Knowledge Valorisation in Doctoral Studies in Latvia: Entrepreneurship and the Development of Research Competencies in the Study Process

Māra Bernande,Agnese Slišāne,Gatis Lāma

doi:10.15388/actpaed.2021.47.13

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the self-assessment data of Latvian doctoral students relating to their entrepreneurship and research competencies and to explore how it correlates and what can be done to promote valorisation during the study process.An online survey using the QuestionPro platform was used to collect the data. The survey was fully completed by 43 doctoral students from various higher education institutions, and it consisted of 123 statements in which doctoral students assessed their competencies on a 7-point Likert scale. Five structured interviews were conducted in order to identify the supporting environment and other aspects that have an impact on the development of entrepreneurship and research competencies.The results of the research demonstrate a relatively low self-assessment of entrepreneurship competencies, which points to why doctoral students are unable to commercialise their knowledge. Unlike entrepreneurship competencies, research competencies can be considered as very high. According to the data, there is no clear correlation between entrepreneurship competence and research competence. The results also point to the fact that it is not sufficient to develop only one of the two competencies to ensure the valorisation of knowledge.For data to be fully representative, a higher number of respondents would have been desirable as well as a greater diversity of study programs represented, assuming that knowledge valorisation approaches and opportunities differ across sectors.Nonetheless, the results can be used for the development and implementation of the valorisation initiatives of higher education institutions.

Highlights

Universities determine the direction of the knowledge economy and social processes in many respects (Giuri et al, 2019), and their traditional mission of teaching and research has broadened to interactions with industry and with society more generally (Kapetaniou & Lee, 2017)
Competence-based education, in accordance with the increasingly diverse and interconnected world influenced by globalisation and modernisation, is topical from a purely economic viewpoint because it contributes to boosting productivity and market competitiveness, minimising unemployment through developing an adaptive and qualified labour force and creating an environment for innovation in a world dominated by global competition (OECD, 2018a)
The European Commission identified a sense of initiative and entrepreneurship as one of the eight key competencies necessary for a knowledge-based society and which all individuals should have to foster start-ups, innovation, and successful professional development (Bacigalupo et al, 2016) in order to bridge the gap between education and the labour market (Ferreras-Garcia et al, 2019)

Summary

Introduction

Universities determine the direction of the knowledge economy and social processes in many respects (Giuri et al, 2019), and their traditional mission of teaching and research has broadened to interactions with industry and with society more generally (Kapetaniou & Lee, 2017). Competence-based education, in accordance with the increasingly diverse and interconnected world influenced by globalisation and modernisation, is topical from a purely economic viewpoint because it contributes to boosting productivity and market competitiveness, minimising unemployment through developing an adaptive and qualified labour force and creating an environment for innovation in a world dominated by global competition (OECD, 2018a). The European Commission identified a sense of initiative and entrepreneurship as one of the eight key competencies necessary for a knowledge-based society and which all individuals should have to foster start-ups, innovation, and successful professional development (Bacigalupo et al, 2016) in order to bridge the gap between education and the labour market (Ferreras-Garcia et al, 2019). The increasing global inequality of opportunities and individual marginalisation call for initiative and innovation to promote individual participation in democratic institutions, social cohesion and justice, and human rights and autonomy (United Nations, 2020), which all have a profound impact on society as well as on the economy

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