BUILDING UP THE BASE FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP: THE MEANING OF UNIVERSITY IN THE ENTREPRENEURIAL ECOSYSTEM

Abstract

In our research, we aim to extend the debate about the new role of universities as an entrepreneurial ecosystem, by examining some underlying and fundamental, but very important dimensions for further and deeper examinations of this subject such as university ownership, field of study and the entrepreneurial education concentration within, as well as the university environment and learning programs. The research considers an analysis based on major implications proposed by the GUESSS Project (Global University Entrepreneurial Spirit Students' Survey) to generate in-depth insights into students’ entrepreneurial intentions. A hierarchical multiple regression was run to determine the effect of different variables related to university ecosystem on entrepreneurial intention of student population. The data comes from the GUESSS survey 2018, conducted at state and private universities in North Macedonia, with undergraduate and postgraduate students. A sample of 398 respondents was collected. The study contributes to the existing literature on nascent entrepreneurship and start-up behaviour in understanding the impact of key elements of an entrepreneurial ecosystem within a university on student start-up activity.