“You feel, therefore you learn”: EEH’s trailblazer pioneers a new path to ignite entrepreneurial learning

Dr  Victor (Vik) Perez, associate professor at the Entrepreneurship and Enterprise Hub (EEH), XJTLU Entrepreneur College (Taicang), is spearheading a fresh and powerful learning approach to entrepreneurial education.

In his forthcoming book, “Mastery of Emotions in Entrepreneurship Education,” Dr Perez dives into the transformative power of emotions, revealing how they can significantly enrich and deepen students’ learning experience. This method isn’t confined to entrepreneurship education, it has the potential to enrich students' learning experiences across all disciplines.

Dr Perez introduced one of the techniques from the book at the end of the Technopreneurship Summer School hosted by the EEH in July 2024.

“This moment was carefully selected to leave a lasting impression and strengthen the students’ emotional connection with the knowledge and entrepreneurial skills they had developed during their time at XJTLU’s Taicang campus,” says Dr Perez.

Dr Perez elaborates that, to evoke the desired emotional impact, he created a distinctive piece titled "For When You Need Your Heart" — a poem-like composition set to music with his own voice. This special gift was shared with 59 participants of the summer school, providing them with a lasting source of inspiration and a boost of entrepreneurial energy whenever they needed it.

"My goal with these lyrics was to awaken and fuel the students' innate entrepreneurial passion," says Dr Perez. He likens emotions such as joy and passion to vitamins, vital for deepening students’ connection to their learning.

“When properly stimulated, passion and joy can serve as powerful catalysts, unlocking and maximizing one's entrepreneurial potential”, he adds.

Dr Perez is an advocate for radical creativity and a deep explorer of the subtleties that drive harmonious entrepreneurial performance. His upcoming book, “Mastery of Emotions in Entrepreneurship Education,” slated for release by Edward Elgar next year, will provide a comprehensive exploration of the MEE method, including its pedagogical tenets, techniques, and best practices. For those looking to connect with Dr Perez, please contact him via email at victor.perez@xjtlu.edu.cn.

Meanwhile, you can listen to the audio piece "For When You Need Your Heart" here. Experience it for yourself and discover how it might lift your emotional energy. For the most immersive experience, we recommend using headphones.

Content provided by: Victor (Vik) Perez
Edited by: Haolun Xu