Oklahoma State University takes entrepreneurship to Russia

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Michael Morris, head of Oklahoma State University’s School of Entrepreneurship, recently traveled across the world to teach OSU’s internationally-recognized entrepreneurship training program at the Dynamic Entrepreneurship Classroom in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Held at St. Petersburg University’s Graduate School of Management in mid May, the clinic was an intense, three-day event that taught the best practices in entrepreneurship education to faculty members from every corner of the Russian Republic. The main goal of the training program was to equip the participants with the tools they need to teach entrepreneurship both within universities and to Russian citizens hoping to start new ventures.

“We’re living in the entrepreneurial age,” Morris said. “Russia has made a profound transition from a closed, planned economy to a market-based economy centered on innovation and creativity. One loses sight of how really radical that is, but that’s when you feel you have an impact. Much of what you’re saying really resonates there.”

The 33 Russian faculty members who attended the Dynamic Entrepreneurship Classroom were exposed to lectures, discussions and demonstrations from American experts from OSU, Texas Christian University and Syracuse University. Participants were introduced to leading methods for teaching entrepreneurship, new perspectives on the core content of entrepreneurship, approaches for building a superior entrepreneurship program, and novel approaches to experimental teaching and learning.

“We were honored to host this very important program,” said Galina Shirokova, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship at St. Petersburg University.  “It is exciting to work with top entrepreneurship educators from America and to explore how the entrepreneurial spirit can be nurtured in the modern Russian economy.”

This is the fifth time OSU has joined with Texas Christian University and Syracuse University to reach out to Russian faculty members.

After returning from the conference, Morris said OSU has finalized a formal agreement with St. Petersburg University, one of the premier universities in Russia, for ongoing student and faculty exchanges.

“At OSU, we have embraced entrepreneurship as one of the most powerful tools for change and growth,” Morris said. “For us, entrepreneurship is a philosophy, a way of life. Our mission is to foster entrepreneurship in Oklahoma, the nation and even the world. The Dynamic Entrepreneurship Classroom is a key component of this mission.”