Entrepreneurial Education and Sustainability: Opportunities and Challenges for Universities in Albania

Abstract

As new trends are emerging worldwide, including innovation breakthroughs and the need for a sustainable approach to different aspects of economy and entrepreneurship, the need for orienting society towards sustainable entrepreneurial behavior is emerging. In this context, according to the literature, entrepreneurial education can have a positive impact on fostering entrepreneurial intention in university students. The main research conducted in this study includes the identification of different opportunities and barriers that universities in Albania are facing, by conducting interviews and questionnaires with key stakeholders. The main barriers identified include the legislation gap and lack of governmental funding for entrepreneurial and sustainable courses, while the main opportunities from which universities can benefit include digital innovation and human resources skills management by providing an added value to their internal environment. The model proposed in this study to overcome barriers and benefit from opportunities includes two key stakeholders, government and universities, as the case study analysis of three universities in Albania predicts the need for more steps to be taken by these two key stakeholders included in the model, while future further research on governmental funding would be of high importance to the cost–benefit analysis of this kind of governmental support.

1. Introduction

Being entrepreneurial and having entrepreneurial skills can mean many things to different people. In fact, some of these skills can be learned and promoted at school by using various teaching and pedagogic methods, meaning that education can have an important role in shaping entrepreneurial skills. Numerous studies have highlighted the difference between entrepreneurship education and entrepreneurial education by presenting different meanings for each (Erikklä 2000; Hannon 2005; Mahieu 2006; Heder et al. 2011). In this context, Erikklä (2000) has proposed the term entrepreneurial education for unifying both enterprise and entrepreneurship education, which means focusing on both business and personal development by using different skills, knowledge, and attitudes. Thus, entrepreneurial education is categorized into three approaches: about, for, and through (Hasan et al. 2017). Teaching about means using a content-based and theoretical approach to provide a proper understanding of the phenomenon. Teaching for means an approach oriented towards giving entrepreneurial skills to students. Teaching through means a process-based approach where students go through an entrepreneurial learning process (Kyrö 2005). The main goal of entrepreneurial education is shaping students and their skills towards an entrepreneurial mindset, in order to form new businesses and new job opportunities (Fayolle and Gailly 2005; Hannon 2005; Venkatachalam and Waqif 2005). In the modern world, when taking into consideration innovation and globalization, higher education presents an active component in shaping innovative entrepreneurial skills (Kume et al. 2013).

The importance of entrepreneurial education is highlighted in many studies both globally and nationally (Demeti et al. 2017; Çera et al. 2021; Miço and Cungu 2023). Furthermore, an added importance of high-quality education relates to Albania’s integration into the European Union, as Chapter 26 of Integration Requirements includes education and culture (Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs 2024). According to the European Commission (2023), some progress was made during 2022 by approving strategies and laws on vocational education, but further efforts are required to strengthen the quality and inclusiveness of education, and to fully implement new policy reforms.

When observing the fast-paced innovative tendencies that have become prevalent globally, it is seen that economic sectors and industries have been influenced by the sustainable approach in creating a better, inclusive, and sustainable future. Also, important strategic documents and policies such as the United Nations Agenda 2030 have set numerous objectives regarding sustainable future and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which emphasize education as one of the main drivers towards a sustainable future. Moreover, in 2020, the European Commission set out a renewed vision and a series of actions to be taken from different levels to support entrepreneurship based on three pillars: developing entrepreneurial education and training, creating the right business environment and role models, and reaching out to specific groups (European Commission 2020). The first pillar of developing entrepreneurial education and training highlights the importance of investing in entrepreneurship education as these students may or may not found businesses, but they always benefit from entrepreneurial learning by shaping an entrepreneurial mindset for transforming ideas into actions and increasing employability. Furthermore, business knowledge and essential skills taught in entrepreneurial education include beneficial skills in the labor market, such as creativity, initiative, tenacity, teamwork, understanding of risk, and a sense of responsibility.

Nosratabadi et al. (2019) have found that modern businesses are implementing sustainability concepts in order to thrive. Due to the importance of this new approach to businesses’ behavior, entrepreneurial education holds a key role in shaping skills of future entrepreneurs to not only be entrepreneurs, but to also be oriented towards sustainability. As stated in the research by Suguna et al. (2024), entrepreneurship education is “a complex ecosystem with interdependent parts that work together to achieve sustainability”. Moreover, sustainable entrepreneurship has been identified as one of the solutions for green economic growth, solving problems of social inequalities and preserving natural resources and the environment (Lopes et al. 2023).

