Interdisciplinary Learning Key to Entrepreneurial Success

In an interview with The Daily Guardian (TDG), Prof. Vishal Shah, Faculty of Entrepreneurship at FLAME University, shared his insights on how an interdisciplinary, liberal education model empowers young entrepreneurs, the significance of experiential learning, and the role of innovation in shaping values-driven business leaders. He also spoke about decolonizing entrepreneurial thinking and blending corporate leadership experience with academia to make entrepreneurship education truly impactful.

1. In your view, how does an interdisciplinary, liberal education model empower young entrepreneurs to think beyond conventional business boundaries?
Entrepreneurship is a melting pot for interdisciplinary and liberal education, as it can serve as a platform for the application of learning across various disciplines. An entrepreneur is primarily a generalist, and hence it is a distinct advantage to be an entrepreneur with a backdrop of interdisciplinary learning.
A case in point is the Incubation program, which is run by the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at FLAME University, whereby we have students from different disciplines who have a start-up idea that they would want to pursue. We nurture these students and their ideas with active participation from faculty mentors across various streams and subject matter expertise.

2. Many institutions talk about ‘experiential learning’-how do you believe it can truly transform entrepreneurial thinking, especially among students from family-run businesses?
Entrepreneurship is not a spectator sport. Hence, experiential learning in entrepreneurship education needs to be the norm rather than a value-add or a buzzword. This is especially true in the case of family-run businesses, where there are multiple complexities that one has to deal with. This is why, at FLAME University, we have integrated programs like the Family Business Accelerator, which is run by the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, as an extension to classroom learning to enable the practical application of concepts learned in the classroom while engaging even the parents who are running the family business.
This unique initiative helps the student implement the learnings taught in the course on “Professionalizing Family Business” in their family business. It actively engages the stakeholders of the family business during various stages of the program. This year, the parents of all students came down to our FLAME campus to have a discussion on the challenges and chalk out a roadmap for growth in their family business. The program enabled the student to get a deeper understanding of the family business and build a perspective to enable the next level of growth.
The Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation facilitated this journey by conducting a business diagnostic, followed by weekly one-on-one mentoring sessions with the students and also the parents, to help achieve the goals set for the business. The center also facilitated market visits in the specific industry of the student’s family business. In this way, FLAME paves the way for experiential learning outside the classroom and transforms entrepreneurial thinking.

3. FLAME University emphasizes decolonizing the mind through education. How important is it for business owners and entrepreneurs to decolonize their approach to leadership and growth?
It is absolutely important to understand and appreciate the fact that Indian businesses and the way to do business in India is different from the way it is done in the Western world. As it is rightly said, India is not for beginners. We have multiple countries within one country. The way a businessman operates in Kolkata is different from the one in Ahmedabad. This is why we need to have our own, unique indigenous solutions that are developed after a thorough understanding of the diverse entrepreneurial landscape in India.

4. What role does innovation in education play in shaping resilient, values-driven entrepreneurs?
Innovation will play a significant role if entrepreneurship education has to deliver true value to our students. We need to break away from the conventional methods, which may not be applicable to a field like entrepreneurship, and combine multiple pedagogies to be able to achieve the desired outcomes.
FLAME University offers diverse pedagogies with an emphasis on innovation to shape value-driven entrepreneurs. Our FLAME Entrepreneurship Lab, which is a student-driven initiative, proactively complements classroom learning. BLAZE is a two-day entrepreneurship event and another initiative at FLAME that gives students from colleges across the country an opportunity to experience the various facets of entrepreneurship through hackathons, engaging workshops, and guest sessions by subject matter experts.

5. How do you blend your corporate leadership experience with academic learning models to make entrepreneurship education more impactful?
With FLAME University’s mission to bridge the industry-academia gap, my corporate experience across multiple industries and roles serves to be a distinct advantage as a faculty member, as it enables me to develop practical, industry-driven courses that can create the right impact for our students. However, there is a dire need for collaboration amongst all the stakeholders within the entrepreneurship ecosystem, as the desired results cannot be achieved by academicians and educational institutions in isolation

This interview has valuable insights from Prof. Vishal Shah, Faculty of Entrepreneurship, FLAME University.