Entrepreneurship education in Russia: Influence of Regional Stakeholders

Abstract

Entrepreneurship education is one of the “youngest” segments in the sphere of Russian higher education. A lack of traditions and established practices in the development of educational programmes for entrepreneurs negatively affects the quality of such education at universities. In this regard, the role of internal and external stakeholders in the formation and improvement of entrepreneurship education programmes is growing. This article analyses the practice of Russian universities in the development of educational programmes for entrepreneurs. Key research foci include the structure of competencies specified in such programmes and their correlations with the regional context of entrepreneurship development. A number of research hypotheses were formulated, including those concerning the transformation of entrepreneurship education programmes under the pressure of stakeholders’ demand for soft skills, heterogeneity of entrepreneurship education programmes as the result of differences between regional entrepreneurial ecosystems, involvement of internal and external stakeholders in the creation of entrepreneurship education programmes. The data presented in the article were obtained from open sources, such as the websites of universities implementing courses of entrepreneurship education. The main results of the study include: 1 An integrated model of soft skills structure as a methodological platform for research in the sphere of entrepreneurship education. 2 Identification of regional differences in entrepreneurship education programmes. 3 Verification of a hypothesis concerning the impact of entrepreneurial ecosystem factors on the state of entrepreneurship education. 4 Formulation of problems for future research with regard to interaction between all the actors and institutions of regional entrepreneurship ecosystems.