The Impact of Entrepreneurship Education on the Development of Entrepreneurial Intention Among Engineering Students: The Mediating Role of Entrepreneurial Mindset and Self-Efficacy.

Abstract

This thesis explores how entrepreneurship education (EE) influences the development of entrepreneurial intention (EI) among engineering students, specifically examining the mediating roles of entrepreneurial mindset (EM) and entrepreneurial self-efficacy (ESE). Considering the growing global importance of innovation and entrepreneurial skills, the study investigates the degree to which EE enhances EI by fostering EM and strengthening ESE. Using a quantitative survey of 431 engineering students at York University’s Lassonde School of Engineering, the study applied structural equation modeling to examine the direct and indirect effects of EE on EI through EM and ESE. Our findings show that EE significantly enhances EI, with both EM and ESE positively mediating this relationship. In this research, we investigated the impact of entrepreneurship education on entrepreneurial mindset and on entrepreneurial intention. In reality this relationship is more complex, and causality might be in the opposite direction. Future research should investigate the interplay between these entrepreneurial components and the iterative nature of their evolving relationships. This highlights the value of integrating EE into engineering curricula to develop the EM needed in today’s technology-driven world. The research contributes to existing literature by quantifying EE's impact on EI and offers practical implications for educational policy and curriculum development, advocating for the continued inclusion of EE to effectively prepare engineering students for entrepreneurial careers and foster economic innovation and growth.