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Interest in higher education institutions (HEIs) as instruments for development has increased in recent years. The main objective of this paper is to address the contribution of HEIs to development through their missions, models, and challenges. With this purpose, we perform a historical analysis and characterise higher-education systems through the perspective of university models and missions, noticing relevant aspects regarding the evolution of this institution over time, as well as the transformations undergone. We also consider the main challenges that current higher education systems face in the 21st century. As methodological approaches, we carry out a literature review complemented by a comparative analysis based on data from the higher education systems of ten European countries. The findings show that HEIs can contribute to development through their missions, which are related to the models of higher education. Their first mission (teaching) contributes to improving human capital and attracting highly qualified people to their regions; the second mission (research) improves scientific knowledge which can foster innovative activities; and the third mission (community service) acts as a link between research and business, including patents, business incubators, and collaboration agreements. We also conclude that the challenges of higher education in the 21st century can be categorised essentially in three main areas: (1) globalisation and massification of higher education, as well as the internationalisation of HEIs' missions and diversification of the educational supply to attract new students; (2) new technologies related to the digitalisation of teaching and distance learning; and (3) higher education entrepreneurship, showing the importance of university-company relationships. This paper provides a global setting for a reflection on the role of HEIs in the 21st century, given their connection with society and the need for a more effective contribution to socio-economic development.

To promote social consciousness and a sense of responsibility, educational proposals organised around the principles of technology-enhanced project-based language learning (Dooly & Sadler, 2016) should engage students in a process of reflecting upon and responding to crucial social issues. Thus, in this paper we will present a project carried out by two groups of primary education students who launched a solidarity campaign to collect money for four Syrian children living in a refugee camp in Greece. The project was implemented in a cross-disciplinary Arts and Crafts class taught through English and resulted in significant outputs in English (those addressed to the Syrian children) and in Catalan (those targeted at the local community). First, we outline the student-led project and then we analyse some fragments of student plurilingual practices during the project development that demonstrate their learning gains. Our findings reveal that our meaningful contextualised cross-disciplinary project favoured the natural integration of multiple skills, competences, and field knowledge form various disciplines while promoting a sense of social consciousness and empathy. First, it enabled children to put their plurilingual competence into play and take decisions regarding language choices to meet particular communicative objectives. Second, it contributed to the acquisition of 21st century knowledge, competence, and skills, while helping the learners gain social values. Third, it engaged learners in processes of problem solving, decision making and creative thinking that lead to the development of entrepreneurial competencies. To conclude we argue that when young learners are given responsibilities and opportunities to take up socially relevant challenges learning becomes meaningful for them and those around them.

This paper presents data from two international projects focused on the interaction between changemaking and digital making in university students. The data is drawn from the contributions of 63 university students located in the United States, Romania, Spain, Belgium, Norway, Denmark and England. Using a design thinking methodology and a thematic analysis of student responses, the aim was to understand how the creative use of immersive technologies, such as augmented and virtual reality, might create an environment for changemaking practices in an international context. Findings suggest that students demonstrated not only enhanced digital skills and student engagement but increased cultural competence and global mindfulness. International digital collaboration can create conditions for students to develop changemaker attributes and identify as changemakers within the spheres of entrepreneurship and education, preparing them to be a force for change in the world.

Purpose: The present research focuses on an understudied field in the entrepreneurial process: the events that transform intention into effective entrepreneurial behavior. Design/methodology/approach: In this paper a comparative analysis, using the t-test on related samples, is made of the perceptions of these triggering events of a group of graduates who showed entrepreneurial intention in higher education but, up to now, had not taken the decision to start a business with those of a group who had started a business. To do this, a sample of 227 graduates from a medium-sized European University located in Spain, with manifest entrepreneurial intention was used. Findings: The results show that there are important differences between perceptions of entrepreneurship triggering events of potential entrepreneurs who have yet to start a company compared to entrepreneurs who have actually started a company. In this sense, the overevaluation by those who have not yet become entrepreneurs of events related to access to finance and the greater relevance for those with entrepreneurial experience of having a good team and contacts consisting of other entrepreneurs, mentors and advisers stand out. Research limitations/implications: Some of the limitations observed in this work are related to the size of the sample analyzed. In the future, the study should be broadened, and different entrepreneurial behavior by academic specialization, gender, sector and/or type of activities should be investigated. Originality/value: Our study focuses on the phase of the entrepreneurship process in which intention becomes action and, more specifically, on those events that favor this change in behavior.

