Liverpool John Moores University

Professor Track Dinning's journey in entrepreneurship education began as a business owner and sports sector practitioner, where she developed resilience, adaptability and decision-making skills that continue to shape her leadership. Believing entrepreneurial thinking is developed through structured, practice-based learning rather than theory alone, she has advanced a clinical education model. Her PhD research on articulating the unarticulated entrepreneurial competencies highlighted students' varying confidence and readiness, reinforcing her commitment to live consultancy projects and real-world problemsolving. Rather than focusing on knowledge transmission, the emphasis is on capability development, enabling students to apply what they know, reflect on outcomes and continuously adapt their approach.

Preparing Students for Uncertainty

A practice-based, clinical approach to education enables students to move beyond theory and develop the capabilities required in professional contexts. Through large-scale engagement with external organisations, ranging from the third sector to SMEs, students contribute thousands of hours of consultancy each year. This work involves addressing live business challenges, navigating ambiguity and responding to evolving client needs. Crucially, this is not simulated activity; it is active participation in the economic and social realities that define contemporary work.

At Liverpool Business School, I have been developing its studentled business consultancy, Business Clinic, for several years.

The impact of this model can be significant and multidimensional. From a student perspective, applied learning accelerates the development of core entrepreneurial competencies, including problem-solving, communication, adaptability and professional judgement. Students build confidence by delivering outcomes in real settings, receiving feedback from clients, business mentors and now AI and then reflecting on their performance. In an increasingly unpredictable world, this approach ensures that graduates are equipped not simply with knowledge, but with the ability to apply that knowledge effectively.

Creating Shared Value Through Collaboration

From a societal perspective, applied learning generates measurable social value. Student-led consultancy supports organisations that may not otherwise have access to strategic expertise, particularly within the SME and third sectors. This contributes to regional economic development, supports innovation at a local level and strengthens connections between universities and their communities.

There is also a broader ecosystem impact. By embedding structured collaboration with external partners into the curriculum, universities act as active contributors to business and civic ecosystems rather than operating at a distance from them. Students become intermediaries between knowledge and practice, applying academic insight to real challenges while simultaneously feeding industry perspectives back into the learning environment. This creates a dynamic, reciprocal relationship between education and practice.

The Power of Reflection and Feedback

Driving innovation and change at scale has reinforced that for me to be an effective leadership in higher education, it is not about control, but about enabling capability. Leading large, complex academic communities requires a deliberate focus on empowerment, creating the conditions where others can develop, contribute and lead.

A critical lesson in my own leadership journey has been the importance of moving beyond rescue mode, the instinct to step in and resolve challenges quickly. While this can deliver short-term results, it limits long-term capability and ownership. Instead, I now try to adopt a coaching-led approach, using structured questioning, active listening and space for reflection to support colleagues in developing their own solutions.

I find that reflection is central to this approach. Creating intentional time for reflection, both individually and with peers, allows for more thoughtful decision-making and continuous improvement. In practice, this means stepping back from immediate pressures to consider not just what works, but why it works and how it can be sustained or adapted. Peer dialogue plays an equally important role, enabling shared learning and the exchange of perspectives across the School.

“Ultimately, success in an increasingly complex world will not be defined by what individuals know, but by their ability to act, learn and adapt.”

Equally important is the role of feedback. Personally, I actively seek input from my team on my leadership approach to ensure it aligns with their needs and enables them to perform at their best. This creates a more responsive and adaptive leadership style, one that evolves alongside the team and supports different ways of working, thinking and leading.

I feel that for universities to sustain innovation it depends on leaders who create space for thinking, encourage feedback and prioritise capability development. Leadership, in this context, is less about directing outcomes and more about enabling others to navigate uncertainty with confidence and clarity

Global Collaboration as an Opportunity

Entrepreneurship education is entering a pivotal phase, shaped by increasing opportunities for global collaboration. Institutions are no longer operating in isolation; instead, they are forming international partnerships to share practice, co-develop curricula and benchmark performance across diverse educational and economic contexts. This global exchange is accelerating the adoption of applied, practice-based approaches and enabling more consistent standards of excellence in enterprise education worldwide.

By connecting students, educators and organisations across borders, entrepreneurship education can foster broader perspectives, support cross-cultural competence and strengthen the relevance of learning in an interconnected economy. At its best, this model positions universities as active contributors to innovation ecosystems, supporting business growth, knowledge exchange and social impact on a global scale.

However, there are important challenges to navigate. One of the most pressing is the increasing emphasis on data, metrics and performance indicators within higher education. While these provide useful measures of accountability and impact, there is a risk that an over-reliance on quantitative outputs may narrow the focus of education. Entrepreneurship education, by its nature, is deeply human—centred on creativity, judgement, resilience and collaboration. These are not always easily captured through metrics, yet they remain critical to long-term success.

A further challenge lies in sustaining effective leadership within a sector characterised by continuous change. The expectation to respond quickly to shifting priorities, combined with the demands of an always-on working culture, can limit the capacity for reflection and strategic thinking. Without space to pause, evaluate and adapt, there is a risk that innovation becomes reactive rather than purposeful.

To address these challenges, there is a need for balance, we need data and metrics to inform decision-making but not define it. Equally, leadership must prioritise sustainability, creating time for reflection, maintaining clear boundaries and ensuring that change initiatives are meaningful and enduring.

Therefore, the future of entrepreneurship education will depend on its ability to remain both globally connected and locally responsive, while preserving the human dimensions of learning that underpin genuine entrepreneurial capability.

Taking Small Steps Towards Lasting Growth

For educators and young professionals seeking to develop an entrepreneurial mindset, the starting point is engagement. Applied learning does not happen in isolation, it requires connection with industry, community and wider professional networks. Partnerships with organisations such as Business in the Community (BiTC) and the Federation of Small Businesses demonstrate the value of bridging academic and professional contexts.

For educators, this means rethinking their role, not simply as deliverers of content, but as designers of learning experiences that enable students to engage with real challenges.

For emerging professionals, the focus should be on taking deliberate, manageable steps, identifying opportunities to apply knowledge, reflect on experience and build capability over time.

Ultimately, success in an increasingly complex world will not be defined by what individuals know, but by their ability to act, learn and adapt. Applied learning provides the foundation for this, equipping individuals with the confidence and competence to navigate uncertainty and create meaningful impact.