Exploring the impact of entrepreneurship education on university nonbusiness undergraduates

Vijay Vij and Steve Ball

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2010, vol. 9, issue 1, 86-109

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to examine whether the entrepreneurship education offered by final-year nonbusiness undergraduate programmes has equipped, encouraged and created an interest in 75 nonbusiness students setting up their own enterprise and/or developed entrepreneurial skills and thinking, which is supported by previous studies (Sarri and Trihopoulou, 2005; Vij, 2004). These students agreed that the entrepreneurship module has boosted mostly their self-confidence, determination, self-belief, drive to succeed by hard work and the acceptance of possible failures. The majority had a positive experience of creating business plans for their proposed enterprises. Only a few decided that they would rather be in employment. All agreed that the entrepreneurial skills gained from this module are transferable to any future working environment. Now, universities need to both focus on how to equip nonbusiness students with entrepreneurial skills, as well as create awareness that there is an alternative route to working other than being in employment.

Keywords: entrepreneurship education; entrepreneurial skills; entrepreneurial awareness; higher education; universities; transferable skills; business plans; small businesses; new business ventures; non-business students; employment; final-year undergraduates. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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