Evaluating the quality of entrepreneurial education analysing its ability to increase entrepreneurial attitude and intent of students

Abstract

Purpose. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the quality of an entrepreneurial university by analysing the capability of its academic programs to increase students’ propensity to become entrepreneurs. Methodology. The empirical evidences are based on the results of a survey conducted between students of the University of Florence. A regression analysis in a sample of 261 students to confirm the model has been chosen as principal methodology. Findings. The analysis underlines how students’ perceptions of entrepreneurial university’s courses impact on students’ entrepreneurial attitude and intent. Moreover, from the regression it emerges how students’ innate risk-taking propensity has a strong impact on entrepreneurial attitude and on their intent to become entrepreneurs. Practical implications. The most relevant contribution of this research is to provide a model to monitor quality of entrepreneurial university’s programs using an entrepreneurial intention model. Originality/value. The originality of the research lies in the innovative approach to measure entrepreneurial universities’ quality. In fact, the proposed approach integrates psychological factors with the contextual role of entrepreneurial university.