world: Adding practical experience to their theoretical skills, Junior Entrepreneurs provide businesses with state-of-the-art knowledge from universities.
Connecting academic knowledge and the business world: Adding practical experience to their theoretical skills, Junior Entrepreneurs provide businesses with state-of-the-art knowledge from universities.
Fostering entrepreneurial skills: The Junior Enterprise experience helps to develop new kind of skills, needed in modern economies and societies. Developing self-confidence and experiencing entrepreneurship at an early stage is one of the many opportunities a Junior Enterprise offers. In international partnerships and conferences, Junior Enterprises are entities of multicultural learning and exchange in a conductive and competitive environment.
Enhancing employability in a local market: Junior Enterprises are self-sustaining and self-developing organizations without little demand for external resources. They usually finance their day to day activities through projects and partnerships with local as well as with international companies. However, in order to succeed they depend on the motivation, the willingness and the commitment of the students. This is why Junior Enterprises usually attract very talented students from various fields of study. Due to this accumulation of talents in one organization, Junior Enterprises can help local companies to search for and employ talented, experienced and motivated students from one single place.
Improving local economic and social growth: Being students, Junior Entrepreneurs are a direct way to promote universities brands to local companies.
A high-developed Junior Enterprise will automatically improve the university’s reputation and recognition and will also help to increase the brand awareness of the university which attracts even more talented students. This is by far not the only local impact of a Junior Enterprise. Since a Junior Enterprise’s services are very requested especially by local SME’s, they help to strongly improve and support the local economy. Given the fact that 21% of former Junior Entrepreneurs start their own company within 3 years after graduation (EU average: 4-8%), Junior Enterprises are an essential motor for innovation and economic growth.
Enhancing employability in a local market: Junior Enterprises are self-sustaining and self-developing organizations without little demand for external resources. They usually finance their day to day activities through projects and partnerships with local as well as with international companies. However, in order to succeed they depend on the motivation, the willingness and the commitment of the students. This is why Junior Enterprises usually attract very talented students from various fields of study. Due to this accumulation of talents in one organization, Junior Enterprises can help local companies to search for and employ talented, experienced and motivated students from one single place.
Improving local economic and social growth: Being students, Junior Entrepreneurs are a direct way to promote universities brands to local companies.
A high-developed Junior Enterprise will automatically improve the university’s reputation and recognition and will also help to increase the brand awareness of the university which attracts even more talented students. This is by far not the only local impact of a Junior Enterprise. Since a Junior Enterprise’s services are very requested especially by local SME’s, they help to strongly improve and support the local economy. Given the fact that 21% of former Junior Entrepreneurs start their own company within 3 years after graduation (EU average: 4-8%), Junior Enterprises are an essential motor for innovation and economic growth.