This paper looks in more depth at an analysis of MOOC students' social entrepreneurial intentions, their profiles and motivations, especially as regards the tensions between internal and external motivations and the influence of the environment on the decision to set up a social enterprise. It also offers insights into online education for social entrepreneurs, as we believe that a better understanding of such training and its participants may help to stimulate social entrepreneurship from the educational sphere. Using a large sample obtained from a survey of 1457 respondents, our study offers a new perspective on distance learning social entrepreneurship students' socio-demographic characteristics and the importance of both their desire for self-fulfilment and the influence of their environment.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the role of universities and other institutions in successful entrepreneurship. Insights are obtained following a literature review approach. Case studies from the United States (New York startup), Spain (Mondragon), and Germany provide strong evidence that universities are very instrumental in the creation, design and implementation of entrepreneurial initiatives by providing new and ongoing entrepreneurs with human capital training, fundamentals, and theoretical and empirical models to contribute to lasting businesses. Results from university research on gender and risk-issues lead to believe that women are more risk averse than men to work and invest in start-up businesses. Other institutions, such as governments, are critical to provide with the necessary incentives to launch start-up businesses, including tax cuts, seed capital funding, investment in human capital, etc. While the evidence supporting the links between education and entrepreneurial outcomes is promising it is not yet definitive. In addition to providing a review of existing research, this paper suggests an integrative framework for future research.

As entrepreneurs and start-ups have become increasingly significant components of world economic growth, Japan has enacted and discussed various policies to spur entrepreneurship. However, scant attention has been paid toward motivating its youth to embrace the entrepreneurial spirit. Therefore, this study focuses on undergraduate and graduate students and investigates their motivations to become entrepreneurs. The study has three findings. First, the entrepreneurial motivation of Japanese students ranks lower than that of students in the USA, China, India, Spain and Belgium. Second, compared to the motivations of students in other countries, Japanese students' motivations to launch start-up businesses are few in terms of leadership and independence but many in terms of social contribution. Third, Japanese students believe that their lack of business knowledge and competence creates significant risks and barriers to launching start-up businesses. Finally, the paper discusses the impact of culture and barriers on entrepreneurial innovation in Japan compared to other countries.

In this paper, we analyse the role of the student's digital reputation as a motivational factor for successfully completing Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs). After a review of the academic literature on the role that the student's reputation plays in community learning and to understand the role of involving the student that new techniques of gamification have taken in virtual learning, an empirical analysis is performed on the basis of data from a pioneer MOOC of Social Entrepreneurship (5016 registered students, 3250 of whom actually started). Using Classification and Regression Trees (CARTs) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA), we conclude that social reputation is a key factor for the student in successfully completing the course, and that the student's retention is, along with his e-reputation ("karma"), directly related to his degree of participation, the rewards received, and his correspondence with peers. This shows that one of the factors that explain the student's MOOC completion is his degree of interaction with other students, and particularly his reputation among them.

This paper aims to analyse whether the entrepreneurial competencies acquired by students when they work on a business plan have any kind of influence on student learning process results in terms of gender. To do so, we used data obtained from questionnaires distributed among 425 students on the Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. Comparing men and women, we performed exploratory factor analyses on competencies and learning process results, and linear regression analyses to determine the influence of gender and competencies on learning. Our findings indicated that women reported poorer learning results than men using the business plan methodology. Another key finding was the highly positive influence on learning process results of time-management and entrepreneurial competencies in particular. Finally, we found no significant differences between men and women in terms of the impact of competencies on learning process results.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to study which perceived and attained entrepreneurial competences acquired by students while developing a business plan are rated most highly; and second, to analyse the differences observed in entrepreneurial competences, depending on whether the business plan developed is real or fictitious. Design/methodology/approach: To analyse the role played by business plans in perceptions and attainment of competence, data were collected from students enrolled on a final project course of a bachelor's degree, specifically the Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration and Management at the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. The course in question focussed on entrepreneurship and business plans. The data on perceived and attained competences were obtained through questionnaires and assessment rubrics, respectively. Mean comparison analyses were conducted to investigate any differences in entrepreneurial competences existing between students developing real or fictitious business plans. Findings: The paper finds evidence that the process of creating a business plan results in entrepreneurial competence being highly rated and that whether the business plan is real or fictitious does not affect the level of entrepreneurial competence. Research limitations/implications: A longitudinal study will be required to analyse how entrepreneurial competences evolve during the business plan creation process. Originality/value: This paper finds that few studies have been conducted to explore entrepreneurial competences in relation to business plan development and shows that more complete research is required. Moreover, both perceived and achieved competences are considered, an analysis not previously carried out.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to determine how and why differences in gender affect entrepreneurial intention (EI). Although there are many studies in this area, scholars have yet to reach a consensus. Design/methodology/approach: This study uses a survey of students at Malaga University in two stages to introduce a new perspective that links gender and university degree subject with the predisposition towards business creation. Structural equation modelling (SEM) is applied. Findings: Comparing the explanatory power of an additive model and a multiplicative model, this paper confirms that socialisation conditions both men and women in their choice of university studies. Consequently, gender and university degree subject choice are shown to be linked and both affect EI. Research limitations/implications: These findings provide a starting point for closing the information gap in the literature, but deeper analysis is required to combine other factors, such as international variations and the influence of different education systems on entrepreneurship. Practical implications: These results are of special value to universities interested in fomenting entrepreneurship in their graduates, allowing them to better propose educational policies and communication campaigns reducing the effect of gender on degree choice. Originality/value: The contribution of this research is the development of introducing university degree subjects as tied to gender. The study forms one construct together, and not a descriptive variable of the sample selected or as two independent exogenous variables, as is the case in most of the literature in this area.

