Enhancing entrepreneurial outcomes: The role of experiential pedagogy in compulsory entrepreneurship education in developing economies

<p dir="ltr">The growing interest in entrepreneurship education (EE) has<br>fueled debate on when compulsory programs “work.” Drawing<br>on the theory of planned behavior, this study explores the<br>relationships between experiential pedagogy used in<br>a compulsory program, students’ intention to innovate, and<br>entrepreneurial intent (EI). Using structural equation modeling<br>to analyze survey data from 361 students in Nigeria enrolled in<br>compulsory entrepreneurship courses at public and private uni-<br>versities, we find that compulsory EE alone has limited impact<br>on EI and innovation intention (Int2Inv). However, experiential<br>pedagogy, particularly engaging faculty and out-of-class experi-<br>ences (OCE), significantly influences entrepreneurial attitudes<br>and behaviors across university types. Notably, OCE enhance<br>Int2Inv, mediated by behavioral control. These findings under-<br>score the importance of experiential learning in fostering entre-<br>preneurial competencies, especially in resource-constrained<br>settings. This study advances EE scholarship and provides policy<br>implications for optimizing pedagogy to cultivate EI and Int2Inv<br>in developing economies.</p>