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Entrepreneurship Education as a Strategy to Build Regional Sustainability

Author

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  • Grete Hagebakken

    (School of Business and Economics, UIT the Arctic University of Norway, Havnegata 5, 9480 Harstad, Norway)

  • Christian Reimers

    (School of Business and Economics, UIT the Arctic University of Norway, Havnegata 5, 9480 Harstad, Norway)

  • Elsa Solstad

    (School of Business and Economics, UIT the Arctic University of Norway, Havnegata 5, 9480 Harstad, Norway)

Abstract

Entrepreneurship education (EE) is a means to create economic activity and is of importance in the development of rural regions. Entrepreneurship education is generally conducted by three different methods: (1) teaching students about entrepreneurial themes, (2) developing the capabilities of becoming a successful entrepreneur for enterprise and (3) developing capabilities through enterprise by which persons learn through experience and discovery. Our research question is; How does education through entrepreneurship fit as a way to meet the needs of start-ups in a rural context? We follow an entrepreneurial case programme in our study by conducting observations of and interviews with 26 persons involved in the programme. Our findings are that participants consider the programme as an important contribution to the local/regional entrepreneurial ecosystem. However, it is also described as a short-lived ecosystem, from which the participants mostly benefit while on the programme and to a lesser degree afterwards. Sustainability plays a part in attracting participants but to a lesser degree forms the educational content and evaluation parameters. Our study contributes to the discussion of how education through entrepreneurship is organised as an accelerator programme to help start-ups in a rural context.

Suggested Citation

  • Grete Hagebakken & Christian Reimers & Elsa Solstad, 2021. "Entrepreneurship Education as a Strategy to Build Regional Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-17, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:5:p:2529-:d:506362
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. José Alberto Martínez-González & Carmen Dolores Álvarez-Albelo & Javier Mendoza-Jiménez & Urszula Kobylinska, 2022. "Predicting the Entrepreneurial Behaviour of Starting Up a New Company: A Regional Study Using PLS-SEM and Data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-25, February.
    2. Hazel Mubango & Muziti Petronella & Muchowe Regis M., 2025. "Transforming Rural Learning Spaces: The Role of Entrepreneurship Education on Promoting Sustainable Development in Zimbabwe," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(3s), pages 5738-5755, July.
    3. Greta Serpente & Daniela Bolzani & Rosa Grimaldi, 2025. "Entrepreneurial support organizations as providers of entrepreneurial education and training," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 50(5), pages 2412-2442, October.
    4. Wided Ragmoun, 2024. "The Analysis of Trigger Factors of the Environmental Entrepreneurship Process in Saudi Arabia: An Innovative Approach," Economies, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-19, September.
    5. Yue Liu & Bity Salwana Alias & Aida Hanim A. Hamid, 2025. "Student Entrepreneurship Competence and Its Contribution to Sustainable Development: A Systematic Review in the Context of Chinese Higher Education," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-20, April.
    6. Haibin Liu & Sadan Kulturel-Konak & Abdullah Konak, 2021. "Key Elements and Their Roles in Entrepreneurship Education Ecosystem: Comparative Review and Suggestions for Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-28, September.
    7. Walter Leal Filho & David Anthony Kirby & Tiago F. A. C. Sigahi & Ricardo L. F. Bella & Rosley Anholon & Osvaldo L. G. Quelhas, 2025. "Higher education and sustainable entrepreneurship: The state of the art and a look to the future," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(1), pages 957-969, February.

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