STUDENT PERCEPTIONS AND ENTREPRENEURIAL DRIVE: INSIGHTS FROM UITM'S ENTREPRENEURSHIP COURSES (ENT300)

Abstract

Entrepreneurship is included in the curriculum at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), but students may experience the course differently depending on their learning experiences, level of confidence and exposure to practical business activities. This study examines students’ perceptions of the ENT300 entrepreneurship course and their entrepreneurial intentions. It also considers the challenges students experienced and the aspects of the course that they found useful. A mixed-methods approach was used. Questionnaire data were obtained from 203 UiTM students, while qualitative data were collected through open-ended responses and interviews with 30 students involved in an entrepreneurship incubation programme. The quantitative analysis examined relationships between course perception, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, subjective norms and entrepreneurial intention. The qualitative responses were analysed thematically to identify common experiences and concerns reported by students. The quantitative results showed a moderate positive relationship between course perception and entrepreneurial intention (r = .51, p < .001). Regression analysis showed that course perception, entrepreneurial self-efficacy and subjective norms together explained 41.2% of the variance in entrepreneurial intention. Entrepreneurial self-efficacy was the strongest predictor (β = .445, p < .001). The qualitative findings provide further insight into these results. Students particularly valued business projects, teamwork, practical activities and exposure to real business situations. At the same time, they asked for more opportunities to work with actual businesses, updated case studies and more time for practical activities. The findings suggest that students generally value the ENT300 learning experience, but they also see room for greater practical exposure. The results should be interpreted as associations rather than causal effects because the study used a cross-sectional design. The findings may assist UiTM in reviewing the balance between classroom-based instruction and practical entrepreneurship activities.