There is a scarcity of research on the influence of structural -network ties (NT)-, cognitive -shared languages (SL) and shared visions (SV)- social capital (SC) dimensions on online students' entrepreneurial intentions (EI). This paper, drawing on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), examines this influence on a sample of 302 Spanish online university students (graduate and undergraduate). The technique employed to perform the analysis is Partial Least Squares (PLS) -Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Results confirm the key role played by SL and SV in the development of EI through the catalyst role played by NT and through the mediation of the main antecedents of the TPB. In conclusion, in online universities SL and SV are needed in order to ease students' NT and increase their EIs and should be considered when designing the university strategy and the students' syllabus.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore whether participating in an entrepreneurship education programme with short-term international placements can help pre-service teachers to identifying the characteristics of entrepreneurial competence from a wide definition of entrepreneurship (Lackeus, 2015) rather than from a business centred definition, to be developed by entrepreneur teachers. Design/methodology/approach: A three-year longitudinal qualitative study was carried out. In-depth interviews were conducted using open-ended questions with 17 pre-service teachers from the University of Deusto (Spain). They were participating in a European project with short-term international placements at five different European higher education institutions. Findings: There is no consensual definition of the term entrepreneurship, which varies depending on the context. Entrepreneurship could be considered to be both a mindset and a lifestyle. The characteristics of entrepreneurs that were mentioned the most included: being creative, team players, open-minded, innovative, passionate, motivated, hard-working and risk-takers; being able to overcome challenges; having initiative; being proactive, organised and persevering; having leadership skills, communication skills, the ability to adapt; having a positive attitude and, being decision-makers. Short-term placements contribute to personal development, improved foreign language competence, increased awareness and understanding of other cultures, and acquiring entrepreneurship competence. Originality/value: Research on the characteristics of teacherpreneurs is still in its early stages. The vast majority of studies focus on entrepreneurs and teachers of entrepreneurship education programmes aimed at those who wish to start up new businesses. This study contributes to a better understanding of the term entrepreneurship, to identifying the current characteristics of teacherpreneurs, and to outline certain variables that could be considered during pre-service teachers training plans. It also proposes further research into in-service teacherpreneur education.

Solid waste management is considered to be one of the fastest growing industries in the world because of the environmental and health considerations, limitations on mining operations, product costs, increasing demands on the new materials, products and supply chains. Also, entrepreneurship has emerged as a critical aspect of engineering education with various disciplines worldwide. The objective of this work is to share the recent educational experience that integrates entrepreneurship into one course of the Degree in Chemical Engineering of the University of Granada and how the entrepreneurial activities develop an entrepreneurial mindset in chemical engineering students. The paper contains some strategies for internalising entrepreneurial spirit. The originality is mainly due to the coupling of waste management and entrepreneurship learning for increasing entrepreneurial skills in chemical engineers specifically. The study was carried out among chemical engineering students who participated in the 'Solid and Gaseous Waste Treatment' optional course. Mainly, a qualitative research method was adopted. The primary data for the evaluation of entrepreneurial activities were collected with validated questionnaires distributed to students. The results of this study indicated that the entrepreneurial activities contributed to the introduction of entrepreneurial skills in students. Pre/post testing to determine changes in entrepreneurial mindset was also analysed.

