1 research outputs found
How does enterprise & entrepreneurship education influence postgraduate studentsâ career intentions in the new era economy?
Purpose
Enterprise & Entrepreneurship Education (EEE) is seen as a major contributor to economic growth and development in the post-2008 environment we term the âNew Eraâ. The role of EEE in enabling graduates to develop entrepreneurial intentions and career plans is therefore of major importance. This paper explores how EEE can influence postgraduate entrepreneurship and career initiation in the context of the New Era economy at an international level.
Methodology/Approach
The paper explores the learning experiences of a group of 60 postgraduate international students who completed an Entrepreneurship programme at the University of Lincoln which included the development of personal learning narratives and career plans. The students were exposed to the Opportunity-centred entrepreneurship approach and the âEntrepreneurial Effectivenessâ model in the QAA guidelines (2012). Their narratives were analysed to assess:
- Prior career intentions
- Proposed career intentions resulting from the EEE programme
- Application of learning arising from the EEE programme
- A survey of students was used to validate the narratives
Findings
EEE has a wider influence on personal development and career planning than simply the intention to create new ventures. This paper builds on a prior study of international postgraduate studentsâ orientation to entrepreneurship education in their expectations of UK Higher Education, which confirmed that career development is a major motivator for international study in the UK (Rae & Woodier-Harris, 2012). The paper contributes new understanding of the relationships between EEE and graduate career intentions, especially at PG and international levels. The paper explores personal growth, confidence and identity development, formation of new career intentions and the application of learning. The international dimension is considerable and this is discussed.
Implications
The paper has implications for the marketing, design and delivery of EEE at international and HE institutional levels, as well as for the practices of educators in designing, validating and delivering programmes for entrepreneurial career development, at national and international levels.
Originality/Value
The paper contributes new understanding to the role of EEE in postgraduate career initiation at international level in a period of significant and complex economic transformation