Exploring Entrepreneurship Education Effectiveness at British Universities – An Application of the World Café Method

Abstract

Universities have made significant investments in entrepreneurship programs for decades, but the scope, relevance and usefulness of entrepreneurship education are still questioned. This study aims to explore the meaning of effectiveness as it relates to entrepreneurship education in a grounded and holistic sense, recognizing both the range of stakeholders involved in the design, delivery and experience of entrepreneurship education and the underlying complexity of the issue at hand. Two World Café events, a method designed to elicit grounded knowledge, were organized to seek insights from a diverse range of stakeholders. Results confirm and illustrate the complex nature of effectiveness in entrepreneurship education. The purpose of specific educational initiatives, diverse audiences’ expectations and contextual factors must be considered in any meaningful attempt at identifying effectiveness. Findings also revealed a consensus that effectiveness relates to creating a transformational process, which leads to a shift in attitudes towards entrepreneurship. This shift prepares students for careers that go beyond the launch of a new venture. The role of time lags in assessing effectiveness was also identified. We suggest an agenda for future research and practical implications.

Entrepreneurial view: Fostering entrepreneurship and innovation in universities by a web‐based course

“…In the world café methodology, three rounds were applied; in the first one, the guests elaborated on concepts of what the effectiveness of education meant within the entrepreneurship theme. One of the key findings was that defining the significance of entrepreneurship education depends on which audience is asked, how that audience defines entrepreneurship, and what type of entrepreneurship is addressed [12]. As a second step, the method used was to encourage participants to reflect on the practice of entrepreneurial skills and the commitment to programs and courses related to the theme.…”

Assessment methods in entrepreneurship education, challenges and opportunities in developed and developing nations: a comparative study of Nigeria and England

“…Entrepreneurship education (EE) had been examined by many scholars over the years (e.g. Haddoud, 2020;Igwe et al, 2019;Eid et al, 2019;Dana, 2018;Nowi nski et al, 2019;Alsharief and El-Gohary, 2016;Decker-Lange, 2020;El-Gohary et al, 2016;Nowi nski et al, 2019;Babatunde, 2016;El-Gohary et al, 2012;etc.). However, EE could be multilayered contingent with the emphasis of the educational course offered and the students enrolled in it.…”

“…Nevertheless, the approach of implementing its pedagogy differs across institutions, and importantly assessment techniques employed also differ (Pittaway and Edwards, 2012). Meanwhile, although governments, HE institutions and universities made noteworthy efforts and offered many resources to support EE and its programs in many countries around the world, some scholars argue that EE scope, importance, practices, significance and practicality are still far from being complete or optimal (Decker- Lange et al, 2020). Igwe et al (2019) provided insights on how EE can be embraced to improve students' abilities and capabilities and get them ready for place of work after graduation.…”

The Effects of Hackathons on the Entrepreneurial Skillset and Perceived Self-Efficacy as Factors Shaping Entrepreneurial Intentions

“…The aim of entrepreneurial education is not only to learn about this business field, but also to learn for engaging in entrepreneurial activity (Decker-Lange et al 2020). Universities create a range of teaching interventions that aim to stimulate entrepreneurial behavior and competency building among students (Ilonen and Heinonen 2018;Packham et al 2010;Wenninger 2019).…”

“…The goals of these interventions involve equipping students with skills and competencies and/or changing students' attitudes towards entrepreneurial activity both in small start-ups, as well as in larger corporations (Kuratko and Morris 2018;Williams 2019;Ustav and Venesaar 2018). As these changes are internal, they are often regarded as "soft" impacts, as opposed to the "hard" impacts, which relate to actual new business creation (Nabi et al 2017;Decker-Lange et al 2020). Therefore, a hackathon may be regarded as a possible teaching intervention aimed at producing "soft" impacts on entrepreneurial education (Nabi et al 2017).…”