Funding for Hunter Centre project to embed entrepreneurial mindset in primary schools
Scottish Government funding has been secured by Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship, Strategy and Innovation academics Suzanne Mawson, Lucrezia Casulli and Sarah Dodd to transform how entrepreneurial mindset is understood and taught in primary schools.
Funded under the latest round of the Entrepreneurial Education Pathway Fund, the project - From Myth to Method - will create a professional development programme designed to engage teachers in exploring the principles and practice of Entrepreneurial Mindset education as a life skill and employment skill.
At its heart, From Myth to Method is about empowering educators. Primary educators play a critical role in shaping an entrepreneurial culture; research increasingly shows that an entrepreneurial mindset - the ability to think creatively, take the initiative, and learn from challenges - is most effectively nurtured during the early years of a child’s education.
Building on the success of the previously funded project “Meet the RECCO Crew”, this project will take primary school educators on a journey: from challenging myths about entrepreneurship, to co-creating pedagogical approaches that nurture entrepreneurially minded young learners across Scotland.
Previous funding allowed the Hunter Centre academic team to create The RECCO Crew storybooks and linked activity packs for all Primary 1-3 children in Scotland.
The goal now is for teachers to be equipped with classroom-ready lesson plans and materials that encourage the development of entrepreneurial skills such as Resilience, Empathy, Collaboration, Creativity and Optimism, skills which make up The RECCO Crew.
Strathclyde Inspire - a University-wide initiative that supports students, staff, and alumni in developing their entrepreneurial skills and starting businesses - has a role in the project too. Fiona Ireland, Head of Entrepreneurship Strategy, said, “Strathclyde Inspire is delighted to contribute in kind to this project. As Scotland’s leading entrepreneurial campus, the University is committed to equipping learners of all ages with the mindset and skills to spot opportunities, think creatively and build their ideas with confidence. Supporting the creation of entrepreneurial mindset learning materials for primary pupils reflects our entrepreneurship strategy to reach beyond university walls and help embed entrepreneurship education across Scotland’s schools, communities and workplaces.”
In co-creating novel teaching and learning approaches, and bringing The RECCO Crew along for the ride, the project team aims to foster an entrepreneurship culture that is people, planet and society-focused, creating value in the places and spaces that need it.
Published: 4 December 2025
