Entrepreneurship educator: a vital cog in the wheel of entrepreneurship education and development in universities

Abstract

Entrepreneurship educators (EEs) are critical in fostering entrepreneurship and innovation in emerging economies, as they play a vital part in developing talent, which further contributes to a knowledge-based economy. The value of EEs is in promoting entrepreneurship education and highlighting the significance of developing an entrepreneurial mindset among students. Primary data was collected by conducting in-depth, semi-structured interviews involving educators affiliated with public and private Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in the UAE. Participants were selected by adopting random sampling and snowballing techniques. Our findings not only shed light on the challenges faced by EEs but also underscore the urgent need for better support from institutions. This support is crucial for EEs to make an effective contribution to developing a professional workforce that can significantly impact students and the community. We also advocate strategies for fostering experiential learning, which include giving EEs more autonomy and support by establishing dedicated entrepreneurship centers. This work is a call to action, contributing to the further development of the literature on EE, which has received much lesser academic attention than it deserves. It also lays a foundation for further cross-country studies.