Dutch Expert Tells GNDU Students: Entrepreneurship Must Leave the Classroom

Around 100 students at Guru Nanak Dev University heard Dutch entrepreneurship expert Mick Walwisch make one point repeatedly: entrepreneurship cannot be taught within the confines of a classroom alone. It must be experienced, tested against real-world challenges and shaped by an understanding of market needs.

The dialogue session, titled 'Entrepreneurship: The Future is Here', took place at GNDU in Amritsar and was organised by the Golden Jubilee Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in collaboration with Dr Rajdeep Singh Sohal. Prof Dr Vasudha Sambial, the centre's coordinator and a professor of Human Genetics, also met Walwisch during his visit.

The event formed part of a series of special academic events dedicated to the 450th foundational anniversary of Amritsar, which falls due in 2027. The series examines how practical entrepreneurship education, innovation and international knowledge exchange can help young people translate ideas into viable solutions.

What did Walwisch tell the students?

Walwisch is in India for six weeks. His engagement with GNDU is a continuation of a growing association built through previous visits, entrepreneurship programmes and knowledge-sharing initiatives under PUM (Programma Uitzending Managers), a Netherlands-based non-profit that connects experienced Dutch professionals with entrepreneurs and organisations in emerging markets.

"Entrepreneurship is not just about starting a company. It means identifying opportunities, finding solutions to problems and creating useful value for society. Punjab and India have immense potential to transform entrepreneurial talent into innovation, sustainable business and employment opportunities," Walwisch told the audience of around 100 students drawn from various academic streams.

Drawing on his background in business development, mentoring, nurturing new ventures and training, Walwisch argued that entrepreneurship education must move beyond theoretical instruction to meaningful, hands-on engagement. Students, he said, need opportunities to understand real-life problems, test their ideas, assess market demand and learn from the challenges of developing a business.

Such exposure, he argued, builds the confidence, practical judgement and skills needed to move from an initial concept to a sustainable enterprise. That progression — from idea to market-tested venture — is where classroom-only instruction falls short.

Why does the message matter for Punjab?

"For Punjab, where nurturing entrepreneurial talent can open pathways beyond conventional employment, the message carries particular significance. Connecting education with market realities can help aspiring entrepreneurs evaluate ideas more effectively, reduce the gap between concept and execution, and develop ventures that respond to genuine economic and social needs," Walwisch said.

The framing positions entrepreneurship as a route to employment generation in a state where conventional job paths dominate career expectations. The 2027 anniversary series gives GNDU a multi-year platform to host similar international knowledge exchanges.

Walwisch's ties to the university extend well beyond a single interaction. During earlier visits he contributed to:

• entrepreneurship boot camps
• training-of-trainers sessions
• capacity-building initiatives involving students, faculty members and aspiring entrepreneurs

He described his relationship with GNDU as significant on both professional and personal levels, and commended the university's willingness to collaborate, exchange ideas and build knowledge through continued engagement.

What comes next for GNDU's entrepreneurship push?

Prof Dr Vasudha Sambial framed the continuing engagement with Walwisch as a chance to deepen the university's approach through international cooperation and practical learning. "For Punjab's aspiring entrepreneurs, the larger promise lies in turning knowledge into innovation, innovation into enterprise, and enterprise into meaningful employment," she said.

The GNDU-PUM partnership, running on repeated visits rather than one-off lectures, signals a model other Indian universities may watch as the 2027 Amritsar anniversary events accelerate.