The new imperatives of the knowledge-based society require engineering students to equip themselves with a broad range of skills, among which entrepreneurship plays a critical role. An academic itinerary was designed with the explicit aim of improving the entrepreneurial attitudes of agricultural engineering students in a state university in southern Spain. Within a wider research framework, this paper focuses on an evaluation of that itinerary using participatory techniques, and on a discussion of the lessons learned in the course of ten years of running the program. The findings highlighted the importance of building a solid support network involving a whole range of aspects and actors, and of carrying out continuous monitoring. The incorporation of this program into the standard curriculum, with a view to ensuring continuity, needs to be combined with other elements such as tutorship, thus providing a flexible response to the students' various needs and demands. Training based on authentic learning, alumni participation and teamwork is recommended. The impact at a personal level is an extra dimension to be borne in mind. The participatory rural appraisal (PRA) methodology proved extremely useful for the purposes of program evaluation, enabling core issues to be identified. The authors would recommend taking the risk of running an entrepreneurship program even if conditions are not entirely favorable. The intensity and enthusiasm of day-to-day work in entrepreneurship education can instill a degree of commitment and motivation in students and academic staff, and inspire them to tackle new challenges.

This paper focuses on the design of a serious game for the teaching and assessment of generic competences, placing particular emphasis on the competences assessment aspect. Taking into account important aspects of competence assessment such as context, feedback and transparency, among other aspects, and using the University of Deusto's Generic Competences Assessment Model based on the defining of levels, indicators and descriptors as a reference point, a serious game has been designed for the development and evaluation of two Generic Competences: Problem Solving and Entrepreneurship, aimed at final-year undergraduate and first-year postgraduate students. The design process shows that having a Competence Assessment Model based on levels, indicators and descriptors is of great help in defining the game's scenarios and learning and assessment activities. Serious games can also be excellent resources to help in the development and assessment of generic competences, but not as a unique tool, since the concept of competence in itself is highly complex (integrating knowledge, skills, attitudes and values) and some elements might require other methods and techniques for its development. It also reveals the difficulties of evaluating competences in general and through serious games in particular.

Purpose: Based on Azjen's (1991) theory of planned behavior, the purpose of this paper is to complement the existing body of knowledge on entrepreneurial intentions (EIs) by comparing two different university environments in Spain (online and face-to-face) and their impact on EIs of university students using two components of social capital (SC), trust and network ties as variables with influence on the antecedents of EIs. Design/methodology/approach: A survey was administered to online and face-to-face students yielding a total sample of 302 and 204, respectively. Partial least square-structural equation modeling is the technique employed to perform the analysis. Findings: SC has a significant influence on EIs in both environments with greater effects online, as a consequence of the mediated role played by network ties between trust and the attitude toward the behavior, the subjective norm and consequently, EIs. Research limitations/implications: The authors used a cross-sectional method. However, it would be interesting to obtain longitudinal data to provide a more valid support for the study. Practical implications: This study provides insight into the important role played by network ties based on trust in the entrepreneurship process and in the university environment. Originality/value: This study contributes to understanding the differential impact of SC (trust and network ties) on the antecedents of EIs between the students enrolled in different university environments using two non-parametric techniques Henseler's multigroup analysis and the permutation test.

This paper studies entrepreneurial intentions in undergraduate students and the obstacles perceived by the students in the process of starting their own business. Using a sample of 1053 undergraduate students from Andalusia universities, this study explores attitudes, capacities and social environment to determine the profile of university's entrepreneurs. The results of the structural model show that motivational factors determine entrepreneurship university students, while environmental or regional factors indirectly determine undergraduates' choice of employment status. We also find that personal variables and attitudes related to the desire for self-realization have the greatest influence on the entrepreneurial intention university students. In addition, the findings from the regression analysis exhibit that financial obstacles, the lack of experience and training are the main barriers students perceive to starting their own business. The results contribute to theories of entrepreneurship education and intentions in the context of higher education. The authors discuss implications universities and policymakers.

