Meet Thomas Brekke and Jarle Løwe Sørensen, two of the creators of the EDUC course on International Entrepreneurial Mindset for PhD candidates, which is now being offered for the second time.
Together with research colleague Michael Jirásek (muni.cz) from Masaryk University, Jarle Løwe Sørensen and Thomas Brekke from the Univrstiy of south-Eastern Norway have developed one of the modules in the digital self-study course International Entrepreneurial Mindset.
The course is aimed at PhD students and designed to provide them with tools to position themselves more strongly in an increasingly international and competitive job market.
Read more and sign up: International Entrepreneurial Mindset
Registration deadline: 18 October
Learning Outcomes and Relevance
Through a combination of theoretical perspectives, practical exercises, and reflection on their own skills, participants learn how to leverage their PhD expertise across different sectors.
"We place particular emphasis on the development of transferable and entrepreneurial skills – that is, abilities that enable participants to identify new opportunities, build collaboration across disciplines and cultures, and contribute to innovation", says Jarle Løwe Sørensen.
His colleague Thomas Brekke adds: "We believe our course gives PhD candidates a unique position, whether they wish to pursue an academic career or apply their knowledge in business and society."
Practical Value
Brekke and Sørensen based the course on their own fields of expertise and developed modules that reflect their competencies, while also prioritising a cohesive structure:
"Through joint planning and dialogue, we ensured that the content was connected by a clear narrative, where the different parts built on each other and gradually expanded the participants' perspectives," says Sørensen.
The goal was to combine theory and practice in a way that provides both academic depth and practical value:
"The result is a course that not only strengthens participants' academic skills but also prepares them for the practical challenges they will face when transitioning to the workforce," says Brekke.
Change Agents
The two see great opportunities for further development of the course in the coming years and aim to make it an even stronger bridge-builder between academia and the professional world, while also strengthening the role of PhD candidates as change agents in society.
"A natural direction is to update some of the modules with newer frameworks for entrepreneurial learning. Additionally, we aim to expand with industry-specific examples and closer collaboration with businesses, so participants gain hands-on experience in applying their competencies in concrete contexts," Sørensen explains.
It may also be relevant to introduce more interactive learning formats – such as workshops, group assignments, and exercises – to provide even more practical experience and opportunities for networking.