Cultivating Entrepreneurial Mindsets: Building Knowledge-Centric-empowered Institutional Practices

Abstract

Entrepreneurial universities feature as innovative support systems. Therefore, universities should aim their focus on incorporating knowledge and skills within a curriculum to promote entrepreneurial mindsets. The change in Higher Education is inevitable, and ultimately future graduates must be able to compete in a global world that has moved from the third to the fourth industrial revolution (Mabunda, 2020; Mhlanga, 2021). The objective was to identify critical knowledge and skills suitable for an Entrepreneurial university’s curriculum in order build capacity and produce knowledge driven graduates with the capability to generate ideas and innovation in the digital era. Data was collected using an online structured questionnaire from the Innovation, Sustainability and Visionary Leadership Group and South African Business Innovation Community (Innovation Summit). The data collected was analysed quantitatively using inferential statistical analysis. Based on the results, judgement and decision, critical and analytical thinking were identified as knowledge and skills suitable for an Entrepreneurial university’s curriculum. Furthermore, skills and knowledge such as design thinking, and Information and Communication Technologies were identified, along with entrepreneurship, creativity, originality and innovation. The research aim was fulfilled by presenting the intervention keys to identify relevant skills and knowledge suitable for commercialisation dynamics of entrepreneurial universities. The ability to have sound judgement and decision making, along, critical thinking, creativity, originality and innovation were identified as the critical skills and knowledge required. The value of the study is its intervention keys which identifies critical knowledge and skills relevant in the entrepreneurial university’s curriculum at a given time. This can help in assisting students to be more innovative, entrepreneurial and be able to convert business ideas into commercial products or services.