Journal of East China Normal University(Educationa ›› 2016, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (2): 22-29.doi: 10.16382/j.cnki.1000-5560.2016.02.003

• Entrepreneurship Education in Universities(高校创业教育 ) • Previous Articles     Next Articles

A Study on Evaluating Effectiveness of Entrepreneurship Education in Higher Education Institutions and Promoting Strategies

GAO Gui-Juan,LI Li-Hong   

  1. College of Vocational Education, Tongji University, Shanghai 201804
  • Online:2016-05-20 Published:2016-07-05
  • Contact: GAO Gui-Juan,LI Li-Hong
  • About author:GAO Gui-Juan,LI Li-Hong

Abstract: After a rapid development of entrepreneurship education, the western developed countries have begun to focus on evaluating the entrepreneurship education and its effectiveness in order to make a proper adjustment. Entrepreneurship education in China, though emerging later than that of the western developed countries, has grown rapidly and is strongly pushed forward by the central government. It’s over ten years since the pilot work was launched in 2002 by the Ministry of Education, and entrepreneurship education has become a national highlight and is being integrated into the global context. Nevertheless, sufficient attention has not been paid to the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education. And it is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education in higher education institutions. Effectiveness, in brief, refers to the actual result, which can be indicated by the ratio of input and outcome. That is, more outcome from a relatively less input in an activity means effectiveness. Thus, effectiveness of entrepreneurship education means the real and effective state after an activity of entrepreneurship education by comparing its result and expected goals. Based on the theory and practice of education quality evaluation, as well as CIPP evaluation model by D. L. Stufflebeam in 1967, which includes four dimensions (context evaluation, input evaluation, process evaluation and product evaluation), this study constructs an evaluation model for the effectiveness of entrepre neurship education from two dimensions: one is entrepreneurship education process, and the other is entrepreneurship education outcome. Entrepreneurship education process involves educational factors in the entrepreneurship education activities, which can be divided into three groups of indicators: entrepreneurship courses, entrepreneurship practice and entrepreneurship organization. Entrepreneurship education outcome, in term of measurable entrepreneurship education goals, involves entrepreneurship skills, which can be divided into three groups of indicators: professional skills, methodological skills and social skills. And then, the effectiveness of entrepreneurship education in HEIs is evaluated, and the sample includes different types of HEIs in China as well as the nine HEIs participating in the pilot work of entrepreneurship education since 2002. The fingdings show that the real result of entrepreneurship education in HEIs of China is poor. Entrepreneurship education does not function well from the perspective of process. And in terms of outcomes, students’ entrepreneurship skills need to be improved. Further factor analysis shows that factors which influence effectiveness of entrepreneurship education include HEIs, students, governments and society. Thus, it’s necessary to improve students’ entrepreneurship skills and strengthen the cooperation among HEIs, students, governments and society to improve effectiveness of entrepreneurship education. Specifically, HEIs need to highlight the educational function to integrate entrepreneurship education into the education process. Also, policies should be in place to guide HEIs to refine their entrepreneurship education goals. In addition, the enterprises should be encouraged to be actively involved in the entrepreneurship practice.