Introduction: This paper analyses those interpersonal skills which determine the entrepreneurial profile among students in Tourism Higher Education. We aim to verify if there are significant differences by gender diagnosis and to take this into account for future academic curriculums. Method: A survey was conducted with the students of Tourism at the University of Cordoba (Spain); we have studied the interpersonal skills related to entrepreneurship and several socio-demographic and education moderating variables. For data analysis, we have developed logit regression models about entrepreneurial intention by gender. Results: The results show that women have more discipline and responsibility than men, hitch is fundamental for start-ups; but in opposition to this, women have a lower propensity towards entrepreneurship and it has not been perceived significant competences connected to the risk or initiative. Conclusion: It is deduced from the paper that some educational strategies since childhood could be discouraging this kind of attitude. We outline the need for developing specific education policies for female students at different educational levels, in order to promote the skills linked to entrepreneurship.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore how entrepreneurial skills (such as creativity, proactivity and risk tolerance) and socio-cultural factors (such as role model and businessman image) affect secondary education students' propensity towards entrepreneurial options in their future careers. Design/methodology/approach: A sample of secondary education students in the Region of Murcia (Spain) has been used. Data were collected through questionnaires and analysed using logit estimation. Confirmatory factorial analysis was used to validate the measures. Findings: The results of this research study show that both the skills and socio-cultural factors positively affect entrepreneurial intention of secondary education students. Creativity, proactivity and risk taking promote entrepreneurial career. In addition, those students whose role model is an entrepreneur and have a better understanding of him or her, show a greater propensity towards entrepreneurial career. Originality/value: The contribution to the literature on entrepreneurship is twofold. First, although there are studies focused on identifying the entrepreneurial profile of university students, there is a paucity of empirical evidence relating to entrepreneurial skills at earlier stages of learning. This paper sets out to bridge this research gap. Second, evidence of the importance of socio-cultural factors, role models and entrepreneurial image upon the career orientation of secondary education students is identified and empirically verified. These findings involve are useful in practice, in aiding the design of better and more relevant education programmes at early learning stages.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to encourage entrepreneurship and creativity among primary school pupils than they acquire entrepreneurial skills through running a business. Design/methodology/approach: A pilot experience has been structured into three large phases: analysis of the starting situation; production of the materials and their application in the classroom; and final evaluation. In order to evaluate this experience, the primary school pupils (8-12-years-old) were interviewed and a questionnaire completed. Findings: The overall results have been satisfactory and indicated a positive participant reaction to the project that has improved entrepreneurial competencies and the future potential for business start-up. Research limitations/implications: The research respondents were drawn from one region of Spain, and the pilot experience has been carried out in the Rural Schools Grouped Together (in Spanish: "Colegio Rural Agrupado"). Practical implications: Recommendations are offered which could help the entrepreneurship education stakeholders increase the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education programmes and actions aimed at promoting firm creation in this area. Social implications: As this pilot experience aim to increase entrepreneurship as a start-up activity, the improving of entrepreneurial skills serve these pupils so that, in a few years' time, they can opt to generate wealth and employment endogenously in the towns they come from and so be able to retain the local population. Originality/value: The paper contributes to knowledge by adding to a limited literature examining the impact of entrepreneurship education within the 8-12 primary school age sector.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand how the nationality and the sport education system could affect the entrepreneurial intentions (EI) of undergraduate sport science students in two different countries. Design/methodology/approach: A total of 249 undergraduate sport sciences (SS) students from Spain and Lithuania were analysed. The EI questioner questionnaire by Liñán and Chen (2009) was used to compile the data during the 2016-2017 academic year. Findings: There are significant differences between the sport science students of Spain and Lithuania. The Lithuanian students have significantly higher means in the variables of EI, perceived behaviour control and professional attraction. Moreover, the variables that predict EI are different, and certain path coefficients of the variables are also significantly different. Research limitations/implications: The sample originates from one university in each country; therefore, these results may not be generalisable to the entire population. Practical implications: The SS degrees in Lithuania and Spain should follow different educational policies with the objective of fostering EI and increasing the number of entrepreneurs. Social implications: Creating adequate educational policies to foster entrepreneurship in sports across countries could improve the number of entrepreneurs in the sports sectors; thus, the youth unemployment rate will decrease. Originality/value: There has been no previous research that analyses the EI of sport science students across contexts through the theory of planned behaviour. Moreover, there are no studies that compare the EI of university students between Spain (Western Europe) and Lithuania (Eastern Europe).

This paper examines the effect of curricular and extracurricular activities on the entrepreneurial motivation and competences of university students. In order to address these issues, the authors have used Ajzen's model of planned behaviour, including curricular and extracurricular activities, analysing their effect on university students' attitude and behavioural control and their entrepreneurial intention as well as competences. Using a convenience sample of university students, we chose two Spanish institutions, with a total sample size of 1475 students. The analysis demonstrates the effects of curricular and extracurricular activities on the entrepreneurial intention of university students. Such activities generate positive attitudes for entrepreneurship but at the same time they lower capacity and intention to start a business. Similarly, the study shows the different effects of such variables on the competencies for entrepreneurship. Strategic and methodological implications of these results are discussed.

