Higher education institutions can build and foster an entrepreneurial culture by recruiting and engaging staff that have strong entrepreneurial backgrounds. This can bring in important human resources (knowledge, skills), as well as financial and social resources (access to networks), which are typically not available inside a higher education institution.

Higher education institutions should:

• Establish criteria to recognise the contribution of external stakeholders
• Define what kind of status and recognition should be offered to external stakeholders for their contributions to the entrepreneurial agenda e.g., fellowships, honorary doctorates, and industrial professorships
• Identify potential external stakeholders that could be awarded
• Use entrepreneurial attitudes and experience as criteria in recruitment and promotion processes

The results of these steps will depend upon the overall strategic focus of the HEI and its financial resources. The recruitment and the engagement of qualified entrepreneurial individuals can challenge traditional higher education institutions. This is especially the case for higher education institutions, which nurture and reward scientific excellence, based on peer-reviewed publications. HEIs will need to review and, if necessary, revise their recruitment and promotion criteria in order to ensure entrepreneurial individuals consider higher education as a career option. This, however, does not mean that achievements in teaching and research should be regarded as less relevant than enterprising and entrepreneurial skills and achievements. Ideally, the latter should be regarded as a core element of the selection criteria.

HEIs could also consider creating dedicated ‘entrepreneurship-related’ tracks or positions. Temporary recruitment of staff could be supported through a so-called Entrepreneur-in-Residence programme, whose mission is to promote awareness for entrepreneurship, promote synergies and assist with the launch of new entrepreneurial ventures.

An organisation-wide database of qualified entrepreneurial individuals from potential external partners, alumni, regional industry and business experts and entrepreneurs facilitates their systematic involvement in teaching, research, and business support activities.