Examining the Nexus Between Dimensions of Entrepreneurship Education and Entrepreneurial Intention: The Mediating Role of Institutional Entrepreneurial Culture

Document Type : Review article

Authors

1 Dept of Business and Entrepreneurship, Bayero University, Kano School of Business and Entrepreneurship, American University of Nigeria, Yola Dept of Business and Entrepreneurship, University of Lay Adventists of Kigali, Rwanda

2 Dept of Business and Entrepreneurship, Bayero University, Kano

3 School of Management, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, 11800, Penang, Malaysia Department of Information Technology & Management, Daffodil International University, Birulia, Bangladesh Department of Management, Sunway Business

10.22059/ijms.2026.397335.677723

Abstract

The limited evidence on the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education (EE) and its dimensions in emerging economies has raised concerns among stakeholders. This may be linked to differing entrepreneurial outcomes across countries, underscoring the importance of contextual factors such as Institutional Entrepreneurial Culture (IEC). This study examines the mediating role of IEC in the relationship between EE dimensions and entrepreneurial intention (EI) within Nigerian universities, where EE is considered crucial for reducing youth unemployment and fostering economic growth.

Using a quantitative survey design, data were collected from 981 students across 10 universities through multi-stage and snowball sampling. The data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM).

The results indicate that curriculum content (CC) and faculty profile (FP) significantly enhance students’ entrepreneurial intentions, while delivery methods (DM) negatively influence EI. Moreover, IEC was found to strongly mediate the relationship between EE and EI, reinforcing the role of an enabling entrepreneurial culture in shaping behaviour.

These findings stress the need to strengthen entrepreneurial culture within and beyond educational institutions to ensure EE translates into tangible entrepreneurial action. Future studies should examine informal aspects of IEC and assess its long-term societal impacts.

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