The concepts of hybridity and governance have been an important line of research in the context of social companies and public institutions. The purpose of this paper is to explore these notions in the framework of hybrid communities of social innovation by showing the importance of intangible capital in the improvement of functional skills, techniques and strategies when directing people towards social innovation processes. The relevance of these skills are presented through the results of the HEDABIDE project, a piloting research experience focused on the design of hybrid communities of social innovation in the province of Gipuzkoa (Basque Country, Spain) in 2014. The results of this project show the implications of social interactive spaces in acquiring different skills, competences and capabilities for social innovation inside communities of learning and practice when addressing social problems, concluding with a series of learned lessons and new paths of future research.

Purpose: In what may be the first study of its kind in business and entrepreneurship, the purpose of this paper is to compare faculty and student perceptions and beliefs about entrepreneurship motives and barriers and student aspirations in order to explore implications for entrepreneurship education (EE). Design/Methodology/Approach: The authors survey 3,037 students and faculty in the USA, China, India, Turkey, Belgium, and Spain, focusing on perceptions of entrepreneurship motives and barriers. Factor analysis organizes data for comparisons and regressions. Findings: The authors find significant faculty-student differences in views of entrepreneurship motives and barriers, university environments, and student aspirations. An especially important finding is that, across six countries with widely varying cultures, economies, and entrepreneurial environments, students consistently see themselves as more entrepreneurial than the faculty perceive. Research Limitations/Implications: Limitations include sample size and self-reporting. The authors also have focused on the significance of differences in perceptions, not on whether faculty or student perceptions are correct. A major implication of the study is that EE curricula need to be assessed in terms of their impact on the self-confidence, risk aversion, and entrepreneurial disposition of students. Originality/Value: The authors shine light on an overlooked topic--faculty-student perceptual alignment--to stimulate research and strengthen EE, especially regarding students' self-confidence and views of failure and risk.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse the creativity level of business administration undergraduates who have attended an entrepreneurship seminar in contrast to those that have not. Design/methodology/approach: Using two samples of Spanish students, the factors that condition the creation of new start-ups are analysed. A survey following the creativity items from the Kirton Adaption-Innovation (KAI) inventory was employed for a start-up seminar students and a control sample. Non-parametric tests were carried out on the responses. Findings: The results show that Spanish business students' entrepreneurial intentions are not conditioned by entrepreneurial courses, parental self-employment or by their creativity level. However, there are differences in creativity level by genders for their future ability to start-up a company. Practical implications: There are no external constraints on not being an entrepreneur, who plays a fundamental role in the future of a country and it is a way to reduce current youth unemployment rates. Social and educational implications are also presented. Originality/value: The use of the KAI inventory as a proxy of creativity index is original in the research. Moreover, this study contributes to a better understanding of the factors in becoming an entrepreneur, through exposure to creativity, growing up around businesses and awareness of individual creativity index. Integration of university courses with entrepreneurship actions will be of interest to the society development.

Since the year 2000 and the massive arrival of immigrants to the Spanish region of Catalonia, the Catalan language has vastly augmented its number of students. In the meantime, the Catalan government continues to apply educational and language policies from the EU related to the new public management and knowledge economy. Neoliberal technologies and policy initiatives include creating a responsible, self-managing, self-enterprising worker. By drawing on Foucault's concept of governmentality, this paper analyses work related units in six series of textbooks for teaching Catalan to adults taking into account the governmental rationality of neoliberalism. The study concludes that Catalan language textbooks may function as instruments of subject formation promoting the self-management of a future Catalan worker and helping to create enterprising individuals.

There is increasing interest in the role academic institutions can play as catalysts of change within the territories in which they are located, by contributing proactively to shaping socio-economic development processes. This role for universities takes us beyond the typical focus on knowledge transfer activities or broad economic impacts. It highlights in particular the contributions of 'softer' disciplines such as management, economics, the humanities and public policy. This paper explores this proactive strategic role for academia in regional development by means of an analysis of a particular case of institutional entrepreneurship in the Basque Country region of Spain. The telling of such stories is critical if we are to reach a better understanding of the impact universities can have in their regions beyond a quantitative, market-focused analysis.

