Facilitating Entrepreneurial Experiences through a Software Engineering Project Course

Skills and competencies in entrepreneurship, such as the ability to generate innovative ideas and the courage to engage with stakeholders and society, have gained importance in engineering curricula. In this case study paper, we report on how we have integrated entrepreneurial experiences into a software engineering project course and made the creation of value and reflection on the application of a structured process the heart and soul of the course. Based on current research on entrepreneurship education as well as the definition of entrepreneurial competencies used by the European Union, we show how the learning objectives, the teaching moments, the integration of external stakeholders, and the assessment work together to create an entrepreneurial environment in which students are encouraged and rewarded to work in an entrepreneurial way. Based on data from reflection reports, course evaluations, and interviews we discuss the pros and cons of our approach and how the student perception and expectations often run counter to the motivations of the course design. We thus contribute guidance for other teachers based on our own experiences in relation to the findings of our peers.