Many authors have dedicated their research to entrepreneurial education in Albania, but there is still a need to deepen the study of entrepreneurial education’s contribution to sustainability by defining the barriers and opportunities faced by universities. This paper presents the authors’ contribution to presenting the positive impact of entrepreneurial education towards sustainability, by also defining the opportunities and barriers faced by universities in Albania, by raising the following two main research questions: (i) what barriers and opportunities do higher education institutions face while trying to implement an entrepreneurial education approach? and (ii) what measures are needed to be taken by main stakeholders in order to overcome barriers and benefit from opportunities in this matter? Interviews and a questionnaire were conducted to gather the opinions and perceptions of different stakeholders, which resulted in creating a new model with two main stakeholders, the government and universities, for determining concrete measures to overcome the barriers and benefit from opportunities.

2. Literature Review

Numerous studies have been conducted regarding entrepreneurial education, its definition and other elements linked to it. Entrepreneurship includes components like leadership, management, creative thinking, innovation, and initiative development (Kazi et al. 2023), components that can be improved through education. Entrepreneurial education itself is defined in many ways, all citing a mutual goal: shaping students’ skills towards an entrepreneurial mindset, so new businesses and new job opportunities can be formed (Fayolle and Gailly 2005; Hannon 2005; Venkatachalam and Waqif 2005). The literature review study of 20 papers by Mwasalwiba (2010) shows the following terms are mostly used for defining the objectives of entrepreneurial education: increasing entrepreneurial spirit/culture/attitudes (34%), start-up and/or job creation (27%), contribution to society (24%) and the stimulation of entrepreneurial skills (15%). Accordingly, entrepreneurial education is described as a method of equipping students with knowledge regarding entrepreneurial skills that will help them not only in recognizing the opportunities but also in enabling them to act on these opportunities (Rongpipi and Sharma 2024). Porfírio et al. (2022) consider education as crucial to promote capabilities, as students and youth in general are considered potential entrepreneurs.

Driven by rapid changes and the need for holistic approaches, the positive impact of entrepreneurial education includes enhancing entrepreneurial creativity by strengthening knowledge and shaping entrepreneurial attributes, the refinement of students’ skills, boosting their knowledge, offering vital knowledge, and benefiting overall economic and social development (Kuratko 2005; Jones and Matlay 2011; Secundo et al. 2020; Ndou 2021; Ndou et al. 2019; Rodrigues et al. 2010; Rongpipi and Sharma 2024).

An element important to mention, which affects the above positive impact of entrepreneurial education, is the teaching pedagogy used. Ismail et al. (2018) state that the use of different teaching pedagogies can result in different effects of entrepreneurial education. The didactic approach (teacher-centric), although it is effective in enhancing students’ understanding of some topics, is criticized as ineffective in developing entrepreneurial behavior, while the student-centric approach is more effective as it is created through the transformation of experience. Moreover, as we are facing a new era in business, the education method is no longer based on the traditional method (Barnett 2005), meaning that new teaching practices are more necessary and valuable for reaching important objectives, especially regarding to business concepts.

Promoting entrepreneurial education for a sustainable future is an interdisciplinary task: entrepreneurs implement new ideas in society and the economy, thus keeping them lively and vibrant, while entrepreneurial education can trigger and support the whole process (Lindner 2018). According to the literature review, the entrepreneurial approach to education affects intentions, as well as behavior, even implicitly, through attitude changes (Ajzen et al. 2009; Bird 1988). In the beginning, Peter Drucker declared “The entrepreneurial mystique is discipline, and like any discipline, it can be learned” (Kuratko 2005), while an opposing perspective is provided by Bolton and Thompson (2004), which says that one of the most important factors for a successful entrepreneur is temperament, which cannot be taught. As long as entrepreneurial education and mentorship are found to affect positively entrepreneurial intention in Albania (Çera et al. 2021; Guga and Peta 2023), it is possible that the proper form of entrepreneurial education, with a focus on sustainability, can have a positive impact on the sustainable approach an entrepreneur must have nowadays. Furthermore, another factor that can develop and increase students’ attitude towards sustainability is the implementation of sustainable practices by universities (Lopes et al. 2023).