The phenomenon of women engaging in entrepreneurship is expanding and becoming acknowledged as a valuable resource that must be institutionally and socially supported. Through entrepreneurship education, female students, as potential entrepreneurs, can develop and strengthen those skills and behaviours identified as characteristic of successful entrepreneurs. This paper explores four attributes associated with entrepreneurship (creativity, problem management, risk management, and self-confidence) of 1838 undergraduate students from 11 universities in Latin America (Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, and Uruguay) and one in Spain, used as a control group. By comparing the results for the male and female student population, self-confidence appears as an attribute that is present at the same level in both groups; statistically significant differences were reported for the other three attributes (creativity, problem management, and risk management). Entrepreneurship programmes can utilise such information to strengthen in female students those attributes for successful engagement in entrepreneurial activity.

In the Higher School of Agronomic and Forestry Engineering of the University of Cordoba, a collective project conceived as an 'ecosystem to support and accompany entrepreneurs' has been proposed. The approach aims to spread and consolidate the entrepreneurial spirit and to respond to the demands of possible stakeholders involved in the whole process of training, as well as the subsequent integration of graduates into the labour market. Putting into practice this initiative, which involves multiple actors, is a complex and difficult task. For this reason, prior to its implementation, the authors considered it necessary to listen to main stakeholders' opinions and evaluate their degree of commitment and the requirements they consider important for the viability and sustainability of the initiative. This paper focuses on the faculty's opinions, gathered by means of a survey conducted with the entire faculty (N = 128, response rate = 45%) and semi-structured interviews held with 20 members of the School board. The results suggest that there is a general consensus on the suitability of this collective project and that there is a core of teachers willing to get involved. Evidently, guidelines need to be produced to facilitate taking on such tasks. However, the main drawbacks are related with the conflict between formal requirements of professor professional profile and the steps needed to establish the ecosystem.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate entrepreneurship in Malaga University based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour model. There are two objectives: to analyse the influence of the main elements of orientation to entrepreneurship and to evaluate the efficiency of education programmes in the university system. Design/methodology/approach: The authors have chosen Ajzen's influential model (1991) for analysing entrepreneurial intention as the basis for the analysis of a sample of 392 students at Malaga University. Findings: The results suggest that the students' predisposition to entrepreneurship is moderate because perceived risk and ideas about their own abilities hinder their decision to start up a business. Practical implications: This research has practical implications for universities involved in designing programmes aimed at business creation. Social implications: This research provides interesting insights which could help new companies to be created, thus alleviating the unemployment resulting from the economic crisis. Originality/value: With the help of this widely used theoretical model to study, the authors analyse the impact of Entrepreneurship Education Programmes in higher education. It is only a starting point from which to evaluate which elements should be reinforced in entrepreneurship programmes if they are to achieve effective results.

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand why high-skilled immigrants from a developing country (Colombia) are returning to their home country to create businesses instead of starting up in their host country (Spain). Design/methodology/approach: A case study methodology was used to present the experiences of three high-skilled immigrants. All subjects presented had migrated from Colombia to Spain, held degrees from a Colombian university, had a university background in entrepreneurship and intended to run a business in Colombia instead of in Spain. Findings: This study shows how the expectations of highly-skilled immigrants can influence their decision to return to their home country to set up in business. Because of their skills and international experience, these individuals have good professional prospects in their home countries and a lower tolerance of the barriers and difficulties encountered in the host country than immigrants with other profiles. Research limitations/implications: In exploring the high-skilled immigrants' reasons for returning home, future research should pay more attention to personal motivations and cultural differences. Practical implications: The findings will enable policy makers in developing and developed countries to improve policies for attracting or retaining highly-skilled immigrants or emigrants, especially those with entrepreneurial intentions. Originality/value: In a group of immigrants whose skills and talents could offer considerable added value either to their host country or to their home country, this paper examines some of the key processes that influence their decision of where to locate their entrepreneurial activity. (Contains 2 tables.)

Purpose: This paper attempts to shed light on the effect of educational programmes aimed at entrepreneurs on innovation and business success. Design/methodology/approach: We use as theoretical framework the theory of planned behaviour. We use a sample of 354 entrepreneurs from Castile and Leon, Spain. To estimate the model we use a path analysis (AMOS 7). Findings: Individuals who are concerned about further management education and entrepreneurship education show themselves to be more innovative. Moreover, indirectly, by means of the relationship between innovation and success, specific entrepreneurship education contributes to obtaining better business results. However, to have reached high levels of formal education makes entrepreneurs less conformist regarding the activity of innovation. The existence of a direct effect of innovative behaviour on business success is confirmed. Research limitations: The limitations which our study presents are principally related to the measurement of the variables. Some of the characteristics of education should be studied more deeply. Practical implications: The results obtained lead us to recommend that the educational centres and institutions which organise the programmes should give preference to specialised education and less to entrepreneurship education when seeking to reinforce the innovative spirit of the entrepreneurs. Originality/value: The debate concerning the effectiveness of entrepreneurship educational programmes is still undecided, so much so that both supporters and detractors of entrepreneurship education exist. For that reason, this paper aims to shed some light on the effects of the educational programmes aimed at the entrepreneur. (Contains 3 figures, 5 tables and 5 notes.)

