Every Character Needs a Productive Entrepreneurial Spirit

Tilburg University’s latest strategic plan (2022-2027) focuses on four core values: Curious, caring, connected, and courageous. The university aims to be a place where both students and employees can (further) develop their character in these four directions. For this, they must acquire and demonstrate an entrepreneurial spirit, as the Executive Board and Deans state in their foreword. Later on, in the strategic plan, the importance of entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial thinking is emphasized several times more. The university strives to pay more attention to entrepreneurship during educational programs, and Tilburg University is involved in several initiatives that stimulate and facilitate entrepreneurship. However, it remains unclear what exactly is meant by entrepreneurship, who should master it, and what role the university plays in this. In this essay, I discuss possible answers and conclude: Indeed, every character needs an entrepreneurial spirit, but one that is productive for society.