Abstract
There is a wide belief and acceptance from leading government and business experts that small enterprises and entrepreneurship are the key components to unemployment and poverty alleviation in any country. Unfortunately, high unemployment levels, low entrepreneurial activity and high small business failure rate have become the main characteristics of the South African economy. Post-school education is partially blamed for the dropping levels of entrepreneurial activities in the country. South Africa’s tertiary education system continues to focus on producing job-seekers instead of job creators. This problem has forced South African Universities to explore more on their potential of becoming more entrepreneurial, but lack of academics in the field of entrepreneurship has been found to be a hindrance to success in this agenda. To avert this obstacle, it is reiterated that internationalisation is key to any university entrepreneurship strategy, and therefore universities are encouraged to internationalise through attracting international entrepreneurial staff. The purpose of this literature review paper is twofold. The first part explores the role played by international academic professionals in the establishment of entrepreneurial universities in South Africa, while the second aims at evaluating the state of entrepreneurship development in higher education and the potential of South African universities becoming more entrepreneurial. The study employs both quantitative and qualitative research techniques (mixed method). The study reveals that South African universities should internationalise if they are to succeed in the entrepreneurial strategy. In addition, it is found that foreign academics have the required skills and bring in the diverse expertise needed for the establishment of entrepreneurial universities. Moreover, the presence of international academics has enhanced entrepreneurship mindset of local staff and students. It is recommended that universities should establish entrepreneurial institutes which are affiliated to them in order to drive this initiative and that the establishment of entrepreneurial universities is the way to go in South Africa if the country is to beat poverty and unemployment.
Highlights
There are a wide belief and acceptance from leading government and business experts that the small enterprises and entrepreneurship is the key to unemployment and poverty reduction (Radipere, 2012)
High unemployment levels, low entrepreneurial activity and high small business failure rate have become the main characteristics of the South African economy (Amadi-Echendu, Phillips, Chodokufa and Visser 2016)
What is the Problems Encountered in the Establishment of Entrepreneurial Universities in South Africa? Response 1: Experienced staff Response 2: Not sure Response 3: I think universities management philosophy, standard curriculum, resources Response 4: poor vision Response 5: lack of drivers and expertise to establish centres to promote entrepreneurial universities Response 6: scares resources Response 7: staff members with a business mentality Response 8: Lack of desire and effort from academics Response 9: not enough of a relationship in terms of collaboration between people who work in the industry and what happens there and the academic curriculum
Summary
There are a wide belief and acceptance from leading government and business experts that the small enterprises and entrepreneurship is the key to unemployment and poverty reduction (Radipere, 2012). Beijnath (2015), states that South Africa’s tertiary education system continues to focus on producing job-seekers instead of job creators This problem has forced South African Universities to explore more on their potential of becoming more entrepreneurial for example the University of South Africa is busy trying that (Amadi-Echendu et al, 2016). According to the University of Oxford (one of the successful entrepreneurial university) staffing annual report (2017), 40.2% of their academic staff is made up of non-British academics or international academics (foreign academics) and Coventry University (2018) asserts the same notion of the need to internationalise in order to achieve the best results for the students and university as a whole To avert this hindrance, Ramjugernath (2015) reiterates that internationalisation is the key to any university entrepreneurship strategy and universities are encouraged to internationalise through attracting international and entrepreneurial staff. Ramjugernath (2015) reiterates that internationalisation is the key to any university entrepreneurship strategy and universities are encouraged to internationalise through attracting international and entrepreneurial staff. Eke, Okoye and Evbuomwan (2018), note that quality education is the main remedy to combating dire poverty in developing nations as it is the only way of attaining quality human capital
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