Mindset Behaviour Analysis (MBA) in higher education.
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: This article features a contribution by Marco Lamas, Business Innovation Lab Lead at ISLA - Instituto Politécnico de Gestão e Tecnologia in Portugal, and Paul Coyle, Director of the Entrepreneurial Mindset Network in France. The authors introduce the Mindset Behaviour Analysis (MBA) tools created through the SHINE Project (Scaling Higher Education Innovation using the Entrepreneurial Mindset). The piece explores online self-assessment and action-planning instruments designed for students, academics, and higher education leaders, detailing real-world testing events in Barcelona and Amsterdam and future plans for integrating mindset tools into higher education curricula. Key Themes and Concepts Covered Mindset Behaviour Analysis (MBA) Framework and the SHINE Project: Developed as core deliverables of the multi-partner SHINE Project involving 39 partners across 28 countries, the seven MBA tools provide digital self-assessment and action-planning platforms. Rather than attempting to quantitatively measure the entrepreneurial mindset, the framework focuses on stimulating self-reflection and tailoring practical action plans to diverse academic disciplines and national contexts. Student Startup Validation at EIT Health Barcelona: The MBA for student startups was tested during the EIT Health Career Path event in Barcelona with students representing 13 European countries. Through brief online completion followed by facilitated group discussions, participants co-created a comprehensive list of 337 concrete actions to enhance their entrepreneurial mindsets, demonstrating an efficient mechanism for gathering and disseminating student-led innovation ideas. Self-Reflection Tools for Higher Education Academics: Addressing an overlooked aspect of entrepreneurship education, the academic MBA shifts attention from what students should become to evaluating the mindsets and practices of educators themselves. Designed for academics across all disciplines, the tool prompts educators to assess their own entrepreneurial strengths and weaknesses and translate insights into improved teaching practices. Educator Feedback and Future Curriculum Integration: Initial evaluation at the 3E2024 conference in Amsterdam revealed strong endorsement from higher education educators, with 78 per cent rating the tool's conceptual introduction as good or very good. Future developments for the SHINE Project include creating practical guidance for academics to deploy MBA self-assessment tools within classroom settings as standard curriculum delivery components. Conclusion and Impact By moving beyond static measurement towards active self-reflection and co-created action planning, the Mindset Behaviour Analysis tools empower students, educators, and leaders across higher education institutions. Lamas and Coyle demonstrate that structured digital self-assessments combined with collaborative peer discussions accelerate the adoption of entrepreneurial mindsets, foster institutional culture change, and enhance educational practice globally. This article was first published in Express, the magazine of the Entrepreneurial Mindset Network, Volume 7, Issue 2.
Authors: Coyle, Paul, Lamas, Marco
Institution: ISLA - Instituto Politécnico de Gestão e Tecnologia
Language: English
Subfield: Management of Technology and Innovation
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Quality education
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225753207