Developing entrepreneurial competences in students in the life sciences: the Lifetech Ad-Venture program

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify how an entrepreneurship program in the life-sciences impacts the development of their entrepreneurial skills and values in undergraduate students. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative study was conducted at Tecnologico de Monterrey, a private university in Mexico. Questionnaires were administered to life-sciences students before and after the entrepreneurship course to analyze and identify the development of pre-defined entrepreneurial characteristics. Findings – Results indicate a positive and significant impact on several of the 13 entrepreneurial characteristics evaluated in the study (negotiation skills, need of achievement and initiative). Empirical insights gained in the study suggest that gender does not yield to differences in the degree of involvement in activities, and that previous entrepreneurship experience may contribute to enhanced engagement in the program. Research limitations/implications – The paper reports on students from one university campus. Future research should include students from other locations in the country. Practical implications – It is evident that university entrepreneurship programs have an impact on students' skills and values; however, the challenge still remains in the design of those programs to include more activities and draw on the students' own competences. Originality/value – This paper contributes with evidence from an entrepreneurship program implemented in a Latin American university, a region for which documentation of the degree of success of entrepreneurship education is limited in the literature.