Erasmus + Programme Promotes Entrepreneurial Skills: A Study of the Multidimensional Scale of Entrepreneurship Skills (MSES)

Entrepreneurial competences have been studied for their relevance to current challenges such as employability, sustainability, and social cohesion. Meanwhile, the Erasmus + programme is presented as an initiative that promotes European cohesion through the internationalisation of education and cultural interaction. However, no studies have evaluated Erasmus + in terms of developing Entrepreneurship skills. This study aims to evaluate the impact of the Erasmus + student mobility programme on the development of entrepreneurship skills among young adult higher education students. For this purpose, an instrument was constructed, validated, and assess the entrepreneurial dimensions of the Multidimensional Scale of Entrepreneurship Skills (MSES). The sample consisted of 413 students of both genders, all attending Portuguese higher education institutions. The preliminary study to construct the items of the Competence Assessment Instrument was carried out by experts (researchers and university professors specialised in psychology and entrepreneurship). The final version of the scale consisted of 22 items and three dimensions were identified: Self Dimensions, Interpersonal and Ethical Relationships, and Cognition and Communication. The results show that participation in the Erasmus + programme contributes to the development of Entrepreneurship skills, especially among younger students and women. Age was negatively correlated with the development of these skills, suggesting that younger participants experienced greater growth in Entrepreneurship skills. Implications of the study are suggested, as well as the need for further research in different cultural backgrounds and longitudinal research.