Designed to showcase and celebrate the very best of university entrepreneurship! We are excited to read about the great achievements of university entrepreneurship programs and proud to recognize them. Each year, the GCEC recognizes the top entrepreneurship programs in nine categories. More than one winner may be selected in each category, except for the Nasdaq Center of Entrepreneurial Excellence.
This award honors a center dedicated to expanding access to entrepreneurship education to a specific audience or area of focus, such as technology/knowledge transfer, social entrepreneurship, women in entrepreneurship, arts & humanities, non-majority populations, etc. Selection criteria include innovation of programming, measurable outcomes, partner engagement and long-term impact.
This award honors an entrepreneurship center that is 5 years old or less (from official Center launch date). Applicants must clearly state the purpose and goals of the center and include the target audience (s). Highlight what you believe differentiates the center from peer centers. This might include but is not limited to a specific challenge you overcame to launch the Center, how you created buy in with key stakeholders, ability to attract major donors, engagement with cross campus or community partners, etc. Selection criteria will include Center’s objectives, campus and community engagement, program portfolio and metrics to date.
Outstanding Emerging Entrepreneurship Center
This award honors an entrepreneurship center that is 5 years old or less (from official Center launch date). Applicants must clearly state the purpose and goals of the center and include the target audience (s). Highlight what you believe differentiates the center from peer centers. This might include but is not limited to a specific challenge you overcame to launch the Center, how you created buy in with key stakeholders, ability to attract major donors, engagement with cross campus or community partners, etc. Selection criteria will include Center’s objectives, campus and community engagement, program portfolio and metrics to date.
Outstanding Contributions to Venture Creation
This award honors a center that creatively supports the process of launching and accelerating university affiliated startups through 1) competitions, 2) incubators, 3) accelerators, or 4) other programs. Selection criteria will include the strength of program content, specific outcomes of the program, growth of program over time and level of community engagement.
Exceptional Activities in Entrepreneurship Across Disciplines
This award honors a center dedicated to creating, advancing, and enabling entrepreneurship education opportunities to multiple audiences and units across campus. Selection criteria will include creativity of multidisciplinary approach, measured impact across campus, and diversity of partners and stakeholders.
Excellence in Entrepreneurship Teaching and Pedagogical Innovation
This award honors a center that has developed a significant original innovation in entrepreneurship pedagogy. Selection criteria includes differentiation from existing programs, measurable learning outcomes, student engagement and stakeholder support.
Outstanding Student Engagement & Leadership
This award honors a center that amplifies their impact by achieving high levels of student engagement and student leadership in its entrepreneurship programs. Selection criteria includes level of student engagement, impact of student leaders on Center and variety of students’ projects
Exceptional Contributions in Entrepreneurship Research
This award honors a center that is dedicated solely or as part of their overall mission to support the creation of new entrepreneurship knowledge through research that advances the discipline.
Nasdaq Center of Entrepreneurial Excellence
The Nasdaq Center of Entrepreneurial Excellence award represents the highest honor that a University Entrepreneurship Center can receive. This special award was created by Nasdaq in association with the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers for the purpose of recognizing the unique achievements and outstanding efforts of entrepreneurship centers across the world.
GCEC Legacy Award
This special award is for pioneering work in advancing entrepreneurship in universities and/or directing a university entrepreneurship center that created a legacy impact on the field of entrepreneurship.
Award nominations are being accepted using the Reviewr platform from July 8 to August 10, 2020. Nominations must be received by midnight August 10, 2020 to be considered.
Feel free to contact one of the following:
Quynhmai Nguyen
Senior Director of Operations
Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship
