Linking entrepreneurship education and training with students and graduates entrepreneurial intention.

Abstract

Recognising the relevance of entrepreneurship, most African universities have made significant input into delivering Entrepreneurial Education in Higher Educational Institutions. However, the rising number of graduate unemployment raises concerns with regard to quality of educational content, and programmes. This study sought to investigate the impact of entrepreneurship course content on entrepreneurial intention and the mediation of individual entrepreneurial characteristics and also to investigate if graduates’ exposure to extra entrepreneurship training and university programme type does account for differences in individual entrepreneurial characteristics. A context specific framework which explains entrepreneurial intention as a function of course content, programmes type, and extra entrepreneurial training is tested based on data from 400 undergraduate students and 400 graduates from eight Ghanaian universities. Evidence from the model reveal that entrepreneurial course content did impact entrepreneur Intention, however, this impact is partially mediated by the attitudes, perceived behavioural control and subjective norms of Ghanaian students and graduates. Again, while it was found that extra entrepreneurial training did account for differences in individual entrepreneurial characteristics and entrepreneurial intention of graduates, the difference due to programme type was not significant. Theoretical, policy, and practical implications findings of this study are discussed.