Specifically regarding Albania, in terms of this study approach, the recent reviewed literature suggests that the barriers that higher education institutions face to entrepreneurial concepts consist mainly of strategic policy development need, the lack of infrastructure, general/not-tailored educational programs for fostering entrepreneurial skills among students (Guga and Peta 2024), and the lack of sufficient resources for public universities (Barjaba and Barjaba 2023). Regarding opportunities, few studies have contributed to shedding lights on them by mentioning appropriate reward systems, the presence of role models, flexible structures (Papa 2018), efficient communication with the private sector, and the clear communication of goals and objectives (Mijo and Qosja 2022). As presented throughout this literature review, it is expected that this paper will list the barriers and opportunities for universities in Albania in terms of entrepreneurship, linking it to sustainability, while also presenting key ways to overcome these barriers and to benefit from these opportunities.

3. Research Results, Materials and Methods

3.1. Project Design

In this paper, a bottom-up model is used to identify the important stakeholders in universities offering courses in entrepreneurship, whose opinions and answers are then gathered and analyzed. The key stakeholders are identified as the main groups impacted by the approach of universities offering courses in entrepreneurship and those who also have a strong impact on the results of these courses in our society. In order to gather and analyze data, qualitative and quantitative methods are used as follows. The qualitative methods involved detailed research on the literature and previous studies on entrepreneurial education and its elements, the analysis of government strategies, laws, and action plans, public reports produced by state institutions that monitor education, etc. Also, 12 interviews were conducted with important stakeholders in universities. The quantitative method was used in gathering data from professors and students at one public university and two private universities that offer entrepreneurial courses in their curricula.

3.2. Research Instruments

In this study, the research instruments used were interviews and a questionnaire (Kripa et al. 2021). By using interviews, it was possible to gather data on opinions regarding entrepreneurial education, its opportunities and barriers, together with the linked approach of sustainability, by keeping in consideration the stakeholders’ role in education and their perception of the added value that their universities could create. On the other hand, the questionnaire was divided into four different sections as follows: (i) a brief introduction to the study, (ii) the demographic data section, (iii) questions related to the different innovative teaching methods and projects linked with entrepreneurship, and (iv) the possible opportunities and barriers perceived as important for universities offering courses in entrepreneurship.

3.3. Place and Participant Recruitment

Regarding the stakeholders taken into consideration in the analysis, they were chosen carefully after the critical literature review for their crucial role in education and universities. These stakeholders included external experts on education working for organizations that are involved in education, entrepreneurship, innovation, and related projects; experts from the Ministry of Education and Sports; and experts from the Ministry of Entrepreneurship. The experts were contacted via e-mail and invited to express their opinions in in-depth interviews.

To conduct the research, a population consisting of teachers and students of one public university and two private universities was targeted. The questionnaire was conducted online, based on consideration of the convenience of using digital methods. The method used for targeting the students of the one public university and two private universities was the snowball method, whereby each respondent was asked to share the questionnaire with other students from the same targeted university. Overall, 189 replies from 152 students and 37 teachers/professors from the three universities were gathered.

3.4. Data Analysis

The data gathered in this study were analyzed by using two methods. In order to identify the crucial opinions of the interviewed stakeholders, text analysis was used for each interview, which resulted in the identification of barriers, opportunities, governmental incentives, and further measures to be taken by universities, the state institutions that monitor education, and the government in general. Regarding the data gathered from the questionnaires, quantitative analyses were conducted to identify the potential relationships between teaching methods, entrepreneurial intentions, start-up incentives, and the barriers and opportunities faced by universities. Also, the demographic data were analyzed to give an overview of the potential relationship between demographic qualities and entrepreneurial understanding.

3.5. Study Limitations

This study had certain limitations. Firstly, the study was conducted in Albanian higher education institutions, i.e., with the data gathered in the Albanian context; thus, it does not represent other countries in the region, which may face similar barriers or opportunities. Furthermore, our study gathered data in only three main universities, one public university and two private universities, which have their own distinguishable characteristics, especially regarding funding and autonomy. The whole analysis was conducted on the basis of the assumption that entrepreneurial education contributes positively to entrepreneurial intention, as throughout the detailed literature review, especially for Albania, a positive correlation was found between these two concepts.

