How Interdisciplinary Education Hones Requisite Skills For Entrepreneurs
In their study ‘A Multidisciplinary Approach to Creating the Entrepreneurial Mindset Amongst Graduates’, Angela Hamouda and Colman Ledwith strongly recommend this modern “reform” in education. The Dundalk Institute of Technology scholars assert that while entrepreneurs recognise opportunities, skills from interdisciplinary learning allow them to conceive, design and build ideas. Both types of skills complement each other.
It is now well established that entrepreneurship is the backbone of growing economies. It’s particularly true of India, which is seen as a land of opportunities all over the world. For our economy to flourish, we need more entrepreneurs, who give rise to successful and sustainable businesses. But for that to happen, future entrepreneurs will need to call upon skills that they can gain only through interdisciplinary education.
What do experts say?
A European Commission report read, “Traditional educational methods do not correlate well with the development of entrepreneurial traits and attributes and that interdisciplinary collaboration is an essential element of building enterprising abilities.” That belief has been supported and propagated not only by leading academic and researchers all over the world but industry practitioners and entrepreneurs too.
According to noted historian and academic Dr Patrick French, students with interdisciplinary education including Liberal Arts are more adept to problem-solving. Other experts assert that it promotes lateral and innovative ways of thinking, which are crucial for professionals and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. There are examples galore of Tech companies hiring professionals with some Liberal Arts backgrounds. Others have followed suit.
Building vital skills for entrepreneurs
In an interdisciplinary setup, students are exposed to varied perspectives and schools of thought. That enables them to approach a business issue from different angles as they look for solutions. It thus organically enhances their problem-solving skills, which is a vital ability for future entrepreneurs. It’s also important to realise that entrepreneurs are captains of their ships and have to take decisions, where they benefit immensely through this approach.
One of the most underrated entrepreneurial skills is creativity. While being a visionary and the appetite for risks are skills that are often touted, you can’t lose sight of creative skills, which will come into play a lot more in the fast-evolving and versatile world of entrepreneurship. But arguably the most important lesson of the interdisciplinary approach comes through the understanding of and interacting with minds from diverse backgrounds.
Entrepreneurs at the helm of matters might not necessarily have to lead teams directly, but they realize the benefits of getting the best from their personnel for business. The interdisciplinary approach encourages students to transcend boundaries of discipline and engage with peers from different backgrounds. That along with the other crucial skills can make for successful entrepreneurs of tomorrow.