Identification of the Factors of Entrepreneurship Education that Contribute to Student Entrepreneurship Development at the University of Venda

Description

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18185158

Mashimbye Zanele, Nkondo Livhuwani Gladys, and Mampheu Vhuthu (Department of Business Management, Faculty of Management, Commerce and Law, University of Venda, South Africa)

Purpose – Higher education institutions in South Africa have implemented entrepreneurship courses, training programmes and competitions to promote student entrepreneurship development. Entrepreneurship education encourages individuals to start their businesses upon graduation, rather than seeking and relying on employment. However, research on the role of entrepreneurship education is limited. Hence, this study aims to identify factors of entrepreneurship education that contribute to student entrepreneurial development at the University of Venda. This study utilised a qualitative research design. The targeted population comprised University of Venda student-entrepreneurs who participate in entrepreneurship education programmes, and those who are registered for entrepreneurship courses. A convenience sampling technique was used to select 10 students and data was collected through semi-structured face-to-face and telephone interviews according to the research objectives. The collected data was analysed thematically using Atlas.ti version 8.4. The results identified some factors that include access to financial resources, entrepreneurship centre, entrepreneurial mindset, entrepreneurial knowledge and skills, mentorship and coaching, networking opportunities, and practical experience. This study is among the first to have managed to identify the factors that contribute to student entrepreneurship development in a university.