3.6. Barriers and Opportunities Identified from the Participants’ Responses

Regarding the qualitative analysis of the text versions of the interviews and questionnaire responses, different barriers and opportunities were identified, as described below. Figure 1 presents a pie chart showing the barriers identified from the interview and questionnaire results. The main barriers perceived by experts, teachers, and students are the lack of governmental support, both in the legislative framework and in funding, collaboration with different stakeholders, including the private sector in terms of entrepreneurship, curricula not being fully aligned with sustainable/entrepreneurial concepts, and the improvement needed in academic staff skills; while a barrier that was perceived as being of low importance is the lack of students’ entrepreneurial intention. Figure 1 shows the percentages of experts and respondents who perceived each barrier as the most important: the leading barrier is the lack of a legislative framework (22.79%), followed by the lack of governmental funding (21.41%), resulting in the conclusion that the lack of governmental support is perceived as the main barrier by the majority of participants in this study. The next most important barriers are perceived to be collaboration with stakeholders (18.78%) and curricula not being fully aligned with these concepts (18.23%). Also, the improvement in academic staff skills is another important barrier (15.33%), while the lack of students’ entrepreneurial intentions is perceived as important by 3.46% of the respondents.

Moreover, during this study, the main opportunities were highlighted in the responses of the participants, including the modern teaching methods used by universities, digital resources, organizational culture, internal autonomy, and proactive academic staff. An opportunity that was perceived as important by only 2.44% of the participants is the new recruitment of academic staff who have a modern approach to entrepreneurship and sustainability. In detail, as shown in Figure 2, the most important opportunity perceived by the majority of participants is the organizational culture and internal autonomy of universities (28.3%), followed by the use of modern teaching methods rather than the traditional ones (25.98%), the use of digital resources (22.85), and proactive academic staff. A less well perceived opportunity is the recruitment of new academic staff.

Since it was possible to identify from the interviews and questionnaire the main barriers and opportunities faced by higher education institutions on their road towards entrepreneurship and a sustainable approach, in the subsections below, a theoretical analysis is conducted to explain these concepts further and in greater depth, which are merged with the findings from the literature reviewed to identify the possible actions that can be taken to overcome the barriers and benefit from the opportunities. The study results confirm that the different barriers and opportunities that were identified during the literature review were also found to be important for Albanian higher education institutions.

3.7. Main Barriers and Opportunities Explained

3.7.1. Legislation Gap in Governmental Support towards Universities in Terms of Entrepreneurial Education

Education, as one of the most important pillars of society, contributes towards creating a better future by creating better students. In this context, governmental strategies and incentives for education have a significant impact on providing an environment in which universities can thrive. From the desk research on legislation and the qualitative analysis of the interview responses, it is found that legislation has been updated in Albania during recent years by approving different laws and strategies regarding education and employment, but still does not provide any clear support for universities to become more entrepreneurial or sustainable. The legislation gap is perceived as an important barrier for the stakeholders interviewed regarding its importance in creating an environment in which these concepts can thrive.

New strategies on education, employment, and sustainability are drafted to be in line with the EU acquis, taking into consideration the aspiration of Albania to become part of European Union. The most recently approved strategies regarding education and entrepreneurship concepts are the National Education Strategy 2021–2026 and the National Employment and Skills Strategy 2023–2030. One of the main objectives of the National Education Strategy 2021–2026 is increasing creativity and innovation, including entrepreneurship, at all levels of education and training. One of the planned products of this strategy is the improvement of the quality of teacher training programs. Harmonization of the curricula of the initial training of university teachers based on the requirements of the Higher Education Law will be used to adapt the curricula, in accordance with the best international practices, determining a fair balance between the subject content, pedagogical content, and the practical work integrated in the program of studies (Ministry of Education and Sports 2021). According to this, programs for the initial training of teachers will equip future teachers with the basic competencies necessary for quality teaching, but will also motivate them to develop these competencies even further during their career. These programs will focus in particular on enabling future teachers to develop key cross-curricular competences in students, such as entrepreneurial competence, digital competence, learning new practical competencies, and reading and writing.

