Exploring the Relationship Between Entrepreneurship Education and Career Success in Higher Education: A Systematic Review

Aries Adenata, Muhammad Akhyar, Wiranto Wiranto

Abstract

The relationship between entrepreneurship education and career success has become a critical focus in higher education, given its potential to equip students with essential skills for the evolving job market. This systematic review aims to explore how entrepreneurship education contributes to career success, both for students aspiring to become entrepreneurs and those seeking roles in various professional sectors. The study employs a structured literature review approach, analyzing 26 research articles from five major publishers (ScienceDirect, Scopus, ARDI, Springer, and Sage Journals), selected using predefined search criteria. Key findings reveal that factors such as student competencies, entrepreneurial mindset, psychological attributes, and entrepreneurial intentions play a pivotal role in shaping career outcomes. Effective methods include case studies, experiential learning, and industry-based approaches, which enable students to gain practical insights and real-world experiences. However, the study identifies significant challenges, including limited resources, misalignment between education and labor market demands, students' lack of confidence, and insufficient interdisciplinary collaboration. These constraints underscore the need for a more integrated and adaptable approach to entrepreneurship education, thereby enhancing its relevance and impact. The findings provide actionable insights for educators, policymakers, and institutions seeking to promote career readiness and entrepreneurial success in higher education.

Keywords

career success; entrepreneurship education; higher education; systematic literature review

Full Text:

PDF

References

Ajani, O. A., Khumatake, M. R., & Gamede, B. T. (2023). A systematic review of entrepreneurship education in higher education as panacea to unemployment reduction in South African graduates. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), 12(9), 392-404. https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v12i9.3000

Al Balushi, S., Al Balushi, H., Al Shukaili, N., Rao Naidu, V., Reales, L., & Jesrani, K. (2023). The influence of higher education curriculum on entrepreneurship education. IX(26), 92-99. https://doi.org/10.46529/socioint.202331

Alifia, A., Tyas, W., Tholibi, I., & Wulandari, S. S. (2024). Trend of entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial practices on entrepreneurial interest in higher education. Edutama Education Journal, 11(2), 84-93.

Baluku, M. M., Matagi, L., Musanje, K., Kikooma, J. F., & Otto, K. (2019). Entrepreneurial socialization and psychological capital, cross-cultural and multigroup analyses of impact of mentoring, optimism, and self-efficacy on entrepreneurial intentions. Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy, 2(1), 5-42. https://doi.org/10.1177/2515127418818054

Biney, I. K. (2023). Adult education and entrepreneurship, getting young adults involved. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13731-023-00277-0

Cadenas, G. A., Cantú, E. A., Lynn, N., Spence, T., & Ruth, A. (2020). A programmatic intervention to promote entrepreneurial self-efficacy, critical behavior, and technology readiness among underrepresented college students. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 116, 103350. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2019.103350

Chen, H. X. (2024). Exploring the influence of proactive personality on entrepreneurial intention, the mediating role of entrepreneurial attitude and moderating effect of perceived educational support among university students. SAGE Open, 14(1), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1177/21582440241233379

Chiu, M. S., Xiong, W., & Kuan, P. Y. (2021). Graduates career success predicted by mathematical and affective abilities, effective higher-education learning and economic contexts, a bioecological positivity to success model. Journal of Education and Work, 34(3), 313-330. https://doi.org/10.1080/13639080.2021.1931668

Cho, Y., Park, J., Han, S. J., Sung, M., & Park, C. K. (2020). Women entrepreneurs in South Korea, motivations, challenges and career success. European Journal of Training and Development, 45(2-3), 97-119. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-03-2020-0039

Decker-Lange, C., Lange, K., & Walmsley, A. (2024). How does entrepreneurship education affect employability? Insights from UK higher education. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour and Research, 30(5), 1249-1269. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-08-2023-0856

Haque, M. R., & Kour, M. (2023). Exploring the growth and future research direction of entrepreneurial self-efficacy in entrepreneurial intention research, a bibliometric analysis. Journal of the Knowledge Economy, 12392-12421. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13132-023-01578-1

Ho, C. S. M., Chiu, M. M., Chiu, S. W. kai, & Liu, L. C. kit. (2024). Development and validation of the adolescent entrepreneurial attributes inventory, a mixed-methods approach. International Journal of Management Education, 22(3), 101033. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2024.101033

Jurgelevičius, A., & Raišienė, A. G. (2024). Key factors for student startup success, insights from higher education professors. In Proceedings of the 19th European Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, 2024.

