Entrepreneurial Profiles at the University: A Competence Approach

Area of Science:

• Higher Education Studies
• Entrepreneurship Education
• Human Capital Development

Background:

• The Entrepreneurial University is crucial for economic growth and developing entrepreneurial human capital.
• Existing research lacks a profile-based analysis of student entrepreneurial competences within universities.
• There's a need to identify and enhance specific entrepreneurial skills among students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate distinct entrepreneurial competence profiles among university students.
• To identify key competences that differentiate these profiles.
• To inform strategies for enhancing student entrepreneurial skills and fostering human capital.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative analysis of data collected from 1104 students across various academic disciplines.
• Development of a field research campaign to gather comprehensive data.
• Application of a profile-based approach to competence analysis.

Main Results:

• Four distinct entrepreneurial competence profiles were identified: low, top, social, and grit profiles.
• Networking, social skills, community engagement, and perseverance emerged as critical differentiating competences.
• Social capital and grit significantly influence student entrepreneurial profiles.

Conclusions:

• The study validates the existence of diverse entrepreneurial profiles among students.
• Results underscore the importance of social capital and grit in entrepreneurship.
• Findings offer practical insights for universities to design targeted training programs to boost entrepreneurial human capital.