The system of education and professional training in the country received a boost and special attention with the design and implementation of the Employment and Skills Strategy 2014–2022, within which the training and qualifications of the future workforce and their integration with the needs of the developing labor market have received special emphasis in public policies (Ministry of Finance 2023). As a result, during the last few years, important steps have been taken in the consolidation of the regulatory and institutional framework and in the further development and implementation of the Albanian Qualifications Framework, which was developed with reference to the European Qualifications Framework. Also, the main efforts of the responsible institutions were focused on the reorganization and optimization of the network of public vocational education and training (VET) providers, a process which is expected to have a significant impact on the expansion of the VET offer, in the context of lifelong learning.

Even though steps have been taken to improve the legislation and bring it closer to the concepts of entrepreneurial education, apart from the connection with the curricula, there is no clear step in the provision of entrepreneurial concepts in universities, or furthermore to facilitate the ability of universities to offer such courses.

The universities that took part in this study possess the capacities to create new partnerships and offer different courses, although the new updated legislation does not provide any clear support from the government in this regard. Moreover, the actual legislative framework in force, although it cites many Sustainable Development Goals, predicts little to no action in order to accomplish the inclusive and sustainable approach. As described in this section, the legislation does not provide a link between entrepreneurial education and sustainable policies, presenting a barrier for universities in orienting their courses not only towards entrepreneurship, but also towards sustainability.

Also, from the qualitative analysis of the teaching methods and courses offered by these universities, it is seen that although these universities offer courses linked to entrepreneurship, few or no courses were oriented towards sustainability and inclusiveness, and no interdisciplinary degrees or intensive courses were offered. In this context, the actual policies and laws do not provide the possibility of a multidisciplinary degree in terms of combining two or more fields of study in one diploma.

3.7.2. Main Factors That Impact Entrepreneurial Education and/or Sustainable Approach

From the detailed literature review, it was possible to define the positive impact entrepreneurial education has on creating sustainable communities, and also the main methods for this contribution. Research from the literature review, paired with the interviews and questionnaire responses, led to identifying important factors that can impact these concepts.

Firstly, a meaningful method of entrepreneurial education with a positive impact on sustainability is support for incubators and accelerators. In this context, a practical approach from universities can equip students with proper skills in various dimensions. Furthermore, interdisciplinary learning contributes positively to both entrepreneurial education and sustainability. During recent years, these universities have been focused on modern teaching methods rather than traditional ones, with updated curricula, numerous projects on entrepreneurship, different partnerships with private sector companies, and event projects for start-ups. In particular, the collaboration of universities with private sector companies is a good opportunity that should be used by students for further steps towards entrepreneurship. It is perceived that these universities have the ability to offer various products regarding entrepreneurship, but they lack a sustainable approach in their curricula.

Moreover, during the COVID-19 pandemic, these universities offered their courses online, following a modern way of digital communication and lecturing, and presenting no resistance to change. As the digital innovation is growing globally, digital channels and resources offer a good opportunity for universities to be inclusive, present, flexible, and proactive in shaping better students.

As regards the human resources of these universities, they are seen as a key factor by all the stakeholders who took part in this study. These human resources, which include academic staff, administrators, and support office staff, are considered to be quite involved in creating a better environment and the possibilities of an entrepreneurial mindset overall, as they appear to be proactive in offering new ideas to strengthen the universities’ position. At the same time, the organizational culture of the universities and the internal autonomy of the universities were considered to be key components in encouraging innovation and risk-taking behavior. The experts’ opinions combined with the students’ responses highlighted the overall perception of the good skills of academic staff, but further improvements were seen as highly important.

The relationship between groups with a common interest, including human resources, the government, private sector companies, and students, is perceived as a barrier, as it needs more participation by all these actors in a network that provides added value. As described in the results mentioned above, the government role could in particular be improved by offering better opportunities with improved strategies, policies, and laws, as well as better funding for public universities. Regarding financial resources, private universities are seen as more independent and more financially secure than public universities, although both types of universities can benefit from governmental grants or state funding for research centers.

