Danish universities have become much better at inspiring and preparing their students to start their own companies, according to the Education and Research Ministry.
The number of entrepreneurs who are either students or have just graduated from universities in Denmark has increased by 43 percent over the past ten years.
One of the reasons is that universities have begun focusing more on entrepreneurship, John Parm Ulhøj, a professor at Aarhus University who researches entrepreneurship, told Jyllands-Posten newspaper. Media focus on successful entrepreneurs has helped give them a higher social status.
“A general culture change has occurred so that it is now more accepted to be an entrepreneur,” Ulhøj said. “It has become more legitimate so people no longer frown at you if the company that you start doesn’t succeed.”
Women making move
The figures, which are based on finding by national stats keepers Danmarks Statistik, showed that university-graduate entrepreneurs are far better at generating employment and growth than other entrepreneurs.
Almost half of university-graduate entrepreneurs still have their companies after three years and the production in their companies’ increases on average by seven percent every year. The report also revealed that far more women have become entrepreneurs over the past decade.
“The figures show that more women will be behind the development of innovative solutions in Danish business, either as entrepreneurs or in leading position in established companies,” Sofie Carsten Nielsen, the education and research minister said in a press release.
