Thematic Line 5 - Entrepreneurial Learning for Innovation
Enabling research and teaching communities to co-create solutions for post-industrial city challenges.
In this Thematic Line students, researchers, educators and other stakeholders come together to develop innovative teaching methods and resources to inspire more entrepreneurship across all UNIC university campuses.
UNIC's seven cross-cutting Thematic Lines
are interlocking collaborative structures that establish relations between faculties of our universities around specific areas of post-industrial transition.
Topics covered by UNIC's thematic lines include health and wellbeing, sustainability, resilience and digitization, security, inclusion, entrepreneurship, and arts. They are communities of researchers and educators within UNIC that provide the contents for UNIC’s innovation in education, engagement, and cooperation capacities. Find out more about our Thematic Lines and get involved!
By involving cities and industry-experts in the co-creation process, Thematic Line 5 enables the research and teaching community to come up with solutions to post-industrial city challenges.
Our focus areas include entrepreneurial thinking, academic innovation, and dynamic learning experiences tailored to the diverse interests and needs of students across ten UNIC universities.
Academia to Entrepreneurial Impact (A2EI)
This programme offers doctoral students a unique opportunity to explore entrepreneurial thinking and academic innovation through a collaborative curriculum with leading institutions: Ruhr-Universität Bochum, University of Liège, University of Łódź, and Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship. This programme combines online modules, workshops, and seminars, culminating in an on-site 2-day training in Rotterdam. After following the A2EI programme, you will be able to:
• Understand and explain how entrepreneurial thinking can enhance academic careers and research impact.
• Apply entrepreneurial tools such as Lean Startup, Business Model Canvas, or Design Thinking to academic projects.
• Evaluate potential market opportunities and challenges for research-based innovations.
• Develop and pitch a compelling entrepreneurial vision for an academic or research-based venture.
Have questions or need more information? Contact us at education@ece.nl
Global Entrepreneurship and Innovation Nexus (GEIN)
Are you ready to develop the entrepreneurial mindset needed to navigate today’s dynamic job market? The UNIC: Series of Open Entrepreneurship Courses is your gateway to hands-on experience, interdisciplinary collaboration, and cutting-edge knowledge. As part of this initiative, the Technology Entrepreneurship module at Ruhr University Bochum (RUB) offers an exclusive opportunity for five UNIC students to participate in a fully online, flexible, and self-paced learning experience.
These courses are designed for students who want to:
✔ Develop key skills such as creativity, initiative, and persuasiveness.
✔ Gain real-world entrepreneurial experience through student-centered teaching methods.
✔ Expand their professional network by collaborating across disciplines.
The UNIC: Series of Open Entrepreneurship Courses
The UNIC series provides a comprehensive and dynamic learning experience tailored to the diverse interests and needs of students across ten UNIC universities. Offering both online and onsite courses, this program allows participants to build their own entrepreneurial journey by selecting specialized modules that align with their goals.
A pilot module - Technology Entrepreneurship at RUB - was offered to 5 UNIC students in April 2025, with lecturers Prof. Dr. Stefanie Bröring, Dr. Vivian Peuker-Steinhäuser, and Lev Kalishchuk.
Further courses are being offered in a flexible online format for 2025-26. See details here.
