The History of Entrepreneurial Education: The Role of Agents from Government and Civil Society in the USA and Brazil

Rose Mary Almeida Lopes ()
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Rose Mary Almeida Lopes: ANEGEPE

A chapter in Entrepreneurial Education in a Global and Digital World, 2026, pp 95-131 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract The history of Entrepreneurship Education (EE) often omits the crucial role of non-academic agents. This chapter aims to address this oversight by thoroughly examining the part played by government and civil society agents in the introduction, development, and dissemination of EE in higher education institutions (HEIs) in both the United States of America (USA) and Brazil. Comparative historical analysis is applied (Ferragina, Comparative historical analysis. LIEPP Methods Brief n°23, 2023-05, 2023), drawing on secondary sources for the USA and Brazil’s EE history and primary sources from interviews with Brazilian pioneers. The analysis reveals significant differences in contextual factors influencing EE trajectories. The trajectory of EE in Brazil reveals a significant delay compared to some historical milestones of EE in the USA, where government and civil society support for EE was consolidated decades earlier, often through top-down legislative and well-funded initiatives. Brazil’s journey, conversely, was characterized by more bottom-up efforts from individual academics and civil society, with governmental agencies becoming more directly involved in HEI-level EE much later. We emphasize the need to recognize the diversity of actors who contributed to EE, highlighting that robust EE ecosystems require continuous collaboration among academic, governmental, and civil society sectors. Therefore, we suggest that new HEI initiatives seek to involve civil society and government actors strategically, drawing lessons from the distinct historical paths and varying effectiveness of these agents in both countries.

Keywords: Entrepreneurial education; Higher education institution; Government agencies; Civil society agencies; Role (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:seschp:978-3-032-17012-5_6

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-17012-5_6

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