4. Discussion

Numerous studies have highlighted the important role and influence that universities have in our society, by playing a central role in developing science, technology, innovation, justice-orientation, talent, empowerment, and wealth creation, while also enhancing and disseminating new ideas to promote social life in a suitable environment (Mohiuddin et al. 2022; Sedlacek 2013). As the world is facing constant changes on all levels, due to digital breakthroughs and more, an important adaption is needed to education in order to prepare individuals for their professional profile and skills according to the modern reality. As in Albania a positive relationship has been found between entrepreneurial education and entrepreneurial intention by previous studies, a positive correlation between these two variables is assumed throughout our study, from drafting the research instruments to the study results.

Based on the results of this study, a broader view of the barriers and opportunities faced by universities in Albania showed that these universities can benefit from specific tools, products, and services, while further work needs to be carried out by all stakeholders to minimize barriers. The most important barrier overall was concluded to be the lack of governmental strategies, policies, and laws that support entrepreneurial education and a sustainable approach in terms of financial support and legislative support for interdisciplinary diplomas and intensive courses, as the main governmental support offered is for improving the capacities of teachers. Moreover, universities are facing difficulties in stakeholders’ collaboration towards a mutual goal, curricula are not fully aligned with sustainable concepts, and academic staff skills are need of further improvement. Regarding some of the possible opportunities that universities can benefit from, these include modern teaching methods rather than traditional ones, digital resources, organizational culture, internal autonomy, and proactive human resources.

The results derived from the interviews and questionnaire analysis, paired with the detailed literature review and desk research, oriented this study towards presenting a model with two main stakeholders, the government and universities, which can contribute towards the minimization of barriers and the maximization of the benefits of opportunities as presented on Figure 3. While the emerging business trends increase the technological level and the demand for new knowledge and skills, the government should step into the role of public entrepreneur and financier. Government, as one of the main stakeholders that can provide an environment in which entrepreneurship and sustainability can thrive, has the proper tools to draft strategies and policies that link entrepreneurial education with a sustainable approach, to offer proper funding for research centers, incubators and accelerators, to enable interdisciplinary diplomas and intensive courses on entrepreneurship, and to incentivize start-ups and internships for university students in the private sector.

Universities themselves, while taking a proactive role, should overcome these barriers by combining governmental support with internal measures like updated curricula, a high level of internalization, the training of trainers (ToT) model, and the better use of digital resources. Specifically, universities should shape the entrepreneurial mindset for their students by raising awareness and also by using existing knowledge to create the new knowledge necessary to transform student into entrepreneurs in a changing competitive environment. Innovation emerging from the internal framework of the enterprise, as a comprehensive activity, also includes the university, which plays an active role in social and economic development. Moreover, universities should develop and support contemporary programs at various levels, including professional ones, that promote entrepreneurial skills and qualities, by forming not only experts but also entrepreneurs as active players in the social and economic developments of the country. By using the modern concept of entrepreneurial education, the capacity and talent of students for new entrepreneurial ideas are encouraged, through rich and complex entrepreneurship programs.

Another tool that would have a positive impact on the human resources management and improvement of skills is the training of trainers (ToT) method. The ToT method is based on transferring skills and knowledge from more experienced trainers to less experienced or new trainers, by initiating a training cascade (Mormina and Pinder 2018). Based on the study results, academic staff have a good understanding of and skills in entrepreneurship and sustainability, but further improvements need to be made. In this context, the ToT method will use the actual knowledge and skills possessed to create better, new skills for new teachers. Modules on the ToT method will contribute towards gaining new knowledge and transferable skills for turning innovative ideas into new products and services, enable better understanding of the entrepreneurial process (e.g., creating and recognizing opportunities), improve problem-solving and teamwork skills under time pressure, improve presentation skills, and increase transferability/applicability skills in multidisciplinary teaching.

Based on this discussion, future research on proper funding that should be provided by the government for achieving positive results from entrepreneurial education is needed to fully understand the impact that this action can have.

5. Conclusions

By encouraging students to become real change agents, universities make a positive impact towards a sustainable society. In these terms, entrepreneurial education is seen as a contributor to sustainability for society. In this study, the new proposed model with two main stakeholders that have the most impact in Albania regarding education suggests that numerous measures need to be taken by both the government and universities. New measures such as updated and improved legislation, governmental funding, better products, and raising the capacities of universities would have a positive impact on the courses offered in entrepreneurship and sustainability, thus creating a stronger and sustainable entrepreneurial intention among students.