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effectiveness of entrepreneurship training programmes targeting post-graduate students. Design/methodology/approach: The approach takes the form of a case study of an entrepreneurship training programme, to assess its effectiveness. For this purpose the paper concentrates on the number of firms created and industries chosen by individuals. Additionally, attention is focused on non-starters, analysing the main reasons behind the decision not to set up a firm. Several sources were used to accomplish the objectives: an assessment report provided by the deliverers of the programme, an interview with the person responsible for the programme and interviews with programme participants. Findings: Two editions of the programme "Comecar" are closely scrutinized, including a self-assessment made by developers of the programme. Results show a success rate of 41 per cent, but non-starters benefit from the competencies developed in the programme, allowing them to change their careers or to increase their effectiveness in the labour market. Research limitations/implications: The paper presents some limitations. First, this programme is not compared at the same level of analysis, against others. The literature concludes that the entrepreneurial context is relevant in assessing the level of entrepreneurship. Second, a control group who had an idea but did not benefit from entrepreneurship assistance is not followed. Third, the timeframe of analysis is not too long. A longitudinal study will overcome this problem. Practical implications: The case study can help promoters to design more effective programmes, especially those targeted at postgraduates. Combining classes with experience in the field could help young graduates to overcome their vulnerability which is due to their youthfulness and lack of work experience. Originality/value: The paper identifies good practice in entrepreneurship training programmes. Additionally, it analyses the effectiveness of these programmes, measured by perceived effectiveness from the point of view of participants and by the number of firms created, an area so far characterized by scant research. (Contains 4 figures and 7 tables.)

This paper presents an analysis of the entrepreneurial intentions of university undergraduate students, with particular regard to those studying design. Attitudinal, social and capabilities variables are analysed in order to determine the profile of an entrepreneur. Using a sample of 521 undergraduate students, the findings show that design students demonstrate a high entrepreneurial intention (62%). In addition, it was found that attitudinal factors outweighed the students' self-perceived inability to develop their own businesses.

Purpose: This paper aims to evaluate the effect of participation in business and economics education programs on the student's entrepreneurial intention in terms of perceptions of the desirability and personal feasibility of starting a business. Design/methodology/approach: The methodology used to measure the student's entrepreneurial intention is the data envelopment analysis (DEA). This approach involves mathematical programming and as a new tool in this field has permitted enrichment of the results achieved. Findings: Results reveal that the explanatory factors for both types of students are different. This could be explained because the students choose one career or another according to their expectations of employment. In this sense, the student's entrepreneurial intention decreases in the business students when they progress in their studies and they are closer in contact with the business reality. However, the student's entrepreneurial intention increases in the case of business students when they choose a future work option different to work in public administration. Research limitations/implications: Although the work reaches conclusive findings, further research is required in a longitudinal way. Practical implications: The article provides new methodology and results in the field of entrepreneurship and employability in higher education in Spain. Originality/value: In the context of the theory of planned behavior, the article is innovative on a methodological level in arguing for "connected" perceptions of the desirability and personal feasibility of starting a business with an approach toward employability and enterprise development for students. The authors think that the understanding of the sources of "entrepreneurial intention" at the students' level is crucial for policymakers to develop appropriate educational polices to improve entrepreneurship performances. (Contains 7 tables and 1 note.)

This paper presents a case of collaboration between different types of public services and the private sector for the promotion of an entrepreneurial culture. This collaboration is achieved by means of a centre established and developed by the Universidad Autonoma de Madrid, the Centro de Iniciativas Emprendedoras (the Centre for Entrepreneurial Initiatives, CIADE). Since its creation CIADE has, because of a lack of university-allocated financial resources, been collaborating with a wide range of organizations in accordance with the Triple Helix model, including three levels of public administration (national, regional and local), several private businesses and different corporate civic bodies (mostly corporate foundations). CIADE's principal, distinctive attributes, with regard to the Triple Helix, are collaboration, self-financing, project management and a horizontal hierarchical structure which allows rapid accommodation of and adaptation to the changing circumstances of its environment. (Contains 6 tables.)