Kaiyanan, C., Atthakorn, S., Ludpa, U., Seti, S., Lavong, A., Plianjham, P., & Phoorisophon, T. (2024). Integrating entrepreneurship into education, cultivating skills for innovation, leadership, and future workforce success. Journal of Education and Learning Reviews, 4(July-August), 49-62. https://doi.org/10.60027/jelr.2024.795

Kariv, D., Giglio, C., & Corvello, V. (2025). Fostering entrepreneurial intentions, exploring the interplay of education and endogenous factors. International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, 21(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11365-024-01020-1

Kennedy, E. D., McMahon, S. R., & Reis, D. (2021). Independence in the making, using makerspace experiences to build foundational entrepreneurial competencies. Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy, 4(3), 549-563. https://doi.org/10.1177/2515127420946036

Kesuma, T. A. R. P., Rosidin, U., Yulianti, D., Pargito, Ridwan, Ciciria, D., Wardani, Purwasih, A., Mustofa, I., Zainaro, M. A., Isnainy, U. C. A. S., Tusianah, R., Irawan, E., Mulyanah, A., Zalmansyah, A., & Sujarwo. (2023). A systematic literature review, entrepreneurship learning in higher education. WSEAS Transactions on Systems, 22, 56-68. https://doi.org/10.37394/23202.2023.22.7

Killingberg, N. M., Kubberød, E., & Blenker, P. (2021). Preparing for a future career through entrepreneurship education, towards a research agenda. Industry and Higher Education, 35(6), 713-724. https://doi.org/10.1177/0950422220969635

Kitchenham, B., Pearl Brereton, O., Budgen, D., Turner, M., Bailey, J., & Linkman, S. (2009). Systematic literature reviews in software engineering, a systematic literature review. Information and Software Technology, 51(1), 7-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infsof.2008.09.009

Kumar, R., & Shukla, S. (2022). Creativity, proactive personality and entrepreneurial intentions, examining the mediating role of entrepreneurial self-efficacy. Global Business Review, 23(1), 101-118. https://doi.org/10.1177/0972150919844395

Li, X., Zhang, Y., Qi, F., & Tang, Y. (2024). The lagged effect of university-based entrepreneurship education on employees retention at entrepreneurial startups. International Journal of Management Education, 22(3), 101016. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2024.101016

Munawar, S., Yousaf, H. Q., Ahmed, M., & Rehman, S. (2023). The influence of online entrepreneurial education on entrepreneurial success, an empirical study in Pakistan. International Journal of Management Education, 21(1), 100752. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2022.100752

Mwasiaji, E., Mambo, S., Mse, G. S., & Okumu, J. (2022). Conceptualizing non-cognitive attributes, entrepreneurship training, pedagogical competencies and STEM education outcome, an integrated model and research proposition. International Journal of Technology and Design Education, 32(3), 1925-1939. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10798-021-09671-9

Naudin, A., & Agusita, E. (2021). Rethinking cultural and creative entrepreneurship education. In Proceedings of the European Conference on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ECIE) (pp. 628-634). https://doi.org/10.34190/EIE.21.040

Newman, A., Obschonka, M., Schwarz, S., Cohen, M., & Nielsen, I. (2019). Entrepreneurial self-efficacy, a systematic review of the literature on its theoretical foundations, measurement, antecedents, and outcomes, and an agenda for future research. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 110(October 2017), 403-419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2018.05.012

Okolie, U. C., Igwe, P. A., Ayoola, A. A., Nwosu, H. E., Kanu, C., & Mong, I. K. (2021). Entrepreneurial competencies of undergraduate students, the case of universities in Nigeria. International Journal of Management Education, 19(1), 100452. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2021.100452

Oliver, P. G., & Oliver, S. (2022). Innovative online learning in entrepreneurship education, the impact of embedding real-life industry practice in the virtual learning environment. Industry and Higher Education, 36(6), 756-767. https://doi.org/10.1177/09504222221121283

Pérez-López, M. C., González-López, M. J., & Rodríguez-Ariza, L. (2019). Applying the social cognitive model of career self-management to the entrepreneurial career decision, the role of exploratory and coping adaptive behaviours. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 112(March), 255-269. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2019.03.005

Pérez-Pérez, C., González-Torres, T., & Nájera-Sánchez, J. J. (2021). Boosting entrepreneurial intention of university students, is a serious business game the key? International Journal of Management Education, 19(3), 1-14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2021.100506

Rafiana, N. N. (2023). Technopreneurship strategy to grow entrepreneurship career options for students in higher education. ADI Journal on Recent Innovation (AJRI), 5(2), 110-126. https://doi.org/10.34306/ajri.v5i2.995

Raine, A. L., & Pandya, M. (2019). Three keys to entrepreneurial success, curiosity, creativity, and commitment. Entrepreneurship Education, 2(3-4), 189-198. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41959-019-00019-y

Rodriguez, S., & Lieber, H. (2020). Relationship between entrepreneurship education, entrepreneurial mindset, and career readiness in secondary students. Journal of Experiential Education, 43(3), 277-298. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053825920919462

Saputra, Y. A., Novilia, F., & Hendrayati, H. (2023). Entrepreneurship curriculum in higher education, a systematic literature review (SLR). West Science Interdisciplinary Studies, 1(12), 1408-1420. https://doi.org/10.58812/wsis.v1i12.502

Zappe, S. E., Cutler, S. L., & Gase, L. (2023). A systematic review of the impacts of entrepreneurial support programs in science, technology, engineering, and math fields. Entrepreneurship Education and Pedagogy, 6(1), 3-31. https://doi.org/10.1177/25151274211040422

Zotov, V., Frolova, N., Prasolov, V., & Kintonova, A. (2021). The effectiveness of case studies in entrepreneurship education. International Journal of Instruction, 14(4), 1033-1046. https://doi.org/10.29333/iji.2021.14459a

DOI: https://doi.org/10.20961/ictte.2025.114503

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.