Unemployed graduate to the next Jack Ma? A counter-narrative to the entrepreneurship movement in higher education

Adult education and entrepreneurship: getting young adults involved

“…Ghana as a developing country needs many such young people with vision to help create sustainable jobs for the unemployed youth to do. This ties in well with Wright et al (2022) assertion that entrepreneurship should be taught in the universities for all students to foster, nature and grow their entrepreneurial mindsets and create sustainable jobs for themselves and many others.…”

“…A case study in China referred to as 'Mass Entrepreneurship and Innovation' initiative as part of national development strategy suggested fostering entrepreneurship amongst young adults. This initiative required universities to increase resources for entrepreneurial activities and for all students to complete an entrepreneurial course (Wright et al, 2022). The fact too is that such an entrepreneurial education not only aids those who start their own businesses but also each student can Biney Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (2023) 12:13 take notions of innovation and enterprising mindset built into them to their workplace employment in order to help the organisations of others to develop and flourish.…”

“…In fact, Talmage and Gassert (2020) illuminated on the importance of social entrepreneurship which students should begin to learn and acquire the requisite skills and knowledge to be relevant at their workplaces. In the Chinese situation, the universities demonstrated an economic contribution to the public good by instilling students with entrepreneurialism and providing guidance for starting businesses (Wright et al, 2022). The Ghanaian 'YouStart' model meant for building an entrepreneurial state does not provide all students with entrepreneurial education, but endeavours to cushion graduates from tertiary institutions with some funding to commence start-ups.…”

“…It argued that when an entrepreneurial mindset is fostered in young adults even as they learn formally in the schools, colleges and universities, they would also learn non-formally and informally in the world of work to become innovative in their entrepreneurial drive. After all, an entrepreneurship movement has advanced into higher education (Wright et al, 2022).…”

Entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurship policy and entrepreneurial competence: mediating effect of entrepreneurship competition in China

“…Entrepreneurship is a driver of economic growth and job creation (Reynolds et al, 2005), and the mass entrepreneurship in universities is understood as a product that meets national initiatives and relevant benchmarks (Wright et al, 2021), which are the most common reasons why entrepreneurship education is widely promoted (Wong, 2005;Fayolle et al, 2016). It also plays an essential role in addressing urgent economic, social and environmental issues such as global warming, poverty, biodiversity loss and pollution by creating value and new businesses (Shepherd and Patzelt, 2017).…”