The discourse about internationalising higher education has often been dominated by discussions about the needs of international students in a UK classroom. These students have already taken the first step towards improving their international awareness and are still a minority in our classrooms. What about the vast majority of our home students who are often local and have not had the opportunity to study abroad? Given that the uptake of physical mobility schemes is still low in the UK using technology to connect students with their peers in other countries offers a cost effective way of enhancing their cultural awareness. This paper presents the results of a pilot study in entrepreneurship education which used the COIL (Collaborative Online International Learning) approach to internationalisation at home. Students at Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) worked in teams with their peers at a Japanese institution using a Wiki, Skype and Facebook. During their six-week collaboration the Scottish students were monitored for their perceptions of their own intercultural sensitivity and their understanding of innovation and entrepreneurship in Japan and Scotland. Drawing on the results from an online evaluation survey this study makes a contribution to the pedagogical debate in entrepreneurship education which has not always paid sufficient attention to the relevance of intercultural skills in entrepreneurial activity. The data shows that students increased their awareness of the demands of cross-cultural team-working and improved their knowledge of entrepreneurship, innovation and trade across nations. On a more general note, this paper also reflects on the benefits and challenges for academic staff who collaborate with colleagues across national borders using internet based tools.
Glasgow, like many cosmopolitan cities, is in search of new ways to promote economic activity. Today's local government schemes are expected to fulfill an entrepreneurial role in the economic development of our cities and towns. However, to succeed in such an endeavor requires a formula that marshals collaborative effort into goal achievement. An example of such a multidisciplinary project can be found in the case of Chi & Co, a Glasgow-based yoga studio and instructor school and which is presented in this paper. The source and nature of enterprise supporting initiatives vary in intent, requirement, resources available and are often transient in availability. These limitations require that there be a strategic fit between the company need, academic expertise and drive as well as an enterprise agent, what we have labelled a formula for success. Meanwhile, success in commercialising fitness-related activities is the primary focus here, towards the goal of continued regeneration with an underlying socioeconomic agenda. Government support initiatives vary considerably, with the Princess Scottish Youth Business Trust awarding its innovation award in 2010 to a new start-up company selling golf experiences in Scotland, heralding the start of a focus on supporting innovations in sport and exercise as a commercial product. In addition, over the last three years, The Sporting Chance Initiative has helped more than 500 small businesses and innovators in Scotland to develop new products and services for sports markets, which include growth areas in fitness, leisure, adventure tourism and health/wellness by leveraging the expertise in our Higher Education Institutes, but this has not
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