CHED: “Technopreneurship” should be part of course

CEBU, Philippines -  The Commission on Higher Education is pushing for the incorporation of entrepreneurship in the academe, particularly on the influence it would make on students trained on engineering and those with technological-related courses.

During the Innovative Development through Entrepreneurship Acceleration (IDEA) Global Entrepreneurship Symposium 2015 yesterday, CHED expressed its support to further provide advanced learning for students on ‘technopreneurship.’

CHED chairperson Patricia Licuanan said the idea of ‘technopreneurship’ or how to merge entrepreneurship with science and technology has been a challenge to them.

CHED previously signed a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Science and Technology Develop-ment Foundation-Manila, Inc. (PhilDev), the organizer of the event, for the inclusion of the ‘technopreneurship’ track in the engineering curriculum.

After three years, ‘technopreneurship’ may be included in the three-unit general education elective for undergraduate degrees in engineering and a track elective for graduate students.

“So that all the engineers in the country will start thinking about the prospects of producing products that might be eventually commercial and that can really help Philippine (economic) development,” she added.

 Licuanan said they have been developing the basic ‘technopreneurship’ course as they are also cooperating with other institutions in training some of its faculty members, who would eventually teach the course.

“We are just beginning but we intend it will be something productive. The USAID- PhilDev project is only until 2016 so it is the wish of PhilDev that someone will also continue it, (and with that) CHED has promised to do that beyond 2016,” she shared.

The symposium, she said, would make engineering programs more competitive and at the same time also generate certain types of start-ups and businesses in the Philippines.

“Entrepreneurship makes a larger difference. It has a greater impact because it really raises the income across the country,” said Licuanan.

The symposium yesterday was organized by the PhilDev, in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Participants of the event included students from the University of San Carlos, Cebu Technological University, Cebu Institute Technology-University, University of Cebu, University of San Jose-Recoletos, University of the Philippines-Cebu, Southwestern University, Don Bosco Technological Center, Asian College of Technology, Informatics College-Cebu, and University of the Visayas. (FREEMAN)